Family Activities
We’d particularly like to mention the Riches of the Shore workshops, with making brushes and pigments, seeing shore creatures and photographing seaweed. There’s also the workshop on learning to identify cetaceans – whales, porpoises and dolphins. Raymond Besant will have stories and pictures of marine mammals and seabirds around Orkney’s coasts. Michael Leach’s account of the wildlife of the Galapagos Islands will also be something for family viewing, with some beautiful images.
OUTING: FORAGING THE OLD ROAD
August 30, 2020 → 2:00 pm ─ 2:45 pm
Walk through Binscarth Woods and over the hill to the Loch of Wasdale, on a section of the St Magnus Way. Orkney wildlife guide Megan Taylor looks out for wild plants while ethnobotanical researcher Anna Canning discusses their traditional uses for sustenance and health with foraging experts from Scotland and Poland. After the film there’s an opportunity for live questions to them both on aspects of wildlife and foraging.
WORKSHOP: PAPERMAKING FROM NATURAL MATERIALS
September 5, 2020 → 10:00 am ─ 12:00 pm
An opportunity to learn the basic elements of the art, as artist Lin Chau leads you through the process of mould and deckle making, preparing plant pulp fibre, pulling a sheet and couching it, then pressing the paper. All age groups are welcome, with no prior experience required, but numbers are limited, so booking is essential. The booking fee of £15 includes a starter pack (UK delivery only) with a simple meshed frame, 4 different kinds of plant fibre, a packet of Orkney native wild flower seeds, some pressed flowers, and 4 pieces of J-cloths. You will need some home items as well.
SINGALONG WITH MR BOOM
September 5, 2020 → 2:00 pm ─ 2:20 pm
Direct from the Moon, there’s now a chance, with Mr Boom to sing and dance!
WORKSHOP: RICHES OF THE SHORE
September 6, 2020 → 2:00 pm ─ 2:45 pm
We’re off to the shore, to Warebeth and Birsay, for a creative and informative family-friendly session of shore-inspired fun. It’s hosted by artists and foragers Katherine Diaper, Rebecca Marr and Fiona Sanderson, and marine ecologist Dr Andrew Want, and they say that all ages are welcome. They want you to make plant brushes, and paint with shore-sourced pigments. Forage along the coastline and feast on your finds. Get up close to shore creatures. Photograph the beauty of seaweed. And they’re going to round off with foraged food around a beach fire.
WORKSHOP: IDENTIFYING MARINE MAMMALS
September 6, 2020 → 3:30 pm ─ 4:15 pm
Emma Neave-Webb joins us from Sanday to show how to identify the various types of cetaceans – whales, dolphins and porpoises – found in Orkney waters.
WORKSHOP: MAKE A SELKIE’S GHOST NET BRACELET
September 7, 2020 → 2:00 pm ─ 2:15 pm
Join Selena S Kuzman and Anthony Harley on their day adventure to the Moray coast, hunting for beach treasures, with images of the sea. Learn how to make a selkie’s ghost net bracelet from washed-ashore pieces of fishing nets, amongst other examples of finding creative uses for reclaimed coastal waste.
OTTERS AND ORCAS, PUFFINS AND SKUAS
September 7, 2020 → 7:30 pm ─ 8:15 pm
Award-winning wildlife cameraman and photographer Raymond Besant takes us on a tour of Orkney's coast, from cliffs and geos to sandy beaches, and the varied birds and mammals who live and feed there in a world of wild weather, orcas, otters, seabirds and seaweed.
ENCHANTED ISLANDS
September 9, 2020 → 11:30 am ─ 12:15 pm
The little-known Galapagos Islands came to the fore when Charles Darwin’s discoveries there completely changed our views of the living world. Author and photographer Dr Michael Leach has visited many times, and shows pictures of their extraordinary wildlife – giant tortoises and marine iguanas, green turtles and Sally Lightfoot crabs, penguins, sea lions, finches and frigate birds – and tells their story.
OUTING: FORAGING BY THE FLOW
September 12, 2020 → 3:30 pm ─ 4:15 pm
We go over to Orphir and a walk across the sands of Waulkmill Bay and up through the RSPB’s Hobbister reserve on a section of the St Magnus Way. It’s a journey from sandflats and saltmarsh to moorland and sea cliffs for ethnobotanical researcher Anna Canning and Orkney wildlife guide Megan Taylor, as they look out for wild plants and discuss their traditional uses for sustenance and health with foragers from Scotland and Poland.