2010 Field Trips
Gop Hill and Graig Fawr 11/9/2010 Tatton Tree Trail 7/8/2010 Lathkill Dale 3/7/2010 Rainford /Holland Moss 19/6/2010
Sutton Manor 5/6/2010 Bold Moss 22/5/2010 Loggerheads 24 /4/2010 Fairy Glen 10/4/2010
Gop Hill and Graig Fawr 11/9/2010 Tatton Tree Trail 7/8/2010 Lathkill Dale 3/7/2010 Rainford /Holland Moss 19/6/2010
Sutton Manor 5/6/2010 Bold Moss 22/5/2010 Loggerheads 24 /4/2010 Fairy Glen 10/4/2010
Gop Hill and Graig Fawr, North Wales
11th September 2010
Leaders: Sheila and Peter Mason
We drove through a torrential shower to the meeting place in Trelawnyd Car Park where 13 members gathered. We sheltered twice from further showers before emerging onto the side of Gop Hill where we found Marjoram Origanum vulgare flourishing amongst a colony of Creeping Thistle Cirsium arvense. In spite of the rain, Harebells Campanula rotundifolia , Tormentil Potentilla erecta and Eyebright Euphrasia nemorosa (white form) were in good shape, and Fairy Flax Linum carthaticum, Thyme Thymus polytricus and Lady’s Bedstraw Galium verum were still showing their end of season flowers. A small quarry-side had a fine array of Rock Rose Helianthemum nummularium in its second flowering. We had arranged this visit to look at the Autumn Lady’s Tresses Spiranthes spiralis which grows in profusion here. 2007 and 2008 had the hillside white with the flowers; 2009 gave a much more meagre display and on the 2010 recce the week before we found some 50 plants. But the season was early this year and by the time of our visit most blooms were over, and we found only a few with the white flowers all the way up the spiralling stem – just enough to provide photos. Darwin made an extensive study of this flower to examine the pollination mechanism when bees visited them ( a short description was provided for members to read) – he doesn’t appear to have enquired why they grow in such a tight spiral!
The Spiranthes spiralis trail took us to the entrance gate onto the Gop cairn itself, the second largest man-made mound in Britain after Silbury, 14 metres high and 250 metres above sea level. Like the hill it is all limestone, presumably quarried nearby in Neolithic or Bronze Age times, although no archaeological finds have dated it securely. An almost impenetrable sloe forest guards the entrance and the mound itself is home to a wide variety of flora. We found Carline Thistle Carlina vulgaris, Musk Thistle Carduus nutans, two Stonecrops, Sedum acre, Sedum anglicum, Red Valerian Centrathus ruber, Salad Burnet Sanguisorba minor, Parsley Piert Aphanes arvensis and a particularly fine specimen of Ploughman’s Spikenard Inula conyzae. One or two Spiranthes grew right on the summit.
As it was temporarily dry and sunny we ate an early lunch on the top of the mound with splendid views across the Clwyd estuary towards Snowdonia and across the Dee estuary to Wirral. Golden Grove, an Elizabethan mansion, was bathed in sunshine across the valley to the north. We watched the next downpour approaching along the Clwyd valley and descended rapidly to the entrance, but were thoroughly soaked by the time the rain stopped.
Some of the party went to look at the Gop Rock Shelter and Caves where Neolithic human remains and Pleistocene mammal debris had been found. The limestone cliffs there hosted many plants including Maidenhair Spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes and Rock Rose in profusion.
The cavers rejoined the others who had sheltered in the forest by the cairn and we all proceeded along the Millennium Path through the trees, finding Wood Avens Geum urbanum, Lesser Burdock Arcticum minus, and a variety of ferns and mosses. We emerged from the forest and followed the path back to Trelawnyd, noting Agrimony Agrimonis eupatoria and Pellitory-of-the-Wall Parietaria judaica on the way.
At Trelawnyd 4 members left to return home, while 9 drove on to Graig Fawr, a National Trust site and again a limestone hill. It was rather late in the season for this site, but we found Red Bartsia Odontites vernus, good displays of Travellers’ Joy Clematis vitalba in fruit, Common Mallow Malva sylvestris and a plant of Lesser Meadow Rue Thalictrum alpinum in a limestone crevice. There were good patches of Rays Knotgrass Polygonum oxyspermum along the path. Several interesting grasses were found, including Yellow Oat Grass Trisetum flavescens, Heath Grass Danthonia decumbens and Crested Hair Grass Koeleria macrantha. The weather was fine and from the summit there were magnificent views along the Welsh coast.
The party dispersed, only to meet again at the nearby Jacksons Garden Centre for tea. We’d had just enough sunshine to see how beautiful the countryside is and to make up for the rain. Several members felt they would like to return there and explore further. To quote Renoir: “The beauty remains, the pain passes.”
11th September 2010
Leaders: Sheila and Peter Mason
We drove through a torrential shower to the meeting place in Trelawnyd Car Park where 13 members gathered. We sheltered twice from further showers before emerging onto the side of Gop Hill where we found Marjoram Origanum vulgare flourishing amongst a colony of Creeping Thistle Cirsium arvense. In spite of the rain, Harebells Campanula rotundifolia , Tormentil Potentilla erecta and Eyebright Euphrasia nemorosa (white form) were in good shape, and Fairy Flax Linum carthaticum, Thyme Thymus polytricus and Lady’s Bedstraw Galium verum were still showing their end of season flowers. A small quarry-side had a fine array of Rock Rose Helianthemum nummularium in its second flowering. We had arranged this visit to look at the Autumn Lady’s Tresses Spiranthes spiralis which grows in profusion here. 2007 and 2008 had the hillside white with the flowers; 2009 gave a much more meagre display and on the 2010 recce the week before we found some 50 plants. But the season was early this year and by the time of our visit most blooms were over, and we found only a few with the white flowers all the way up the spiralling stem – just enough to provide photos. Darwin made an extensive study of this flower to examine the pollination mechanism when bees visited them ( a short description was provided for members to read) – he doesn’t appear to have enquired why they grow in such a tight spiral!
The Spiranthes spiralis trail took us to the entrance gate onto the Gop cairn itself, the second largest man-made mound in Britain after Silbury, 14 metres high and 250 metres above sea level. Like the hill it is all limestone, presumably quarried nearby in Neolithic or Bronze Age times, although no archaeological finds have dated it securely. An almost impenetrable sloe forest guards the entrance and the mound itself is home to a wide variety of flora. We found Carline Thistle Carlina vulgaris, Musk Thistle Carduus nutans, two Stonecrops, Sedum acre, Sedum anglicum, Red Valerian Centrathus ruber, Salad Burnet Sanguisorba minor, Parsley Piert Aphanes arvensis and a particularly fine specimen of Ploughman’s Spikenard Inula conyzae. One or two Spiranthes grew right on the summit.
As it was temporarily dry and sunny we ate an early lunch on the top of the mound with splendid views across the Clwyd estuary towards Snowdonia and across the Dee estuary to Wirral. Golden Grove, an Elizabethan mansion, was bathed in sunshine across the valley to the north. We watched the next downpour approaching along the Clwyd valley and descended rapidly to the entrance, but were thoroughly soaked by the time the rain stopped.
Some of the party went to look at the Gop Rock Shelter and Caves where Neolithic human remains and Pleistocene mammal debris had been found. The limestone cliffs there hosted many plants including Maidenhair Spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes and Rock Rose in profusion.
The cavers rejoined the others who had sheltered in the forest by the cairn and we all proceeded along the Millennium Path through the trees, finding Wood Avens Geum urbanum, Lesser Burdock Arcticum minus, and a variety of ferns and mosses. We emerged from the forest and followed the path back to Trelawnyd, noting Agrimony Agrimonis eupatoria and Pellitory-of-the-Wall Parietaria judaica on the way.
At Trelawnyd 4 members left to return home, while 9 drove on to Graig Fawr, a National Trust site and again a limestone hill. It was rather late in the season for this site, but we found Red Bartsia Odontites vernus, good displays of Travellers’ Joy Clematis vitalba in fruit, Common Mallow Malva sylvestris and a plant of Lesser Meadow Rue Thalictrum alpinum in a limestone crevice. There were good patches of Rays Knotgrass Polygonum oxyspermum along the path. Several interesting grasses were found, including Yellow Oat Grass Trisetum flavescens, Heath Grass Danthonia decumbens and Crested Hair Grass Koeleria macrantha. The weather was fine and from the summit there were magnificent views along the Welsh coast.
The party dispersed, only to meet again at the nearby Jacksons Garden Centre for tea. We’d had just enough sunshine to see how beautiful the countryside is and to make up for the rain. Several members felt they would like to return there and explore further. To quote Renoir: “The beauty remains, the pain passes.”
Tatton Tree Trail
7th August 2010
Leader: Peter Gateley
After a wait in the car park and the stableyard for possible late-comers a select band of seven set off towards the gardens but not before looking at the specimens of Castor-oil plant Ricinus communis used as centre-pieces for large planted tubs. This plant from the Mediterranean is the source not only of castor oil but also the deadly poison, ricin. Although superficially similar to the False Castor-oil plant, Fatsia japonica, it is not closely related to the ivies but in a family and genus of its own.
Once we all had our tickets for the gardens we walked through the pergola to a large square lawned area, on the right as a fine specimen of Black Walnut Juglans nigra. The eastern black walnut can grow up to 40m and produces edible nuts, much used as food. Its long compound leaves are fairly unusual, generally lacking a terminal leaflet.
In the central bed is a small specimen of, the Rice-paper Plant Tetrapanax papyrifer. This is a large shrub capable of growing to 10m height in favourable circumstances. Edible rice paper is made from the pith of this plant; paper is also made from rice starch but that paper is not edible, generally used for Chinese paintings.
Opposite the walnut is a specimen of Chinese Spruce Picea likiangensis, also known as Lijian Spruce, a tree of high mountainous areas of China and Bhutan. It was first collected and brought to Europe by E. H. (or Chinese) Wilson.
Passing a tall screen of eccentrically clipped yews we arrived at a handsome grove of Dawn Redwood Metasequoia glyptostroboides, a deciduous conifer, with very neat ferny foliage with opposite leaflets of equal length. This tree was unknown to western science or horticulture until 1944, but three other members of this genus had previously been known from their fossilised remains, resulting in the name dawn redwood, considered as being from the dawn of time. Like other redwoods, this is a big tree, growing up to over 60m in height.
Through the redwood grove we came to elegant small trees of the Turkish hazel, (Corylus colurna), from south-eastern Europe and south-western Asia. It is the largest of the hazels and can grow up to 35m in height. It makes a good urban tree, thriving in less than ideal conditions. The nuts are edible but smaller than common hazel and thick shelled, so not a viable commercial proposition.
Next we looked at a range of exotic conifers, including, Western Hemlock Tsuga heterophylla, native to the west coast of North America (Alaska to northern California). It is a large tree, up to 70m, and has distinctive drooping tips to the branches and a dense cover of small flattened leaves. The leaves are dark green above with two white lines of stomata below. The leaves are irregular in length (heterophyllous) and we observed the distinctive occasional up-side-down one or two on each stem.
We passed Japanese Redwood Cryptomeria japonica, which is in fact found widely through eastern Asia. Large globular spiny cones were seen at the tips of branches. Next we studied a fir, the Korean Fir Abies koreana, with distinctive, upward pointing, dark blue cones. Unlike the spruce seen earlier it has no pegs at base of leaves, there is a slight scar but not a distinct peg. This is a small conifer, generally only reaching around 18m. Unlike spruces and pines, fir cones disintegrate to release the seeds.
We then looked at another hemlock, the Mountain Hemlock Tsuga mertensiana. It has a similar geographical range to western hemlock but thrives at higher altitudes here. The leaves are much more uniform in size than western hemlock, but are arranged more untidily on the branches, all around the twigs rather than in ranks.
To the left of this is an Eastern Hemlock Tsuga canadensis, native to the eastern side of North America. This tree has ranked leaves, but of more-or-less equal size and with smaller up-side-down leaflets along the centres of the stems. This is a long lived tree, over 500 years, but relatively low growing, usually reaching only about 35m.
We then found another deciduous conifer, the odd-looking Golden Larch Pseudolarix amabilis. It is not really closely related to the true larches, but has some similarities, including annual leaf loss, its name coming from the bright yellow coloration the leaves take on before falling. It can grow to 40m in its native China.
After passing the Japanese garden we crossed a bridge to fine specimen of Swamp Cypress Taxodium distichum. This is another deciduous conifer (hence its alternative name of Bald Cypress) and it is native to wetter parts of south-eastern USA. A distinctive feature of specimens growing in wet areas is the production of ‘knees’ once thought to act as pneumatophores. The leaves are much less neatly arranged than in dawn redwood, leaflets are more variable in length and less consistently opposite.
Back to the Broad Walk we headed towards the monument and down path on the left by the large Turkey Oak Quercus cerris. There is a fine Large-leaved Lime Tilia platyphyllos on the right-hand side. Unlike Common Lime this seldom has sprouts from the base of the trunk and we admired the ribbed and downy fruits.
We passed a huge American Red Oak Quercus rubra on our way to a specimen of the Sapphire Berry Symplocos paniculata, from Japan and Korea. When fully ripe the fruit turns a metallic blue, but the green berries had only a hint of blue at their tips when we saw them. Maria Knowles reported that they had turned a more complete blue about a month later
A favourite of most of the members was the Prickly Castor-oil Tree Kalopanax septemlobum, like the rice-paper plant, this is related to ivy, but not to the true castor oil plant! The large panicles of flowers were very ivy-like and the lovely palmate leaves were mainly seven-lobed. The strong spines along the twigs, branches and even the main trunk make this quite an unusual tree, not conducive to climbing! !t comes from north-eastern Asia where it can grow up to 30m tall.
Passing out of the arboretum and across the lawns back to the stableyard we passed some specimens of Silver Lime Tilia tormentosa with some late flowers beautifully scenting a wide area around them.
We thoroughly enjoyed the wide range of trees to be seen at Tatton, that we saw so many was thanks to the time taken by Maria Knowles visiting the site beforehand with our leader for the day and pointing out (and identifying) all the prime specimens.
7th August 2010
Leader: Peter Gateley
After a wait in the car park and the stableyard for possible late-comers a select band of seven set off towards the gardens but not before looking at the specimens of Castor-oil plant Ricinus communis used as centre-pieces for large planted tubs. This plant from the Mediterranean is the source not only of castor oil but also the deadly poison, ricin. Although superficially similar to the False Castor-oil plant, Fatsia japonica, it is not closely related to the ivies but in a family and genus of its own.
Once we all had our tickets for the gardens we walked through the pergola to a large square lawned area, on the right as a fine specimen of Black Walnut Juglans nigra. The eastern black walnut can grow up to 40m and produces edible nuts, much used as food. Its long compound leaves are fairly unusual, generally lacking a terminal leaflet.
In the central bed is a small specimen of, the Rice-paper Plant Tetrapanax papyrifer. This is a large shrub capable of growing to 10m height in favourable circumstances. Edible rice paper is made from the pith of this plant; paper is also made from rice starch but that paper is not edible, generally used for Chinese paintings.
Opposite the walnut is a specimen of Chinese Spruce Picea likiangensis, also known as Lijian Spruce, a tree of high mountainous areas of China and Bhutan. It was first collected and brought to Europe by E. H. (or Chinese) Wilson.
Passing a tall screen of eccentrically clipped yews we arrived at a handsome grove of Dawn Redwood Metasequoia glyptostroboides, a deciduous conifer, with very neat ferny foliage with opposite leaflets of equal length. This tree was unknown to western science or horticulture until 1944, but three other members of this genus had previously been known from their fossilised remains, resulting in the name dawn redwood, considered as being from the dawn of time. Like other redwoods, this is a big tree, growing up to over 60m in height.
Through the redwood grove we came to elegant small trees of the Turkish hazel, (Corylus colurna), from south-eastern Europe and south-western Asia. It is the largest of the hazels and can grow up to 35m in height. It makes a good urban tree, thriving in less than ideal conditions. The nuts are edible but smaller than common hazel and thick shelled, so not a viable commercial proposition.
Next we looked at a range of exotic conifers, including, Western Hemlock Tsuga heterophylla, native to the west coast of North America (Alaska to northern California). It is a large tree, up to 70m, and has distinctive drooping tips to the branches and a dense cover of small flattened leaves. The leaves are dark green above with two white lines of stomata below. The leaves are irregular in length (heterophyllous) and we observed the distinctive occasional up-side-down one or two on each stem.
We passed Japanese Redwood Cryptomeria japonica, which is in fact found widely through eastern Asia. Large globular spiny cones were seen at the tips of branches. Next we studied a fir, the Korean Fir Abies koreana, with distinctive, upward pointing, dark blue cones. Unlike the spruce seen earlier it has no pegs at base of leaves, there is a slight scar but not a distinct peg. This is a small conifer, generally only reaching around 18m. Unlike spruces and pines, fir cones disintegrate to release the seeds.
We then looked at another hemlock, the Mountain Hemlock Tsuga mertensiana. It has a similar geographical range to western hemlock but thrives at higher altitudes here. The leaves are much more uniform in size than western hemlock, but are arranged more untidily on the branches, all around the twigs rather than in ranks.
To the left of this is an Eastern Hemlock Tsuga canadensis, native to the eastern side of North America. This tree has ranked leaves, but of more-or-less equal size and with smaller up-side-down leaflets along the centres of the stems. This is a long lived tree, over 500 years, but relatively low growing, usually reaching only about 35m.
We then found another deciduous conifer, the odd-looking Golden Larch Pseudolarix amabilis. It is not really closely related to the true larches, but has some similarities, including annual leaf loss, its name coming from the bright yellow coloration the leaves take on before falling. It can grow to 40m in its native China.
After passing the Japanese garden we crossed a bridge to fine specimen of Swamp Cypress Taxodium distichum. This is another deciduous conifer (hence its alternative name of Bald Cypress) and it is native to wetter parts of south-eastern USA. A distinctive feature of specimens growing in wet areas is the production of ‘knees’ once thought to act as pneumatophores. The leaves are much less neatly arranged than in dawn redwood, leaflets are more variable in length and less consistently opposite.
Back to the Broad Walk we headed towards the monument and down path on the left by the large Turkey Oak Quercus cerris. There is a fine Large-leaved Lime Tilia platyphyllos on the right-hand side. Unlike Common Lime this seldom has sprouts from the base of the trunk and we admired the ribbed and downy fruits.
We passed a huge American Red Oak Quercus rubra on our way to a specimen of the Sapphire Berry Symplocos paniculata, from Japan and Korea. When fully ripe the fruit turns a metallic blue, but the green berries had only a hint of blue at their tips when we saw them. Maria Knowles reported that they had turned a more complete blue about a month later
A favourite of most of the members was the Prickly Castor-oil Tree Kalopanax septemlobum, like the rice-paper plant, this is related to ivy, but not to the true castor oil plant! The large panicles of flowers were very ivy-like and the lovely palmate leaves were mainly seven-lobed. The strong spines along the twigs, branches and even the main trunk make this quite an unusual tree, not conducive to climbing! !t comes from north-eastern Asia where it can grow up to 30m tall.
Passing out of the arboretum and across the lawns back to the stableyard we passed some specimens of Silver Lime Tilia tormentosa with some late flowers beautifully scenting a wide area around them.
We thoroughly enjoyed the wide range of trees to be seen at Tatton, that we saw so many was thanks to the time taken by Maria Knowles visiting the site beforehand with our leader for the day and pointing out (and identifying) all the prime specimens.
Lathkill Dale
Saturday 3rd July 2010
Leader: John Somerville
Ten members of the Liverpool Botanical Society met at 10.30am just outside Monyash on the lay-by at the west end of Lathkill Dale. We intended to leave one car at Over Haddon where our walk was to finish and use this car to get the drivers back to the walk start to pick up their cars. However the husband (Keith) of Aderyn Turner was going to meet his wife in Over Haddon and offered to transport all the other drivers back to the walk start.
The weather was cloudy but dry as we entered Lathkill Dale by the stile. We were walking down a grassy field used by cattle. Plants such as Meadow Saxifrage were no longer showing but we found many others on a limestone ridge which ran parallel to the path on our right. These included: Ivy-leaved Toadflax, Spring Sandwort, Hoary Plantain, Wall Rue, Polypody, Rough Hawkbit, Wall Lettuce, Salad Burnet, Marjoram, Brittle Bladder Fern, Welted Thistle and Musk Thistle.
Another stile lead us from the grassy field lead us into a gorge with limestone cliffs on both sides. Plants here included: Sweet Cicely, Common Spotted Orchid, Mossy Saxifrage, Ladies Smock, Jacob’s Ladder, Shining Cranesbill, Greater Knapweed, Upright Hedge-parsley, Common Valerian, Lesser Stitchwort, Water Avens, Orpine, Greater Birdsfoot Trefoil and Harebell.
The path in this gorge was quite tricky and it was nice to emerge from a fairly narrow gorge into a grand deep valley where on our left the rocky slope of the valley soared up to the fields at the top. The first plant you notice growing on this slope is the tall Hoary Mullein. We were surrounded with plants such as Rock Rose, Salad Burnet, Fairy Flax, Biting Stonecrop, Smooth Hawkbit, Thyme-leaved Sandwort, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Kidney Vetch and Small Scabious.
As we descended the valley we met our first water where Cave Dale joins Lathkill Dale. It was now 1pm and the sun had been out for the last two hours so we stopped here for lunch. Though the stream was virtually dry there was a little water and we studied the plants from the footbridge which spans the stream and found Fool’s Watercress, Brooklime and Water Speedwell. Moving on we came to an area where the open slope on our left came to an end and here we found lots of Hoary Plantain and Hairy Rock-cress.
Across a stile and we were now walking along a path with steep wooded slopes and the stream gurgling down the middle. Plants found along the path included, Large Bittercress, Hemp Agrimony, Nettle-leaved Bellflower, Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage, Greater Knapweed, Spearmint, Pignut, Greater Burnet-saxifrage, Small Balsam, Crow Garlic and Wood Meadow Grass.
This section of Lathkill Dale was home to several lead mines of which the most important was Mandale Mine and we spent a quick ten minutes studying the ruins and reading the information board.
Finally we came to a steep road which led up to Over Haddon village and here we met Keith who drove all the car drivers back to the walk start at Monyash.
Saturday 3rd July 2010
Leader: John Somerville
Ten members of the Liverpool Botanical Society met at 10.30am just outside Monyash on the lay-by at the west end of Lathkill Dale. We intended to leave one car at Over Haddon where our walk was to finish and use this car to get the drivers back to the walk start to pick up their cars. However the husband (Keith) of Aderyn Turner was going to meet his wife in Over Haddon and offered to transport all the other drivers back to the walk start.
The weather was cloudy but dry as we entered Lathkill Dale by the stile. We were walking down a grassy field used by cattle. Plants such as Meadow Saxifrage were no longer showing but we found many others on a limestone ridge which ran parallel to the path on our right. These included: Ivy-leaved Toadflax, Spring Sandwort, Hoary Plantain, Wall Rue, Polypody, Rough Hawkbit, Wall Lettuce, Salad Burnet, Marjoram, Brittle Bladder Fern, Welted Thistle and Musk Thistle.
Another stile lead us from the grassy field lead us into a gorge with limestone cliffs on both sides. Plants here included: Sweet Cicely, Common Spotted Orchid, Mossy Saxifrage, Ladies Smock, Jacob’s Ladder, Shining Cranesbill, Greater Knapweed, Upright Hedge-parsley, Common Valerian, Lesser Stitchwort, Water Avens, Orpine, Greater Birdsfoot Trefoil and Harebell.
The path in this gorge was quite tricky and it was nice to emerge from a fairly narrow gorge into a grand deep valley where on our left the rocky slope of the valley soared up to the fields at the top. The first plant you notice growing on this slope is the tall Hoary Mullein. We were surrounded with plants such as Rock Rose, Salad Burnet, Fairy Flax, Biting Stonecrop, Smooth Hawkbit, Thyme-leaved Sandwort, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Kidney Vetch and Small Scabious.
As we descended the valley we met our first water where Cave Dale joins Lathkill Dale. It was now 1pm and the sun had been out for the last two hours so we stopped here for lunch. Though the stream was virtually dry there was a little water and we studied the plants from the footbridge which spans the stream and found Fool’s Watercress, Brooklime and Water Speedwell. Moving on we came to an area where the open slope on our left came to an end and here we found lots of Hoary Plantain and Hairy Rock-cress.
Across a stile and we were now walking along a path with steep wooded slopes and the stream gurgling down the middle. Plants found along the path included, Large Bittercress, Hemp Agrimony, Nettle-leaved Bellflower, Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage, Greater Knapweed, Spearmint, Pignut, Greater Burnet-saxifrage, Small Balsam, Crow Garlic and Wood Meadow Grass.
This section of Lathkill Dale was home to several lead mines of which the most important was Mandale Mine and we spent a quick ten minutes studying the ruins and reading the information board.
Finally we came to a steep road which led up to Over Haddon village and here we met Keith who drove all the car drivers back to the walk start at Monyash.
Rainford / Holland Moss
June 19th 2010
Leader David Bryant
Thirteen chipper members met at Rainford Junction to explore relict mossland that at one time covered huge swathes of this part of Lancashire. A short walk took us to the now cultivated farmland where we encountered a nice range of grasses. Cocksfoot Dactylis glomerata in full flower, Crested Dog’s Tail Cynosurus cristatus, two meadow grasses, Smooth Poa pratensis and Rough Poa trivialis and Italian Rye Grass Lolium multiflorum gave members plenty of opportunity to look for distinguishing features. Also encountered were Timothy Phleum pratense, Common Bent Agrostis capillaris, Yorkshire Fog Holcus lanatus, Soft and Barren Brome, Bromus hordeaceus and Anisantha sterilis, Common Soft GrassHolcus mollis, and Wild Oat Avena fatua.
A really nice specimen of Goatsbeard Tragopogon pratensis was in flower and also carried seedheads, The open flowers, well it WAS only half eleven, were attracting lots of insect attention. Field Pansy V iola arvensis, Fat Hen Chenopodium album, Corn Spurry Spergula arvensis and Black Bindweed Fallopia convolvulus, were good examples of field margin plants.
As farmland gave way to domed mossland the group could see the changes in vegetation taking place. A very distinctive Bramble found on acid mossland was noted but not specifically identified, Where is David Earl when you need him?
The Mossland itself gave up some great plants, Two Cotton Grasses, Common Eriophorum angustifolium and Harestai, Eriophorum vaginatum and Cross Leaved Heath Erica tetralix told us we were on the old moss. Silver and Downy Birch Betula pendula and Betula pubescens looked as if they had been introduced in some numbers.
And so we came to the orchids. Many members had been waiting for this part of the trip. We were not to be disappointed with a nice selection. Common Spotted Dactylohriza fuchsii, Southern Marsh Dactylohriza praetermissa and the hybrid Dactylohriza x grandis were the first to be found. Common Twayblade Listera ovata came next quickly followed by Early Marsh Dactylorhiza incarnata ssp. coccinea. A few Marsh Helleborine Epipactus palustris were in bud but not full flower. I don’t think such a collection is often encountered on an inland site. Let me know if I am wrong.
Two good size bushes of Bog Myrtle Myrica gale were, for me the stars of the show. I would suppose relict plants from a bygone times. Back at the railway station car park Long Headed Poppy Papaver dubium seemed to say “I know you have seen some lovely plants today, but I am worth a look as well.” It wasn’t wrong.
Thanks to David Bryant for arranging and leading the day, and the group who stayed behind to contribute to this write up. Had the pub been open it might have been much longer, or then again it may have been much shorter!
Peter Tipping
June 19th 2010
Leader David Bryant
Thirteen chipper members met at Rainford Junction to explore relict mossland that at one time covered huge swathes of this part of Lancashire. A short walk took us to the now cultivated farmland where we encountered a nice range of grasses. Cocksfoot Dactylis glomerata in full flower, Crested Dog’s Tail Cynosurus cristatus, two meadow grasses, Smooth Poa pratensis and Rough Poa trivialis and Italian Rye Grass Lolium multiflorum gave members plenty of opportunity to look for distinguishing features. Also encountered were Timothy Phleum pratense, Common Bent Agrostis capillaris, Yorkshire Fog Holcus lanatus, Soft and Barren Brome, Bromus hordeaceus and Anisantha sterilis, Common Soft GrassHolcus mollis, and Wild Oat Avena fatua.
A really nice specimen of Goatsbeard Tragopogon pratensis was in flower and also carried seedheads, The open flowers, well it WAS only half eleven, were attracting lots of insect attention. Field Pansy V iola arvensis, Fat Hen Chenopodium album, Corn Spurry Spergula arvensis and Black Bindweed Fallopia convolvulus, were good examples of field margin plants.
As farmland gave way to domed mossland the group could see the changes in vegetation taking place. A very distinctive Bramble found on acid mossland was noted but not specifically identified, Where is David Earl when you need him?
The Mossland itself gave up some great plants, Two Cotton Grasses, Common Eriophorum angustifolium and Harestai, Eriophorum vaginatum and Cross Leaved Heath Erica tetralix told us we were on the old moss. Silver and Downy Birch Betula pendula and Betula pubescens looked as if they had been introduced in some numbers.
And so we came to the orchids. Many members had been waiting for this part of the trip. We were not to be disappointed with a nice selection. Common Spotted Dactylohriza fuchsii, Southern Marsh Dactylohriza praetermissa and the hybrid Dactylohriza x grandis were the first to be found. Common Twayblade Listera ovata came next quickly followed by Early Marsh Dactylorhiza incarnata ssp. coccinea. A few Marsh Helleborine Epipactus palustris were in bud but not full flower. I don’t think such a collection is often encountered on an inland site. Let me know if I am wrong.
Two good size bushes of Bog Myrtle Myrica gale were, for me the stars of the show. I would suppose relict plants from a bygone times. Back at the railway station car park Long Headed Poppy Papaver dubium seemed to say “I know you have seen some lovely plants today, but I am worth a look as well.” It wasn’t wrong.
Thanks to David Bryant for arranging and leading the day, and the group who stayed behind to contribute to this write up. Had the pub been open it might have been much longer, or then again it may have been much shorter!
Peter Tipping
Sutton Manor
5th June 2010
Leader: John Somerville
Fifteen members met on a hot summers day in the car park at the Smithy Manor pub. We spent the next hour recording the plants around the edges of the large car park and amassed a surprisingly large list. The star attraction here must be the three Bee Orchids Ophrys apifera.
Another large list of plants was found near the gate as we entered the Country Park. Amonst these we found large quantities of Hedgerow Cranesbill Geranium Pyrenaicum and Grass Vetchling Lathyrus nissolia. These two plants were to be found throughout the reserve. Another nice find here was Early Wintercress Barbarea intermedia.
Moving along the path leading to Dream (20m high statue erected in May 2009) we took a diversion to a ditch where Barbara had found Blue-eyed Grass Sisyrinchium bermudiana in previous years. Barbara found it again but the flowers were not yet open and it looked like a tuft of grass. Time was spent trying to identify the Orchids which were abundant throughout the site. Thanks to to Tim Rogers who identified Northern Marsh Orchid, Southern Marsh Orchid and Early Marsh Orchid.
Now approaching the Dream statue we found Caper Spurge Euphorbia lathyrus and Black Mustard Brassica nigra. Lunch was taken sitting on the steps surrounding the statue before setting off again towards the north east side of the reserve where we passed some small ponds containing Common Water Crowfoot Ranunculus aquaticus, Fool's Watercress Apium nodiflorum, Ivy-leaved Duckweed Lemna trisulca and Greater Plantain Plantago major. Ten minutes were spent here examining the honey guides on the Common Water Crowfoot to confirm our identification.
At the eastern edge of the site we found Jacob's Ladder Polemonium caeruleum before turning south then west and heading back towards the Dream statue. The last plant of the day, Field Pansy Viola arvensis, was found by Marion Chappel at the side of the path as we walked back to the car park.
On reaching the car park ten of our members entered the Smithy Manor pub for a well earned drink after a very hot day.
pictures by John Somerville
List of recorded plants.
Smooth Sowthistle, Prickly Sowthistle, Herb Robert, Prickly Lettuce, Weld, Nipplewort, Yellow Loosestrife, Teasel,
Lucerne, Hop Trefoil, Lesser Trefoil, Black medick, Burnet Rose, Yellow Iris, Scarlet Pimpernel, Wavy Bittercress,
Alsike Clover, Cow Parsley, Hogweed, Hedge Mustard, Early Wintercress, Black Mustard, Red Clover, White Clover,
Zigzag Clover, Goatsbeard, Red Valerian, Green Alkanet, Daisy, Meadow Cranesbill, Foxglove, Common Vetch, Tare,
Tufted Vetch, Shepherds Purse, Creeping Thistle, Marsh Thistle, Spear Thistle, Creepng buttercup, Meadow Buttercup,
Celery-leaved Buttercup, Lady's Mantle, Dovesfoot Cranesbill, Cut-leaved Cranesbill, Black Knapweed, Common Sorrel, Pineappleweed, Scentless Mayweed, Aquilegia, Broad-leaved Dock, Curled Dock, Common Sorrel, Tansy, Ivy-leaved Speedwell, Mugwort, Coltsfoot, Meadow Vetchling, Broom, Russian Comfrey, Field Forgetmenot, Wild Carrot,
Hemlock, Red Campion, Hedgerow Cranesbill, Grass Vetchling, Early Marsh Orchid, Northern Marsh Orchid,
Southern Marsh Orchid, Silverweed, Blue-eyed Grass, Caper Spurge, Common Water Crowfoot, Fool's Watercress,
Ivy-leaved Duckweed, Greater Plantain, Yellow Rattle, Creeping Cinquefoil, Smooth Hawksbeard, Ox-eye Daisy,
Field Pansy
Marsh Foxtail, Tall Oat-grass, Soft Brome, Crested Dog's-tail, Tall Fescue, Red Fescue, Rough-stalked Meadow-grass,
Cock's-foot, Yorkshire Fog, Annual Meadow-grass,
Glaucus Sedge, Hairy Sedge, False Fox-sedge
link to The history of Sutton Manor country park
Smooth Sowthistle, Prickly Sowthistle, Herb Robert, Prickly Lettuce, Weld, Nipplewort, Yellow Loosestrife, Teasel,
Lucerne, Hop Trefoil, Lesser Trefoil, Black medick, Burnet Rose, Yellow Iris, Scarlet Pimpernel, Wavy Bittercress,
Alsike Clover, Cow Parsley, Hogweed, Hedge Mustard, Early Wintercress, Black Mustard, Red Clover, White Clover,
Zigzag Clover, Goatsbeard, Red Valerian, Green Alkanet, Daisy, Meadow Cranesbill, Foxglove, Common Vetch, Tare,
Tufted Vetch, Shepherds Purse, Creeping Thistle, Marsh Thistle, Spear Thistle, Creepng buttercup, Meadow Buttercup,
Celery-leaved Buttercup, Lady's Mantle, Dovesfoot Cranesbill, Cut-leaved Cranesbill, Black Knapweed, Common Sorrel, Pineappleweed, Scentless Mayweed, Aquilegia, Broad-leaved Dock, Curled Dock, Common Sorrel, Tansy, Ivy-leaved Speedwell, Mugwort, Coltsfoot, Meadow Vetchling, Broom, Russian Comfrey, Field Forgetmenot, Wild Carrot,
Hemlock, Red Campion, Hedgerow Cranesbill, Grass Vetchling, Early Marsh Orchid, Northern Marsh Orchid,
Southern Marsh Orchid, Silverweed, Blue-eyed Grass, Caper Spurge, Common Water Crowfoot, Fool's Watercress,
Ivy-leaved Duckweed, Greater Plantain, Yellow Rattle, Creeping Cinquefoil, Smooth Hawksbeard, Ox-eye Daisy,
Field Pansy
Marsh Foxtail, Tall Oat-grass, Soft Brome, Crested Dog's-tail, Tall Fescue, Red Fescue, Rough-stalked Meadow-grass,
Cock's-foot, Yorkshire Fog, Annual Meadow-grass,
Glaucus Sedge, Hairy Sedge, False Fox-sedge
link to The history of Sutton Manor country park
Bold Moss
22 May 2010
Leader: Peter Gateley
Thirteen members gathered at St Helens Junction station for the walk north-east onto the former Bold Colliery tip, now known as Colliers Moss Common. We started off by looking at grasses in the station car park where Red Fescue Festuca rubra, Rough-stalked Meadowgrass Poa trivialis, Sterile Brome Anisantha sterilis, Soft Brome Bromus hordeaceus and Cocksfoot Dactylis glomerata were all just coming into flower, also in flower were several good plants of Field Madder Sherardia arvensis, along the edges of the exotic shrub beds. We left the station on the path along the base of a high retaining wall with a suite of both native and alien plants growing from the mortar, including Thale Cress Arabidopsis thaliana, Coltsfoot Tussilago farfara, Wall Speedwell Veronica arvensis, Buddleia Buddleja davidii, Box-leaved Honeysuckle Lonicera pileata and Oxford Ragwort Senecio squalidus.
We entered the site via Hoghton Road looking at various typical urban ruderal species and plantings along the way. The path took us through quite species-rich grassland with much Knapweed Centaurea nigra and Meadow Buttercup Ranunculus acris but also abundant Birds-foot Trefoil, but the continental variety Lotus corniculatus var. sativus that grows tall and leggy rather than the native ground-hugging form, indicating that the sides of the path had been seeded with a ‘wildflower’ seed mix. We later saw some colonies of the native type in good flower.
The many plantings carried out to restore the colliery waste have matured greatly over the last few decades. The oldest plantings were carried out by the National Coal Board in the early 1970s to present a green face to the bare grey tip edge for passengers on the Liverpool Manchester Railway. We looked at and compared the nitrogen-fixing species planted into the low nutrient spoil, four main tree species of which only Alder Alnus glutinosa is native; the others are Italian Alder A. cordata, Grey Alder A. incana and False-acacia Robinia pseudoacacia. Later the Groundwork Trust supplemented this plantation with natives such as Oak Quercus robur, also birches and willows seeded themselves adding to the rather more natural look of this southern face of the former tip.
As well as colliery waste from the former Bold Colliery some parts of the tip also received pulverised fuel ash (PFA) from the adjacent Bold Power Station (both demolished years ago). The PFA had a mollifying effect on the very acidic coal waste and allowed more rapid natural regeneration of birch and willow scrub, much of which has now progressed to woodland. The colliery waste was tipped into an area of cut-over lowland raised mire beyond which the surrounding land was either heavily industrialised and urbanised or intensively farmed there was no existing old woodland nearby to provide propagules for the full range of woodland species. The birch and willow seeds blew in on the wind, as did fern and moss spores, birds later delivered berry-bearing species such as hawthorn, bramble, elder, honeysuckle etc and jays brought in acorns. However there was almost no development of groundflora, so in the 1980s experimental blocks of Bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Wood Sage Teucrium scorodonia, Hedge Bedstraw Galium album and Primrose Primula vulgaris were planted under the developing canopy and monitored under the auspices of Liverpool University. Although the monitoring was discontinued once the PhD student graduated, the plants have continued to grow well beyond their original bounds and make a great contribution to the natural feel of the woodland on this artificial site. Near to these plantings a colony of Adders-tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum was spotted by a sharp-eyed member.
From the eastern side of the former tip the long drought made it possible for a brief foray into the Purple Moor-grass Molinia caerulra dominated cut-over surface of Burtonwood Moss, part of the once large mire whose turbary rights were shared amongst four surrounding townships. Fragments of Bold Moss and Sutton Moss survive around the tip edge but Parr Moss was almost totally buried and nothing now remains. Burtonwood Moss is the largest surviving fragment and previous management to retain water in the system has been effective, the bunds across the drains allowing re-wetting of the peat and development of large Sphagnum hummocks. On Burtonwood Moss we noted a colony of Marsh Pennywort Hydrocotyle vulgaris in a damp hollow and much Tormentil (Potentilla erecta) on drier areas, another colony of adders-tongue was also noted amongst the (burnt-over) Molinia tussocks. Around the northern edge of the former tip, the large utilitarian drain that was dug along its edge has been re-shaped and formed into a series of wetlands linked by a gently meandering watercourse, a wide range of water and water’s-edge plants was noted here, contrasting with the generally dry and acidic nature of much of the site.
Also on parts of the northern and north-western slopes areas of heathland have been developed amongst the plantations and naturally regenerated woodlands. Much Heather Calluna vulgaris was noted, some of this naturally spread from the surviving mire edges but the largest blocks derive from introduction of heather seed by the Groundwork Trust. The surface of the colliery waste in these areas had such high levels of acidity that Prof. Tony Bradshaw recommended that liming would be required to raise the pH to a level that would more suit the heather. To this end a crusher was employed to grind concrete demolition waste into suitable sized particles to spread over and incorporate into the tip surface, the result is now some fine areas of natural-looking heath development. On their way back from the northern edge the party was now getting severely overheated under the relentless sun and very high temperatures, so we only had a cursory glance at the former settling lagoons, once bare and grey but now supporting extensive reedbed (Phragmites australis) with peripheral clumps of Common Cotton-grass Eriophorum angustifolium, just coming into its fluffy seed stage. Before we got back to the station the majority of the group had diverted to the Junction Inn for a cooling drink and when we got back to our car the temperature reading was 32 degrees!
22 May 2010
Leader: Peter Gateley
Thirteen members gathered at St Helens Junction station for the walk north-east onto the former Bold Colliery tip, now known as Colliers Moss Common. We started off by looking at grasses in the station car park where Red Fescue Festuca rubra, Rough-stalked Meadowgrass Poa trivialis, Sterile Brome Anisantha sterilis, Soft Brome Bromus hordeaceus and Cocksfoot Dactylis glomerata were all just coming into flower, also in flower were several good plants of Field Madder Sherardia arvensis, along the edges of the exotic shrub beds. We left the station on the path along the base of a high retaining wall with a suite of both native and alien plants growing from the mortar, including Thale Cress Arabidopsis thaliana, Coltsfoot Tussilago farfara, Wall Speedwell Veronica arvensis, Buddleia Buddleja davidii, Box-leaved Honeysuckle Lonicera pileata and Oxford Ragwort Senecio squalidus.
We entered the site via Hoghton Road looking at various typical urban ruderal species and plantings along the way. The path took us through quite species-rich grassland with much Knapweed Centaurea nigra and Meadow Buttercup Ranunculus acris but also abundant Birds-foot Trefoil, but the continental variety Lotus corniculatus var. sativus that grows tall and leggy rather than the native ground-hugging form, indicating that the sides of the path had been seeded with a ‘wildflower’ seed mix. We later saw some colonies of the native type in good flower.
The many plantings carried out to restore the colliery waste have matured greatly over the last few decades. The oldest plantings were carried out by the National Coal Board in the early 1970s to present a green face to the bare grey tip edge for passengers on the Liverpool Manchester Railway. We looked at and compared the nitrogen-fixing species planted into the low nutrient spoil, four main tree species of which only Alder Alnus glutinosa is native; the others are Italian Alder A. cordata, Grey Alder A. incana and False-acacia Robinia pseudoacacia. Later the Groundwork Trust supplemented this plantation with natives such as Oak Quercus robur, also birches and willows seeded themselves adding to the rather more natural look of this southern face of the former tip.
As well as colliery waste from the former Bold Colliery some parts of the tip also received pulverised fuel ash (PFA) from the adjacent Bold Power Station (both demolished years ago). The PFA had a mollifying effect on the very acidic coal waste and allowed more rapid natural regeneration of birch and willow scrub, much of which has now progressed to woodland. The colliery waste was tipped into an area of cut-over lowland raised mire beyond which the surrounding land was either heavily industrialised and urbanised or intensively farmed there was no existing old woodland nearby to provide propagules for the full range of woodland species. The birch and willow seeds blew in on the wind, as did fern and moss spores, birds later delivered berry-bearing species such as hawthorn, bramble, elder, honeysuckle etc and jays brought in acorns. However there was almost no development of groundflora, so in the 1980s experimental blocks of Bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Wood Sage Teucrium scorodonia, Hedge Bedstraw Galium album and Primrose Primula vulgaris were planted under the developing canopy and monitored under the auspices of Liverpool University. Although the monitoring was discontinued once the PhD student graduated, the plants have continued to grow well beyond their original bounds and make a great contribution to the natural feel of the woodland on this artificial site. Near to these plantings a colony of Adders-tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum was spotted by a sharp-eyed member.
From the eastern side of the former tip the long drought made it possible for a brief foray into the Purple Moor-grass Molinia caerulra dominated cut-over surface of Burtonwood Moss, part of the once large mire whose turbary rights were shared amongst four surrounding townships. Fragments of Bold Moss and Sutton Moss survive around the tip edge but Parr Moss was almost totally buried and nothing now remains. Burtonwood Moss is the largest surviving fragment and previous management to retain water in the system has been effective, the bunds across the drains allowing re-wetting of the peat and development of large Sphagnum hummocks. On Burtonwood Moss we noted a colony of Marsh Pennywort Hydrocotyle vulgaris in a damp hollow and much Tormentil (Potentilla erecta) on drier areas, another colony of adders-tongue was also noted amongst the (burnt-over) Molinia tussocks. Around the northern edge of the former tip, the large utilitarian drain that was dug along its edge has been re-shaped and formed into a series of wetlands linked by a gently meandering watercourse, a wide range of water and water’s-edge plants was noted here, contrasting with the generally dry and acidic nature of much of the site.
Also on parts of the northern and north-western slopes areas of heathland have been developed amongst the plantations and naturally regenerated woodlands. Much Heather Calluna vulgaris was noted, some of this naturally spread from the surviving mire edges but the largest blocks derive from introduction of heather seed by the Groundwork Trust. The surface of the colliery waste in these areas had such high levels of acidity that Prof. Tony Bradshaw recommended that liming would be required to raise the pH to a level that would more suit the heather. To this end a crusher was employed to grind concrete demolition waste into suitable sized particles to spread over and incorporate into the tip surface, the result is now some fine areas of natural-looking heath development. On their way back from the northern edge the party was now getting severely overheated under the relentless sun and very high temperatures, so we only had a cursory glance at the former settling lagoons, once bare and grey but now supporting extensive reedbed (Phragmites australis) with peripheral clumps of Common Cotton-grass Eriophorum angustifolium, just coming into its fluffy seed stage. Before we got back to the station the majority of the group had diverted to the Junction Inn for a cooling drink and when we got back to our car the temperature reading was 32 degrees!
Loggerheads
April 24th 2010
Leaders: Peter Gately and Peter Tipping
A beautiful April morning saw twenty two members meet for the second visit of the season. The English Bluebells Hyacinthoides non-scripta, that were only in leaf at Appley Bridge were starting in flower here only a short time later. Primrose Primula vulgaris and Lesser Celandine Ranunculus ficaria (or do we have to call it Ficaria veris these days?) made perfect companions to the strong blue of the Bluebells. The banks of the mill race by the bridge afforded us our first but far from last views of Butterbur Petasites hybridus this too was complemented just over the bridge from the café area by a considerable colony of Winter Heliotrope Petasites fragrans. Must get a move on we are not even away from Caffi Florence yet!
The first stone wall we looked at showed not only Wall Lettuce Mycelis muralis but some very nice plants of Brittle Bladder Fern Cystopteris fragilis, but onwards we go across the bridge and follow the River Alyn along the Leete path, constructed by the Victorian miners to help with the extraction of lead from the limestone which makes up this area. The limestone is from the Carboniferous age, approx 240 million years ago, long before the Jurassic and its associated dinosaurs. This area was a shallow tropical sea and consequently abounds in fossil sea creatures such as brachiopods, spirifers and crinoids or sea lilies. Nowadays the vertical outcrops offer a superb selection of ferns, including Hartstongue Phylitis scolopendrium, Hard Shield Polystichum aculeatum, Black Spleenwort Asplenium adiantum-nigrum, Common Polypody Polypodium vulgare and Maidenhair Spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes.
Down on the banks of the Alyn we were pleased to find Opposite leaved Golden Saxifrage Chrysosplenium oppositifolium, Wood Anemone Anemone nemorosa, Wood Sorrel Oxalis acetosella, more Buttebur and Toothwort Lathraea squamaria along with Ground Elder Aegopodium podagraria, Ground Ivy Glechoma hederacea, Enchanter’s Nightshade Circaea lutetiana and Wood Forgetmenot Myosotis sylvatica. Lots of Moschatel Adoxa moschatellina presaged a discussion about the variety of English names for plants, Geoffrey Grigson where are you when we need you! From there we made our way to the second site for Herb Paris Paris quadrifolia. At both sites the Paris was in its very early stages, but no less interesting for that.
Continuing the walk towards Devil’s Gorge we were able to look at two violets, Viola riviniana and reichenbachiana comparing flower shape and the colour and shape of the spur, both features aiding recognition. Common Rock Rose Helianthemum nummularium, Wood Sage Teucrium scorodonia and Salad Burnet Sanguisorba minor were showing well. Wild Strawberry Fragaria vesca and Barren Strawberry Potentilla sterilis growing close together allowed us to compare and contrast as we had done with the violets.
Returning from the Gorge and then ascending the steps to take us to the top of the limestone cliffs overlooking Loggerheads, Colomendy and the Clwyd mountains we were able to find our first orchid of the season, Early Purple Orchid Orchis mascula. On the top of the cliff we found Hairy Violet Viola hirta, Thyme Thymus polytrichus, Lesser Meadow Rue Thalictrum minus, Carline Thistle Carlina vulgaris, Spring Sedge Carex caryophyllea and Bloody Cranesbill Geranium sanguineum.
This left only the final descent through the Beech woods, there were however two more plants worthy of our attention, Fly Honeysuckle Lonicera xylosteum, (where did that plant come from?) and at least twenty five Spurge Laurel Daphne laureola. All in all a good day of botanising in an area that has been studied for very many years.
May I take this opportunity of thank both Peter Gately and Martin Stead for their help and assistance.
Peter Tipping
April 24th 2010
Leaders: Peter Gately and Peter Tipping
A beautiful April morning saw twenty two members meet for the second visit of the season. The English Bluebells Hyacinthoides non-scripta, that were only in leaf at Appley Bridge were starting in flower here only a short time later. Primrose Primula vulgaris and Lesser Celandine Ranunculus ficaria (or do we have to call it Ficaria veris these days?) made perfect companions to the strong blue of the Bluebells. The banks of the mill race by the bridge afforded us our first but far from last views of Butterbur Petasites hybridus this too was complemented just over the bridge from the café area by a considerable colony of Winter Heliotrope Petasites fragrans. Must get a move on we are not even away from Caffi Florence yet!
The first stone wall we looked at showed not only Wall Lettuce Mycelis muralis but some very nice plants of Brittle Bladder Fern Cystopteris fragilis, but onwards we go across the bridge and follow the River Alyn along the Leete path, constructed by the Victorian miners to help with the extraction of lead from the limestone which makes up this area. The limestone is from the Carboniferous age, approx 240 million years ago, long before the Jurassic and its associated dinosaurs. This area was a shallow tropical sea and consequently abounds in fossil sea creatures such as brachiopods, spirifers and crinoids or sea lilies. Nowadays the vertical outcrops offer a superb selection of ferns, including Hartstongue Phylitis scolopendrium, Hard Shield Polystichum aculeatum, Black Spleenwort Asplenium adiantum-nigrum, Common Polypody Polypodium vulgare and Maidenhair Spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes.
Down on the banks of the Alyn we were pleased to find Opposite leaved Golden Saxifrage Chrysosplenium oppositifolium, Wood Anemone Anemone nemorosa, Wood Sorrel Oxalis acetosella, more Buttebur and Toothwort Lathraea squamaria along with Ground Elder Aegopodium podagraria, Ground Ivy Glechoma hederacea, Enchanter’s Nightshade Circaea lutetiana and Wood Forgetmenot Myosotis sylvatica. Lots of Moschatel Adoxa moschatellina presaged a discussion about the variety of English names for plants, Geoffrey Grigson where are you when we need you! From there we made our way to the second site for Herb Paris Paris quadrifolia. At both sites the Paris was in its very early stages, but no less interesting for that.
Continuing the walk towards Devil’s Gorge we were able to look at two violets, Viola riviniana and reichenbachiana comparing flower shape and the colour and shape of the spur, both features aiding recognition. Common Rock Rose Helianthemum nummularium, Wood Sage Teucrium scorodonia and Salad Burnet Sanguisorba minor were showing well. Wild Strawberry Fragaria vesca and Barren Strawberry Potentilla sterilis growing close together allowed us to compare and contrast as we had done with the violets.
Returning from the Gorge and then ascending the steps to take us to the top of the limestone cliffs overlooking Loggerheads, Colomendy and the Clwyd mountains we were able to find our first orchid of the season, Early Purple Orchid Orchis mascula. On the top of the cliff we found Hairy Violet Viola hirta, Thyme Thymus polytrichus, Lesser Meadow Rue Thalictrum minus, Carline Thistle Carlina vulgaris, Spring Sedge Carex caryophyllea and Bloody Cranesbill Geranium sanguineum.
This left only the final descent through the Beech woods, there were however two more plants worthy of our attention, Fly Honeysuckle Lonicera xylosteum, (where did that plant come from?) and at least twenty five Spurge Laurel Daphne laureola. All in all a good day of botanising in an area that has been studied for very many years.
May I take this opportunity of thank both Peter Gately and Martin Stead for their help and assistance.
Peter Tipping
Fairy Glen
10th April 2010
Leader: David Earl
We were greeted by a pleasant spring morning and began our excursion by looking into Sprodley Wood from the main road from where we could see nice patches of Wood Anemone, Dog's Mercury and Lesser Celandine in flower and also found an established patch of Lesser Periwinkle by the woodland edge.
Having crossed the busy main road we then explored Fairy Glen. There are several areas of wet woodland in the upper section of the wood where we found Marsh Marigold, Large Bitter-cress, Pendulous Sedge, Remote Sedge, Wild Angelica, Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage, Lady Fern, Meadowsweet, Hemlock Water-dropwort and Yellow Flag with Common Valerian, Wood Speedwell, Ramsons and Bistort occurring along the stream banks. On the surrounding slopes the flora included Bluebell, Dog's Mercury, Enchanter's-nightshade, Lords-and-ladies, Pignut, Red Campion and Wood-sorrel. Patches of Town-hall Clock where found at the base of trees and surprisingly it was later found that this species had not previously been recorded from this area for the South Lancashire Flora Project. A patch of Garden Grape-hyacinth was found by a pathway and was thought to have been planted.
About the footbridge at the top of the ‘gorge like’ section of woodland patches of Fringe-cups are well established. The steep banks of the clough beneath the footbridge provide a habitat for Hart's-tongue, Scaly Male Fern, Soft Shield-fern, Hard Fern, Hairy Wood-rush and the rather splendid Great Wood-rush. A small population of Hairy Saxifrage remains established on the wet rocks by the waterfall.
After lunch we saw how patches of Himalayan Balsam have extended from the stream sides to colonise the Bluebell slopes of the clough and evidence suggests that such colonisation does results in the decline of our native Bluebell populations.
Finally we returned via the higher pathways which frequently adjoin the nearby gardens. A number of escapes are established along this section of the woodland and include Wood Forget-me-not, Snowdrop and several Garden Daffodil cultivars. Here also were a few patches of Primrose which may be of garden origin.
10th April 2010
Leader: David Earl
We were greeted by a pleasant spring morning and began our excursion by looking into Sprodley Wood from the main road from where we could see nice patches of Wood Anemone, Dog's Mercury and Lesser Celandine in flower and also found an established patch of Lesser Periwinkle by the woodland edge.
Having crossed the busy main road we then explored Fairy Glen. There are several areas of wet woodland in the upper section of the wood where we found Marsh Marigold, Large Bitter-cress, Pendulous Sedge, Remote Sedge, Wild Angelica, Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage, Lady Fern, Meadowsweet, Hemlock Water-dropwort and Yellow Flag with Common Valerian, Wood Speedwell, Ramsons and Bistort occurring along the stream banks. On the surrounding slopes the flora included Bluebell, Dog's Mercury, Enchanter's-nightshade, Lords-and-ladies, Pignut, Red Campion and Wood-sorrel. Patches of Town-hall Clock where found at the base of trees and surprisingly it was later found that this species had not previously been recorded from this area for the South Lancashire Flora Project. A patch of Garden Grape-hyacinth was found by a pathway and was thought to have been planted.
About the footbridge at the top of the ‘gorge like’ section of woodland patches of Fringe-cups are well established. The steep banks of the clough beneath the footbridge provide a habitat for Hart's-tongue, Scaly Male Fern, Soft Shield-fern, Hard Fern, Hairy Wood-rush and the rather splendid Great Wood-rush. A small population of Hairy Saxifrage remains established on the wet rocks by the waterfall.
After lunch we saw how patches of Himalayan Balsam have extended from the stream sides to colonise the Bluebell slopes of the clough and evidence suggests that such colonisation does results in the decline of our native Bluebell populations.
Finally we returned via the higher pathways which frequently adjoin the nearby gardens. A number of escapes are established along this section of the woodland and include Wood Forget-me-not, Snowdrop and several Garden Daffodil cultivars. Here also were a few patches of Primrose which may be of garden origin.