1000 miles of the British Islands by Val Williams

On Tuesday November 3rd Rutland Natural History Society met at VAR Oakham, to hear Val Williams, keen and knowledgeable wildlife watcher and traveller, describe an imaginary journey from the Scilly Isles in the south up to the northernmost tip of the British Isles at Muckle Flugga, Unst in the Shetland islands, taking in many islands in between, for example Skokholm, the Isle of Man and the Farnes.

Puffin 2

The talk included aspects of geology, history, archaeology, and a great deal of wildlife, from seals and otters to arctic skuas, puffins and storm petrels. Val illustrated her talk with a collection of very evocative slides of each location, and gave a great deal of pleasure and entertainment to the society, while bringing to life some of the history of each island.

Gannet 18

The society’s proposed visit to France was also outlined, by Ann Tomlinson. The location and hotel where we plan to stay, and a sample of the wildlife we may see were illustrated, and details of the trip explained. Full information is available on the web site, with details of how to apply to join the group. Photos are also available to view on Flickr, the link also on the website.