Orkney and Ranger Alison at the RSPB

Looking across The Loons 

TUESDAY and much fun in mixed weather: Sunny in the morning rain for the rest of the day! We went on our first bird watching expedition to the Loons. This is an area of wetlands with a hide all managed by the RSPB.

Before this timorous ornithological foray we had been on a proper RSPB walk around the Ring of Brodgar with Guide Alison from the RSPB and afterwards joined up on the spot!

Went to Library to collect email; later in the week, we joined Orkney Library, containing great books and a lovely group of staff being the desk.

Full Orkney Gallery on the Home Page www.timbaynesart.co.uk

Orkney and North Ronaldsay

Across the island, facinating former dewellings

A deserted harbour

The wonderful sheep on North Ronaldsay

Day 3 

To the island of North Ronaldsay, the most northerly island in this glass bead collection. The flight lasted 15 minutes, aside from the pilot had the best seats. A flat landscape peppered with farms and the occasional deserted dwelling. The latter being a great inspiration to paint.

The high spot of the adventure: Sandra, who runs the local Post Office and appears to own a quarter of the UK in property including places in Indonesia. From her we brought delightful silver bracelets made by her and her husband. Also bought (made by Sandra) a hat for Sian to keep out the fierce winds. Sun all day. Bicycle hire was good, and we covered the ground. Before the flight home (we the only people on the flight back – apart from the pilot.

Orkney Sunday

Lovely Skail especially the sweep of sand

Day 2 

A languid start to the day and we drive towards the Ring of Brodgar and discover a chapel, lonely lovely with a view across the lochs. Hot sun. Passing Bridger’s ring, there are hoards of coaches.  We made lunch on the beach at Skail Bay and avoided Skara Brae for it was overrun by with a huge party from a cruise ship in Kirkwall.

Skail Beach, warm and peaceful.  Northwards we intended to go to Birsay. However we were distracted by the discovery of some extensive ruins of a disused Airfield, HMS Tern.

A spectacular tramp around modern archaeology. Rain in Birsay when we arrived so left it for another day. 

Full Orkney Gallery on the Home Page www.timbaynesart.co.uk

Orkney - Reconnecting with the familiar

A changing light governed by cloud

Day 1 All is peaceful; the stream babbles, and the swifts collide in the garden. We sit looking westward; the sun is still high. The hills are darkening in a changing light governed by cloud

An easy journey here, however, domestic traumas, the fridge is not working. And then as if by magic a new one is organised! We stock it with  food from Lidl and Tesco, our first port of call on the way to the house.

Fields green beyond belief

Now all fields are green beyond belief. Buttercups and other flowers are strewn like carpets (varieties which we will name across the week).  Oyster Catchers are incessant while we to continue to love this island and its siblings.

Full Orkney Gallery on the Home Page www.timbaynesart.co.uk

Orkney - Puffin-tastic

Wednesday

It is 7.30pm, and the sun is still high in the sky. I drove the top of our road and made a painting looking down to the house, loch and out further to Scapa Flow. Cows and sheep were deep in conversation in every field as I drew.

Oh you Puffins!

Spent some of the day of walking and birding up at Birsay Head.
Saw some Puffins – yeees! (Sian 8 Tim 3)

Birsay - Puffin Land

Many other birds spotted, including Curlews Skylarks Meadow Pipits Gulls (various) Terns (Common and Artic) and many wild flowers.

Luncheon delicious, as it was every day (made by S every day) by our favourite loch-side spot.

I awoke during the night, well 2.35 am, and it was still broad daylight!

Full Orkney Gallery on the Home Page www.timbaynesart.co.uk

Council Sponsored Fly Tipping Creates Wild Flower Haven

10/2/2016 The Daily Mail reported

New earth mounds that have been installed on a road in Beaconsfield to prevent travellers from parking on the grass have been criticised as looking like a “WWI trench” by an angry resident.

Last Feb the tipping on of soil 

The mounds of earth, or ‘bunds’, have been piled on the grass areas near Beaconsfield Rugby Club on Windsor End as a deterrent to travellers.

Five months later these hillocks are a wonder of wild flowers! 
I make a drawing to celebrate.

From a heap of soil these wonders 

The Aylesbury Font

It is quite a cycle up towards Bledlow Ridge from the noisy B 4009, the Lower Icknield Way, a route claimed to be the oldest road in Britain

We entered the church. There are some 22 'Aylesbury' fonts named after one of the best examples in St. Mary's Church, Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire. They are mainly situated in mid-Buckinghamshire and under 8 miles from the Icknield Way with half of them being within a mile! 

Sincere thanks to this scholarly insight. This is written by Ken Goodearl, who lives in Chorley Wood. 

He continues 'The fonts are a cup or chalice-shaped with vertical fluting on the lower part of the bowl. 

The Font at Bledlow

The gold chalices made at St. Alban’s at the same time may have inspired the shape and decoration. Perhaps the craftsmen responsible for the design of these fonts may have been trained at St. Alban’s.'

Our first visit prior to the Font spotting!

Many thanks to Jennifer, Vicar of Bledlow with Saunderton and Horsenden, who gave us access to Holy Trinity   

 http://bit.ly/AylesFont4u4 is the link to Ken's blog