Two for One offers
It appears that Westray Wildlife will be continuing their two-for-one offers for the remainder of the month. :)
Literally
In Orkney I’m constantly delighted by how literal everyone is. Maybe it’s the Northerner in me to which it appeals. I loved …
A weathered gargoyle
St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall is a masterpiece of stone carving. There are numerous decorative flourishes including this gargoyle. I know it’s …
Me, after dinner
It’s the afternoon and the seals are out in force at Broughton on Westray. From all appearances they seem to have had dinner; at least that’s what I look like after I’ve had mine.
A Different View of St Magnus Cathedral
I’ve seen so many beautiful photographs of St Magnus Cathedral. There are photographs of it in brilliant sunshine, photographs in snow, photographs …
Flower Arrangement
Apart from putting a few garage forecourt flowers in the wrong size of vase and the extras in a spare milk bottle …
The Dove
I’m about to set sail to Westray on a ferry as big as a Biblical Ark. First though, we’re having a special …
Sea Urchin – forty years ago in my nature notebooks
Forty years ago today I was happy with my head in a rock pool and beach-combing in South Wales. Today I’m happy …
Cockles – forty years ago in my nature notebooks
Forty years ago today I was 12 years old and combing the beaches in Tenby looking for interesting finds for my nature …
Blue blistering barnacles – forty years ago in my nature notebooks
Forty years ago my nature notebooks show that I wasn’t just observing the natural world but I was prodding it and poking …
Shore crab – forty years ago in my nature notebooks
Forty years ago I was a 12 year old boy and was busy writing my nature notebooks. I made detailed drawings of …
Mermaid’s fishing line – forty years ago in my nature notebooks
I always thought that it was odd that so much seaweed washes up on beaches. If seaweed has evolved over millions of …
Hermit Crabs – forty years ago in my nature notebooks
40 years ago I was on holiday and writing my nature notebooks with a full account of every species that I identified. …
A Wren in the garden – forty years ago in my nature notebooks
Forty years ago I was 12 years old and had just started my nature notebooks. I drew what I saw on holiday …
Small periwinkles – forty years ago in my nature notebooks
Small Periwinkles are beautiful. Forty years ago today on 15 August 1976 I was on holiday and I was describing them in …
Green Veined White – forty years ago in my nature notebooks
Butterflies are very noticeable insects. They have large bright wings and fly during the day. How they escape being eaten by birds …
Heron overhead – forty years ago in my nature notebooks
Sometimes there’s just too much wildlife going on here in Westray. We’re sitting on the beach in Pierowall Bay watching the seals …
Dandy Lions – forty years ago in my nature notebooks
Forty years ago I was twelve years old and had been using a Single Lens Reflex camera for a couple of years. …
Brittlestar – forty years ago in my nature notebooks
Forty years ago I was scouring the beaches at Tenby looking for any interesting living creatures. As is so common, I only …
Dog Whelk – forty years ago in my nature notebooks
One of the greatest things you can have as a child is a love of the natural world. To have the capacity …
Beadlet Anemone – forty years ago in my nature notebooks
Forty years ago today, on 11 August 1976, I was 12 years old, my family were on holiday in South Wales, and …
A Tystie with something tasty
Black Guillemots seem to be called Tysties on Orkney. This one has caught something tasty. It looks to me like a Butterfish. …
Peeled paint litters the floor
Peeled paint litters the floor at Einar. There’ so much on the floor that I have to sweep it up. There’s more …
The crack in the wall
There’s such a crack in the wall at Einar I could be in an episode of Dr Who.
Restoration of The Italian Chapel
Antonella Papa spent a month last year as restorer of Orkney’s Italian Chapel Antonella says: “The Italian Chapel now is part of …
The view from St Magnus Cathedral
St Magnus Cathedral dominates Kirkwall just as the Vikings who built it originally intended. If you ever get the chance to go …
Tree-ring cobbles
On Westray the traces of Lake Orcadie are everywhere. 380 million years ago this land we now call Westray was in the …
A fine day on Westray
A fine day on Westray is better than being anywhere else on earth.