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Walking Group One 25th April 2024
Five hardy souls collected today at Happy Valley for the first Hill Walk of the year .The temperature was cool with a North Easterly wind blowing and a hint of rain on arrival.
Off we set heading towards Russadale Quarry, spotting a Buzzard on the way.Turning into the footpath we remained sheltered from the wind all the way to the top of the hill.
The sun was out at the Quarry and a Greenshank was feeding at the edge of the Lochan. Then it was up the Peat road to the summit with spectacular views across Stenness and Harray Lochs, plus a view of the Closed Road beyond the Watch Stone. On the other side we looked over the Flow and down towards the Oil Platform and South Ronaldsay
Then it was back down after a stop for a snack and finally a walk around Happy Valley itself. The Daffodils planted by James and others were looking lovely and the Bluebells are days away from opening. Then it was on to a well deserved lunch at the Pier Cafe, having walked 4 miles and gone up 800 feet (and down again )
The next walk will be on Friday 24th May and hopefully more hills and views.
Keep moving.
U3A Botany Group - August 2022
by Phylida - 13:22 on 14 August 2022
Knowes of Trotty. 9-8-2022
This was the first time some in our group of 6, had visited this area. Incidentally ‘Knowes’ rhymes with How’s!
It was a lovely sunny warm afternoon, if somewhat windy (when hasn’t it been this summer?) but at least it kept the midgies at bay! I’m sure that when we started walking up the rather unprepossessing track some members wondered why we’d bothered! Creeping Thistle with it’s Carnation- like scent , Hogweed and Cock’s foot were abundant.
There was a general discussion on the sap from Hogweed which can cause an extremely unpleasant reaction lasting a few days as Graham knows.
Within a few metres however, the track yielded a bountiful array of plants:
Silverweed, Woundwort, White Clover, Sneezewort, Autumnal Hawkbit, Cat’s Ear , Devil’s Bit Scabious, Tormentil, Eyebright (Euphrasia Arctica), Yellow Rattle and Spear Thistle. We also saw Bush Vetch and Meadow Vetchling which gave us the opportunity to revise the names of the 4 vetch species we have seen this summer, Sea Plantain and Broad- leafed Plantain, (or the violin plant as Merryn dubbed it in her childhood and she showed us why!)
In the field beside the track there was a mass of Corn Spurrey and on both sides of the track there were plenty of TwayBlades.
Crossing over the style we went to look at the pond which held much more water than some of us had seen previously. Consequently the Common Spike Rush was both tall and prolific, Broad- leaved Pondweed was also plentiful but Common Water Crowfoot, Mare’s-tail, Marsh Cinquefoil, Water Forget-me-not, Lesser Spearwort, Common Water Starwort (a new one for me) were also found.
Having rejoined the track we noted the Heathland with Ling, Bell, and Cross-Leaved –Heath, Slender St John’s Wort, Slender Eyebright and Great Willowherb. Ian thought we should note some grasses too, so we identified Viviperous Fescue, Mat Grass (with its distinctive combs) and Tufted Hair Grass.
It was when we turned towards the Knowes that the group realised what a really beautiful part of Orkney this is. Stunning colours in the sunshine and gorgeous flowers all vying for our attention!
The habitat changed again to Dales and Wildwoods, yielding Eared Willow, Water Avens, Wild Angelica, Greater Woodrush and Rosebay Willowherb not forgetting the profusion of tall pink spikes of Valerian, Heath Woodrush and Green Ribbed Sedge.
Walking along the duckboards in the wet areas we noted, Flag Iris, Marsh Lousewort, Marsh Marigold (leaves), Marsh Ragwort, both Water Horsetail and Marsh Horsetail, Bogbean beans and Bog Asphodel. The highlight surely was Ian finding a Fragrant Marsh Orchid still in flower and yielding it’s glorious scent!
This is not a definitive list, but I hope it illustrates the great variety of plants we saw on this beautiful, scenic afternoon.
Fragrant marsh orchid
Bog asphodels
Sneezewort
Viviparous fescue
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