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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 - July 2023
by Ian Robertson - 20:35 on 15 July 2023
Scorradale Report.
After sorting out the travel arrangements, 9 of us met at the small lay-by at the top of the hill for a wander along the old peat track heading north.
We were / are extremely fortunate in that the morning’s rain eased off just as we started, and because we had John and Jenny with us, both of whom are more than willing to share their expertise with the botanical novices in the group. Furthermore, it was Myrtle’s sharp eyes that first spotted the highlight of the day, Bog Pimpernel, with its tiny, delicate, pink flowers, although they weren’t at their best given the overcast conditions.
The group often splits off into smaller ones within which discussions take place regarding some of the distinctions between, for example, Heath rush and Heath Woodrush, or Wavy and Tufted Hair-grass, or Field and Marsh Horsetails.
Among the plants that survive, even thrive upon these thin soils and acidic conditions, are grasses like Heath grass (a new one for me), Viviparous fescue, Sweet Vernal grass, Yorkshire Fog, Crested Dog’s-tail and the lovely Bents, the latter not looking their best after the morning’s rain, but when dry, seem to float like a purple mist . The Sedges, Common, Flea, Common yellow and Oval were seen, although some of us are still having difficulty in confidently identifying Carnation and Glaucous sedges when there are no spikelets to help us!
Similarly, while we’re happy with some of the Rushes such as Jointed, Soft, Toad and Bulbous rushes, there were question marks over what might have been Sharp-flowered rushes, or had they hybridised with some other rush?
Among the many plants with colourful flowers at this time of the year were a few Heath Fragrant Orchids. Although well past their prime now a few still offered up their lovely scent, reminiscent of cloves. A scattering of Heath-spotted and Northern Marsh Orchids existed a little further up the slope. Stands of Marsh Lousewort were particularly fine, coming in to bloom just as its counterpart, Common Lousewort is fading. Bog Asphodel, Slender St.John’s-wort, Tormentil, Common Bird’s-foot-trefoil, Heath and Marsh Bedstraw, and the 3 “heathers”, Bell and Cross-leaved-Heath were in flower, and Ling, thinking about it.
Nor must we forget the Eyebrights; the most frequently seen being Euphrasia micrantha (Slender Eyebright), a very delicate plant cf. E. arctica which has larger flowers, and a new one for many of us, E. scottica.
A great afternoon’s botanising and great company.
Star Sedge
Mouse Lousewort
Bog Pimpernel
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