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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 Photo Group One - May 2023
by Tim - 06:24 on 13 May 2023
Ten of us went in 3 cars to Hoy on Wednesday .The weather varied as to where you were but we set off on a morning of misty low cloud and a moderate Easterly wind . Not much was observed from the deck on the way across except it was cold ! At Lyness two cars headed up to Rackwick after perusing the Air raid Shelter. Slowed down on the way by roadworks but they eventually got through .No Eagles to be seen at the Dwarfie Stone but sun at Rackwick .There was a good swell and excellent photos of breaking waves were taken but no Surfers .
The other car headed south stopping off on the way to take photos of a very ancient tractor with spiked back wheels and iron front wheels.It would not have been a comfortable ride on a road ! An excellent time in the Lifeboat Museum with great commentary by the Curator produced many photos of brass and instruments of the 90 year old boat . Moving on various old houses caught the eye including the Custom House in Longhope and a disintegrating wooden house just along the road .Then to the Martello Tower ,closed unfortunately ,and to the Longhope Lifeboat Memorial . Lunch was taken at Canntick Head Lighthouse .The mist persisted but didn't stop us walking down to the Beacon and photographing the Arctic Terns there .Then it was back up to the Museum with a stop at the old Art Deco Theatre frontage on the way .A nice cuppa at the Museum and we all met up again to go and look at the new exhibits .The old guns that were outside the old Museum have been restored and look very handsome ,the larger one in the Romney hut and the the smaller in the Museum itself . Finally back on the boat with the mist still around .Great Northern Divers were seen but not by me .I was down in the warmth of the cabin this time around . An excellent trip out for the day which will have produced lots of endless interesting photos .
More to follow later re next trip plans etc,
Tim
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