Neil Cromarty
@nwc58.bsky.social
Busily retired ex-Royal Air Force. VP RAF Servicing Commando & Tactical Supply Wing Association. Founder member JHSU. Volunteer for CWGC EOHO. “Grandand”. Woodland volunteer. Orkney and Aviation
As I’m on light duties 😏 I spent #woodland Tuesday making kindling. We use the slab wood off cuts from the milling process and remove the bark to make mulch for young saplings - waste not want not😇
November 11, 2025 at 6:28 PM
As I’m on light duties 😏 I spent #woodland Tuesday making kindling. We use the slab wood off cuts from the milling process and remove the bark to make mulch for young saplings - waste not want not😇
The charcoal burn. Lit at 0700 with the top ajar - closed closed an hour later. There are 8 vents: 4 in & 4 outlets & we rotate them every 4 hours for even burn. Shut all to deny the fire any oxygen at 2300 - poss a bit early, we’ll see! Lovely in the woods lit by a harvest moon chatting with mates.
October 8, 2025 at 7:54 AM
The charcoal burn. Lit at 0700 with the top ajar - closed closed an hour later. There are 8 vents: 4 in & 4 outlets & we rotate them every 4 hours for even burn. Shut all to deny the fire any oxygen at 2300 - poss a bit early, we’ll see! Lovely in the woods lit by a harvest moon chatting with mates.
Perfect trip around Normandy in the van. Great to find Airfield B3 near Gold Beach where the #RAF Servicing Commandos operated after landing on D+1. Also found the names of LAC Crofts and AC1 Skeggs at the UK Memorial both RAFSCs who died during the landings. Never forget.
October 1, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Perfect trip around Normandy in the van. Great to find Airfield B3 near Gold Beach where the #RAF Servicing Commandos operated after landing on D+1. Also found the names of LAC Crofts and AC1 Skeggs at the UK Memorial both RAFSCs who died during the landings. Never forget.
Collected some good #acorns from the #wood to germinate. Filled a plastic bag with my home grown moist compost, added the 50 acorns and sealed the bag. Then I put them in the fridge - cold stratification is essential to bring them out of dormancy and so to germinate. I’ll update in a few months.
September 22, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Another #woodland Tuesday. Keeping a tidy work area is one thing but this is surely going too far! But then again there’s room for improvement with the daily inspection (DI) and maintenance of our motor transport 😂
September 16, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Another #woodland Tuesday. Keeping a tidy work area is one thing but this is surely going too far! But then again there’s room for improvement with the daily inspection (DI) and maintenance of our motor transport 😂
After a one day drive from Orkney to Dorset 😅 I needed a gentle #woodland Tuesday! A visit from this wee tractor made wood recovery from bramble patches so much easier..I just wish it was permanent. Rest of the day spent mapping all trees of over 170cm girth…all good data for the future👍
September 9, 2025 at 5:18 PM
After a one day drive from Orkney to Dorset 😅 I needed a gentle #woodland Tuesday! A visit from this wee tractor made wood recovery from bramble patches so much easier..I just wish it was permanent. Rest of the day spent mapping all trees of over 170cm girth…all good data for the future👍
#ScapaFlow is full of history. This is one of two slipways built at Houton in the NE corner of the Flow for getting seaplanes in and out of the water in WWI. In Aug 1917, it was near here in Scapa Flow that Sqn Cdr Edwin Dunning completed the first deck land on a moving ship.
September 4, 2025 at 2:23 PM
#ScapaFlow is full of history. This is one of two slipways built at Houton in the NE corner of the Flow for getting seaplanes in and out of the water in WWI. In Aug 1917, it was near here in Scapa Flow that Sqn Cdr Edwin Dunning completed the first deck land on a moving ship.
Not in the woods today but back in my beloved #Orkney. Driving home from the ferry I was met with this view over #ScapaFlow …. It’s great to see so many ships in this historic harbour twice home to the wartime #RoyalNavy
September 2, 2025 at 10:36 PM
Not in the woods today but back in my beloved #Orkney. Driving home from the ferry I was met with this view over #ScapaFlow …. It’s great to see so many ships in this historic harbour twice home to the wartime #RoyalNavy
And here we are ….. a good first day in glorious sunshine at #StockGaylard # OakFair. And the charcoal is flying off the trailer 👍👍
August 23, 2025 at 10:59 PM
And here we are ….. a good first day in glorious sunshine at #StockGaylard # OakFair. And the charcoal is flying off the trailer 👍👍
A pretty good burn - there are a few “browns” but good charcoal too. Graded and bagged it’s off for sale at this weekends Oak Fair👍
August 20, 2025 at 12:43 PM
A pretty good burn - there are a few “browns” but good charcoal too. Graded and bagged it’s off for sale at this weekends Oak Fair👍
#woodland Tuesday involved clearing and sawdust mulching around some young #oak and #sweetchestnut saplings - they’ve grown well after the attention/water we’ve given them throughout the dry spell. And then onto some heavy lifting of wind fallen larch . Should make some good fence posts 👍
July 29, 2025 at 4:30 PM
#woodland Tuesday involved clearing and sawdust mulching around some young #oak and #sweetchestnut saplings - they’ve grown well after the attention/water we’ve given them throughout the dry spell. And then onto some heavy lifting of wind fallen larch . Should make some good fence posts 👍
Back to #woodland Tuesday after my trip up to #Orkney. A light day gathering wood & stacking our #charcoal kiln for a future burn. The “chimneys” at the bottom control the airflow allowing it to be shut off completely at the critical moment. I’m no expert in this art - we’ll see what happens soon🤞
July 22, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Well done to the good folk of #Whitby for honouring and remembering their fallen. Two veterans of Afghanistan honoured and remembered both in St Mary’s Church up by the Abbey and on the iconic cobb at the harbour entrance. 🫡
July 15, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Well done to the good folk of #Whitby for honouring and remembering their fallen. Two veterans of Afghanistan honoured and remembered both in St Mary’s Church up by the Abbey and on the iconic cobb at the harbour entrance. 🫡
The Maria Dickin Award to animals of note in WWII was 1st given to Winkie. This pigeon, covered in oil, flew 120 mls to deliver the coords of a downed ac - the crew were rescued. All bombers carried pigeons.
Stein Albidso escaped Nazi Norway to Stonehaven in ‘40 in the pictured seaplane-remarkable
Stein Albidso escaped Nazi Norway to Stonehaven in ‘40 in the pictured seaplane-remarkable
July 13, 2025 at 9:38 PM
The Maria Dickin Award to animals of note in WWII was 1st given to Winkie. This pigeon, covered in oil, flew 120 mls to deliver the coords of a downed ac - the crew were rescued. All bombers carried pigeons.
Stein Albidso escaped Nazi Norway to Stonehaven in ‘40 in the pictured seaplane-remarkable
Stein Albidso escaped Nazi Norway to Stonehaven in ‘40 in the pictured seaplane-remarkable
The joy of travel - this time winding our way south down the east coast of Scotland (trying to visit all RNLI stations in UK), we came across this memorial to the RAF Banff Strike Wing. I didn’t know of them but it’s worth reading their story in the photos and remembering the 80 men who were lost.
July 11, 2025 at 10:32 PM
The joy of travel - this time winding our way south down the east coast of Scotland (trying to visit all RNLI stations in UK), we came across this memorial to the RAF Banff Strike Wing. I didn’t know of them but it’s worth reading their story in the photos and remembering the 80 men who were lost.
The last remains of the #Norholmen, a trawler that ran aground in late 1966 below the Stromness graveyard at Warbeth in #Orkney where my parents now rest. I remember it well as, with its mast hanging over the cemetery, it proved very atmospheric and rather eerie.
July 8, 2025 at 10:35 PM
The last remains of the #Norholmen, a trawler that ran aground in late 1966 below the Stromness graveyard at Warbeth in #Orkney where my parents now rest. I remember it well as, with its mast hanging over the cemetery, it proved very atmospheric and rather eerie.
More WWII history in #Orkney. Old ships were sunk between the southern isles to stop the enemy entering Scapa Flow. Sadly in Oct 39, U47 snuck in & sank #HMS Royal Oak with the loss of 830+ men & boys. Churchill then ordered the construction of concrete barriers to seal 4 entrances to the Flow.
July 6, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Orkney has so many layers of interest. Out watching Short Eared Owls and Hen Harriers hunting on a gloomy evening and spotted this atmospheric view of the old control tower at RNAS Twatt ( I know…you couldn’t write it😂) or HMS Tern. One of four airfields operated on Orkney during WWII.
July 3, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Orkney has so many layers of interest. Out watching Short Eared Owls and Hen Harriers hunting on a gloomy evening and spotted this atmospheric view of the old control tower at RNAS Twatt ( I know…you couldn’t write it😂) or HMS Tern. One of four airfields operated on Orkney during WWII.
And here it is - from nymph to dragonfly all in my back garden👍
June 21, 2025 at 9:40 AM
And here it is - from nymph to dragonfly all in my back garden👍
It’s time for the #dragonfly #nymphs to leave my pond. Just spotted them this afternoon climbing out and I hope to see the #metamorphosis taking place . Standby for more photos🤞
June 19, 2025 at 4:58 PM
It’s time for the #dragonfly #nymphs to leave my pond. Just spotted them this afternoon climbing out and I hope to see the #metamorphosis taking place . Standby for more photos🤞
#woodland Tuesday again 😎. Many young trees have died from die back but, sadly, some mature trees as well. For us volunteers the recovery of said trees is challenging but fun with a small hand winch, a rope and a Subaru! Avoiding blockages is a problem when the nosecone is too small - we cracked it👍
June 17, 2025 at 4:30 PM
#woodland Tuesday again 😎. Many young trees have died from die back but, sadly, some mature trees as well. For us volunteers the recovery of said trees is challenging but fun with a small hand winch, a rope and a Subaru! Avoiding blockages is a problem when the nosecone is too small - we cracked it👍
I love this about my wild flower patch - it changes all the time. I’d given up on seeing my Bee Orchids this year, even Googling them to see if they were perennial, as they bloomed in mid-May last year. Then, this afternoon, bingo, there they are😃
June 8, 2025 at 3:30 PM
I love this about my wild flower patch - it changes all the time. I’d given up on seeing my Bee Orchids this year, even Googling them to see if they were perennial, as they bloomed in mid-May last year. Then, this afternoon, bingo, there they are😃
#woodland Tuesday - another hot day, saw us working deep in the woods where fallen trees needed recovering from the ever encroaching undergrowth providing some good wood for milling and yet more wood for chopping.
May 21, 2025 at 7:22 AM
#woodland Tuesday - another hot day, saw us working deep in the woods where fallen trees needed recovering from the ever encroaching undergrowth providing some good wood for milling and yet more wood for chopping.