Hard to believe its 2013. Apart from the parking restrictions I don’t think this view has changed for the past 40 years The flowerhead of Ivy Broomrape. Again leaves and chlorophyll aren’t required Vipers Bugloss growing amongst Birdsfoot Trefoil. Coincidentally the area Read More …
Category: Flora
Crabbing at Kimmeridge
Over the years we’ve been fortunate to visit Kimmeridge Bay marine nature reserve on several occasions. Despite the reef being a stronghold for Spider crabs so far we hadn’t seen any. On this occasion inspired by a group of children crabbing from the end of Read More …
Badbury Rings
Another Iron Age hill fort and another outstanding site. Really enjoyable walking around admiring the views across the Dorset countryside whilst listening to Cuckoos calling from the woodland, Skylarks overhead and Yellowhammers in the adjacent fields. Plenty of Orchids around. The sheer number of Greater Read More …
Parsonage Down
Probably the finest area of chalk downland within the UK and within the top 3 SSSI’s/Nature Reserves we’ve visited. To describe the area as exceptional is an understatement. The site is the main stronghold in north-west Europe for the endangered Burnt Orchid. In addition, there Read More …
Return to Ebbor Gorge
An almost magical area of ancient woodland. Perhaps also unsurprisingly its also a National Nature Reserve. The walk and scramble up through the gorge is superb with the high limestone rock faces and caves giving the woodland an ethereal quality. Unfortunately the rain cut short Read More …
Grasslands of the Mendips
White Rock Rose on Brean Down. Restricted to the the limestone grasslands of the Devon and Somerset coast it was surprising to see how abundant this nationally rare plant is on the south facing slopes of Brean Down. Cowslips just above Cheddar Gorge. Unfortunately Read More …
Shapwick Heath and Westhay
Shapwick Heath is a superb National Nature Reserve but ridiculously busy – even during the week. A bit of local knowledge would have been useful I suspect its one of those areas that rewards regular visitors who’ve got the time and knowledge to escape the Read More …
Lords, Ladies and Leeks
Few Flowered Leek Despite looking like the picture of innocence this member of the onion family is the latest invasive species to arrive within the Stenner Wood site of biological interest. Further north its proved capable of spreading extremely quickly and outcompeting our Read More …
Avocets and Twites
Highlights from another trip to the coast – the RSPB reserve at Marshside just north of Southport. Plenty of Avocets and Black-tailed Godwits with circa 150 Wigeon hanging on for a change in the weather before moving north. Also a Spoonbill and several Snipe around. Read More …