Some pictures from Christmas. First there was the evening party around Kingswood with the progressive supper, starting at Lin and Laurie, progressing to Julie and Ian, and finishing at Karin and Duncan. Christmas was a family day at home.
Rosemary and I, along with a few others, had a tour of the BBOWT wetlands nature reserve at Gallows Bridge. This is one wetland reserve of many they own on the Upper River Ray. Gallows Bridge has the Tetchwick Brook flowing through it which is a tributary of the Ray, joining the Ray at Three Way Meadows. Tetchwick Brook should be well known to readers of this blog, as the river (stream, ditch) over which we have a tug of war over.
The morning was misty, not ideal for photography. The warden explained the type of management the reserve received, and why. Interestingly we heard how some of the land had been ploughed years ago with a technique called ridge and furrow which causes long ridges to form in the fields which remain today and are now protected. Many of the nesting wetland birds are predated by animals, mink and fox being the main culprits. An effort is made before the breeding season to trap and kill the mink, and reduce the number of foxes in the area. The trap at this time of year contained a mud pad which was used to estimate the number of river mammals living in the area. Paw prints of Mink and Otter could be seen.
BBOWT had been creating a number of ponds and scrapes to keep water on the site over the summer season, providing feeding areas for Snipe, Lapwing and Curlew . Grass has to be managed in several ways allowing for short and long grass to suit different species of bird. The reserve is also a habitat for Short Eared Owls, Barn Owls, Hobby and Kingfishers. After the tour we stayed in the hides for a while in the hope of seeing the Kingfisher. Alas we didn’t, just saw a few LBJs.
Rosemary and I visited Valerie and Norman in Leicester along with Maggie and Ravi on the 27th September 2014 to visit King Richard III. We looked around the recently opened exhibition, saw where Richard III had been excavated from under the car park. Drank a few beers in the local pubs, and even joined BBOWT at a Sunday Market. Great time was had, lots of lovely food.
We took a trip down to Hill Head to have a look around Rosemary’s parents’ old retirement stomping ground. We watched the Oystercatchers, Turnstones and gulls feeding at low tide. Interesting watching the gulls dropping shellfish onto the stones in the hope they would break open. Tricky business as other birds were ready to pick up the remains.
Walked on over to the Osborne View for lunch. Ate outside in the searing heat. The place has much improved over the last few years.
Next we walked around the Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve, owned by Hampshire County Council. We walked the east side visiting all the hides. These are all relatively new, built in the last 10 years. Herons and duck were on display. There was excitement in the last hide when long yellow tailed tits or something like that were spotted.
Finally tea at the Haven cafe, and a final view of a hovercraft being tested.
Early September we travelled to Norfolk to see Mike and Ann. The weather was glorious, especially on the day we visited Walsingham, the Abbey and Wells-next-the-Sea. The Abbey was weird, it is a pilgrimage site with people pilgriming there from all over Britain. We had lunch in a pub, and then drove over to Wells-next-the-Sea. Not there for long, though managed to get a picture of the offshore wind farm which looks a little unusual with the way mirage has bent the turbine blades down at sea level. No this was not a time lapse exposure.
Rosemary and I have been back from our holiday in the Orkney and Shetland Islands where we were immersed in Archeology for over a week. Following this week, we spent another week in Edinburgh sampling the Edinburgh fringe. If you are remotely interested a full write up and immense gallery of pictures are located on the main pages of the website. Click here to be impressed.
We have had hectic days looking at tombs, stone circles and brochs, mixed in with eating and drinking.
The weather has been reasonable, no rain and lots of sunshine, even getting passably warm. The hotel we stayed at was on the Harbour front, and we did well with a great view of the boats. Only down side were the boy racers who insisted on driving up and down the harbour road at 1am with their tuned exhaust pipes.
So on Wednesday we saw Maes Howe, Stones of Stenness, Ring of Brodgar, Barnhouse and a real live excavation in progress at the Ness of Brodgar. The Ness of Brodgar is so large it dwarves the World Heritage site at Skara Brae.
Thursday had us visiting the Island of Rousay by ferry. Before leaving we saw Betty’s Reading Room at the ferry terminal.
Betty's Reading Room
Another picture of Betty’s Reading Room. The place is full of books to be borrowed.
Betty's Reading Room
We circled the island twice because the the coach could not turn around. We saw the Midhowe Chambered Tomb and the Midhowe Broch. After lunch at the Pier we entered the Taversoe Tuick double chambered tomb.
Ferry terminal on the Island of Rousay.
Taversoe Tuick. Notice the cloudless blue skies of Scotland and the Orkneys.
Friday is our last day of this section in Orkney, we are back for a couple more after our four days in Shetland. We went off early to Skara Brae, a world heritage site. You cannot walk through the habitations now. Instead you view them from the sides and visit a reconstruction of the best house. This house was remarkable in its size and could easily accommodate the whole group of us. As well as seeing Skara Brae we also walked around the local Laird’s house, Skaill House. On display in the dining room was Captain Cook’s dinner service. This was for payment for lodging of a few officers in the house when the expedition returned, after Cook’s death, and was stuck in the Orkneys for weeks.
After this visit we drove to nearby Marwick Head, a cliff where the Kitchener’s Memorial tower stands over the cliffs. Actually we did not walk to the tower but instead bird watched, seeing a few Puffins fly in, Guillemots, Fulmers, Kittiwakes. Rosemary was shown a rare orchid, a frog orchid. Picture to come.
Lunch next, at the Merkister Hotel, where Jeremy Paxman had very recently stayed while researching Kitchener. We had a ploughman’s with no bread, but chips and boiled potatoes!!!!! It transpired our leaders had asked for bread and been told they had none. A little while later, however, we were offered rolls. Rolls are not considered bread in Scotland.
Finally a drive to see yet another broch, Gurness Broch; a remarkable multi-storey building with lots of dwellings outside the main broch.
Afterwards we made our way to the airport for the flight to the Shetlands. Predictably the flight was late, something to do with passengers on the incoming flight from Inverness not wanting to fly because of the fog. Anyway we have taken off, but the pilot does not sound confident about us landing. FlyMayBee did land on the Shetlands, and first attempt as well. We made it to the hotel for supper and a nightcap.
Today was a walking tour of Kirkwall. Day was lovely sunny and warm with a light breeze. We started off by Saint Olaf’s gate.
St Olaf’s Gate
Then walked to The Cathedral built by the Vikings. The Cathedral run by the council is now secular but still banned a humanist wedding!!!
On to the Earls house, which is a ruin and then the Bishops house also a ruin.
Earls House
Earls House
We all then went on to lunch which was rather a time consuming affair, taking rather too long to prepare the main courses for us all. The afternoon was spent visiting the museum where the had a display from the archaeological digs in Orkney.
The late afternoon was sunny, though with some cloud coming in. Hope to take some spectacular sunset, late evening photographs.
Before I went to bed on Sunday, noticed the weather was clearing a little bit, so was able to wander down to the quay and take some pictures of the setting sun. I have some super pictures, this sample taken on my mobile phone does no justice. You will have to wait a few weeks.
Stroma in the setting sun from John O’Groats
Today we caught the passenger only ferry to Orkney, then the bus to Kirkwall. Left our bags at the Kirkwall Hotel and then walked up to the Highland Park distillery where we had a tour. Alas the distillery was not in operation, being holiday season and refurbishment month. Anyway tasted a whisky and came away with a couple of glasses. Most of the others on the tour were from the Faroe islands. Swapping one cold, windy wet island for another.
Highland Park Distillery
Back in town we bought some gorgeous Orkney Island ice cream and am having a beer before meeting up with the rest of the group.
The day started promisingly. Not for long, we were soon in the rain and cloud with the visibility down to 100 metres. We were heading to John O’Groats. We went by Thurso. Not a lot to see there, so headed on to JOG. On the way stopped at Dunnet which is the most Northerly point on mainland Britain.
Here Rosemary spotted a Puffin on the cliff side. Pretty sure the light house is for sale.
The lighthouse at Dunnet point.
The most northerly point.
Dunnet point the most northerly point of Great Britain.
Stephen with wires growing out of his head.
We then drove on to JOG where we bought tomorrow’s passenger tickets for Orkney and photographed this awful German tour bus. We last saw these in Namibia.
Rotel German tour bus / hotel
Next to the Seaview Hotel for supper and the night. Over 130 whiskys in the bar.
Seaview hotel John O'Groats
The weather is looking up. There could be a sunset tonight and sun is forecast for tomorrow!