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Computing
Photography
- The Photography Group meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at 7.30pm in the Conference Room at Ambleside Library.
- The change in name, first from 'Digital Imaging', then from 'Digital Photography' accompanies a change of emphasis on how to use our digital cameras to fully utilise their capability to produce good pictures.
The programme ideas are as follows:-
- How to use our camera's programs to produce pictures without the need to carry out too much digital manipulation
- Two outside visits to take pictures of a venue and to show and discuss these at subsequent meetings.
- To provide “hands on” experience by using the computer room on some occasions to show simple methods to improve or alter pictures if things have gone wrong!
In addition to discussing digital photography and manipulation of images we try to offer help and advice on any computing problem.
If you need any assistance, please call in on a Tuesday evening. See the Diary Pages and/or the Newsletter for dates and particular aspects being covered.
- There are also some very good outside courses on Imaging and Photography, some of which are in Ambleside. Why not try them and come back to teach us!
Cruising
- If you have access to a sailing boat and would like to sail in company on Windermere, this is an
informal group which meets at short notice, subject to weather conditions.
See the Newsletter for the latest details.
- Canal Cruising
- 9th. September 2011
- Are there no limits to the Cruising Group's versatility: several members, along with press-ganged members of other groups commandeered two small (*) narrow-boats at Snaygill Boatyard, near Skipton. They set off to find adventure in the East, well, sort of Southeast, along the Leeds-Liverpool Canal.
Particularly taxing for the average layman were the steering idiosyncrasies of the narrow-boats and the apparent complications of the swing bridge operation. Luckily, some of the Science Group came to the rescue for the latter! The power one had to stop the 'mighty roar of traffic' brought back happy memories of 'In Town Tonight'.
Chug-chugging reasonably quietly and purposefully through the countryside but not on roads was 'different' and very relaxing, particularly when plied with refreshments by the very efficient galley crew. One had time to observe the ducks, heron and canal-side cows squelching in the mud. Also, the canal was of ample width for several of the crew to have a go at the helm even when craft were coming in the opposite direction.
A consultation with the ship's chronometer brought about a gentle manoeuvre, after mooring for lunch, to turn around in the vicinity of Silsden (Rather reminiscent of a 'handbrake' turn in a vehicle!) and then the crew had time to motor back past Skipton to practice that delicate turn-around procedure once more, just at the right moment to return to the moorings at the scheduled hour.
- Many thanks to the skipper for arranging such a voyage.
Images of the event are, of course, in the Picture Gallery.
(*) To the novice, small, when compared to a multi-tonne tanker.
Science
- Meetings are held in the conference room at
Ambleside Library, on the first Monday of each month starting at 7.30 pm.
It is planned, initially, to have a talk of about 30 minutes on a variety of subjects presented by members of the U3A with the
appropriate knowledge. This will be followed by a discussion
stimulated by the introduction.
Several subjects are under
consideration for the future programme.
So please mark these Monday evenings in your diaries and come along and join in.
Gardens
Monthly meetings are held on the fourth Monday at 2.30 pm unless Diary Pages indicate otherwise.
Generally, meetings will be indoors in Ambleside Library between October and March and outside visits between April and September (Venues and Days will vary, see Diary Pages).
Meetings are open to all Members of our U3A.
Gardens Group News
- Garden Group visit to Mungrisdale:
The Garden Group visited Chapelside in Mungrisdale for the August 2011 meeting. The setting for the garden in this remote valley is delightful.
Many of the group had not visited the area which made it even more special. Robin and Tricia Acland own Chapelside, which consists of an eighteenth century farmhouse with a barn and outbuildings. There was no garden prior to the Aclands purchasing the property. They planted trees to give shelter to the area which then allowed plants and shrubs to thrive.
- Tricia Acland gave us a conducted tour of the garden, which consists of areas of rockery, herbaceous beds, a kitchen garden, streams and ponds with water plants plus various trees and shrubs. We were able to wander around the garden independently after the tour. Although the main flowering season was over there was much to appreciate with late flowering plants and leaf colouring. Robin Acland has his own art constructions, mainly of stone and metal, in the garden and in his studio and barn, which added a further dimension to the visit. The group greatly admired the artistic talents of the couple. We ended the visit with a welcoming cup of tea and cake in the farmhouse.
- It is well worth a visit when Robin and Tricia open the garden later in 2012 as part of the NGS scheme.
Sue Dawes
- Northumberland trip:
On 14th and 15th June 2009 the Garden group visited four gardens in Northumberland: Chester’s Walled Garden in Hexham; Whalton Manor (see Picture Gallery);
Wallington Hall and Dilston Physic Garden.
Each garden was quite different
– Chester’s was a delightful garden specialising in herbs – very relaxing and calm;
- Whalton Manor which had been designed by Lutyens and Gertrude Jekyll was a more traditional garden with some superb colour;
- Wallington was a large National Trust property with a walled garden which is well worth a visit;
- finally Dilston Physic Garden was very atmospheric, as a thunderstorm with forked lightning formed a back drop, we listened to a talk about a wide variety of medicinal herbs – lemon balm tea was enjoyed by some of the group!
- Our trip for next year, hopefully, will be a visit to Hampton Court flower show.
- A visit to Sprint Mill, near Burneside took place on 27th July 2009. This was a follow-up to the talk last Autumn by Edward Ackland who gave a guided tour of the garden.
- On the 24th August David Kinsman opened his garden at Windy Hall to the group.
- A plant swap was held on Monday 21st September 2009.
- The January 2009 meeting was very well attended. Edward Acland gave a talk, with slides, about his own unique approach to tending his 15 acres of land. He spells gardening ‘guardening’, which encapsulated much of his philosophy. He allows nature to give the spirit to his garden; he grows his own fruit and vegetables and is virtually self sufficient; he is organic; he does not use any machinery but relies on traditional tools and keeps bees. His garden is at Burneside, Sprint Mill and will be open through the National Garden Scheme in the summer. It is well worth a visit.
Travel
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