Wild Flower Society Field Meetings 2010

Because not everyone has access to a computer with an internet connection, places on popular meetings will not be allocated until after the Spring issue of the Wild Flower Society magazine has been published. If more applications than places are received for a main meeting, a ballot will be held after the closing date (31st March 2010) for applications in Spring.

To book for a main field meeting send a stamped, addressed envelope to Steve Parker 26 Laburnum Road, Wellington, Somerset TA21 8EL or email Stephen Parker. All bookings to be received by Sunday 31st March 2010

Meetings information is sometimes updated and corrected by leaders or the meetings secretary after being first published on this site. Any amended text in the description will appear in blue as updated text in this color. The dates of upon which changes happened are at the very bottom of the page.

Main Field Meetings 2010

Saturday 19th to Sunday 20th June 2010. Leader: Roger Smith (VC Recorder) Dartmoor Weekend Visiting a number of sites to see some of the specialities of Dartmoor. It is hoped to find both Filmy Ferns and all three Sundews together with Hypericum undulatum (Wavy St.John's-wort) and Vicia orobus (Wood Bitter-vetch) Numbers limited to 20 Contact Stephen Parker on 01823 666006 or email Stephen Parker

Friday 25th to Sunday 27th June 2010 Leaders Vince Jones & Stephen Parker Teesdale Weekend Contact Stephen Parker on 01823 666006 or email Stephen Parker

Saturday 3rd to Sunday 4th July 2010 Leader: Ian Green Grantown-on-Spey and Cairngorms This meeting will be to look for many of the special plants in the area. Booking essential. Numbers limited to 20. Contact Stephen Parker on 01823 666006 or email Stephen Parker

Saturday 31st July to Sunday 1st August 2010 Leaders: Wendy Meadway and Richard Robinson East and West Sussex Saturday: Severn Sisters Country Park, East Sussex. A day spent on the Cuckmere estuary seeing chalk downland, salt marsh and shingle beach habitats, plants including Teucrium chamaedrys (Wall germander) Euphrasia pseudokerneri (Eyebright), Ruppia cirrhosa (Spiral Tasselweed), Phyteuma orbiculare (Round-headed rampion), Limonium binervosum (Rock Sea-lavender), Seriphidium maritimum (Sea Wormwood) and Centaurea calcitrappa (Red Star-thistle).
Sunday: Amberley Wild Brooks, West Sussex. This area, that consists of water meadows and drainage ditches, is known for its rich aquatic and riparian flora, we hope to see Leersia oryzoides (Cut grass) a variety of pondweeds including Potamogeton acutifolius (Sharp-leaved pondweed) and Schoenoplectus x carinatus (Hybrid Clubrush) If time allows, to visit Amberley Mount to see Lonicera xylosteum (Fly Honeysuckle) and Juniperus communis (Juniper.) Limited to 15 participants. Booking essential to Stephen Parker on 01823 666006 or email Stephen Parker

Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th August Leader: Kate Thorne (VC Recorder) Llanymynech Hill and Melverley Floodplain On Llanymyech Hill there will be limestone plants and grasses and the Melverley floodplain nearby to see Rhamnus cathartica (Buckthorn), Rubus caesius (Dewberry), Persicaria species, Carex acuta (Slender Tufted-sedge).
Sunday will be along the Montgomery Canal to look at Potamogeton compressus (Grass-wrack Pondweed), Luronium natans (Floating Water-plantain) which probably will not be in flower, Stellaria palustris (Marsh Stitchwort) and Oenanthe fistulosa (Tubular Water-dropwort) plus visit a River Severn floodplain site nearby to see Limosella aquatica (Mudwort) and Butomus umbellatus (Flowering Rush). Numbers limited to 20. Booking essential to Stephen Parker on 01823 666006 or email Stephen Parker

Friday 3rd to Sunday 5th September. Leader: Stephen Parker Dorset Wild Flower Society AGM and Members Weekend Site visits to excellent wildlife sites. For full information contact Contact Stephen Parker on 01823 666006 or email Stephen Parker

Tuesday 14th September to Sunday 19th September 2010 Leader: Bill & Carol Hawkins Jersey A come-and-find expedition to seek out the many plants indigenous to the island as the group may decide. Co-ordinators: Bill & Carol Hawkins. Details of this meeting were published in the Autumn 2009 Magazine. This meeting is now fully booked.

One Day Meetings 2010

Bookings are not always required but are frequently asked for by the leader. Leaders of one day meetings which start from April 2010 onwards may not finalise lists of participants until the 31st March 2010 deadline has passed to enable those without internet connections to have an equal chance of a place on a one day meeting. To make contact with a leader who uses email, click on the name in green. Otherwise use the telephone number or address if published here. If you know someone without an internet connection who might like to attend a very early meeting then let them know the details as the Spring magazine may be too late for meetings before April.

Tuesday 29th December 2009 Leader: Stephen Clarkson Hadleigh, Suffolk Meet at 10.30 am at 10 Churchill Avenue, Hadleigh, Suffolk.  Tea and cakes afterwards at mine. Branch Y and visitors. Contact: Stephen Clarkson on 01473 823220 (new telephone number) or email Stephen Clarkson

Saturday 13th February 2010 Leader: Bill and Carol Hawkins Lynford arboretum, Norfolk Meet at 10.30am. Early Stagers for Snowdrop identification. Park in arboretum car park. At Mundford roundabout on A1065 continue north on same road. First exit right is signed to the arboretum. Drive all the way down to the end for the car park. To be followed afterwards by revision on Trees in Winter. Branch Y and visitors. Contact: Stephen Clarkson on 01473 823220 (new telephone number) or email Stephen Clarkson

Saturday 6th March 2010 First Day Hunt Leader: Stephen Clarkson Needham Market, Suffolk 10.30 am in Needham Lakes car park, TM 095 547 Possible parking fee and there is a WC nearby. We will to try and find as many plants as possible in flower (remember what a challenge that was last year?). Branch Y and visitors contact Stephen Clarkson on 01473 823220 or email Stephen Clarkson

Sunday 7th March 2010 Leader: Stephen Parker Budleigh Salterton First Day Hunt. Meet at 10.30 am in the free car park (off Station Road at SY06038212) in Budleigh Salterton. We will look for plants in flower, the meeting will search the town sea cliff and the estuary of the River Otter. Contact Stephen Parker on 01823 666006 or Stephen Parker

Saturday 10th April 2010 Leaders: Lorna and Derek Holland Teston Country Park Grid Ref: TQ 708 533 Meet at 10 30 pm. A Spring walk round our Kentish village of Teston simply to enjoy the Caltha palustris (Marsh Marigold) by the river, the village churchyard, and the woodland flowers Anemone nemorosa (Wood Anemone), Adoxa moschatellina (Moschatel), Lathraea squamaria (Toothwort) and Viola sp. (Violets) etc, behind our house. Please ring us on 01622 812583 or email Lorna and Derek if you would like to come.

Sunday 18th April 2010 Leaders: Mr Colin Jacobs and Mrs Eileen Tink Bath Hills Ditchingham Norfolk Meet 10 am at Outney Common Car park Bungay Suffolk. Grid ref TM330900 O/S Map Explorer OL40. Situated off the A143 Bury St Edmunds to Great Yarmouth road. It is a circular walk covering both Suffolk and Norfolk borders and a packed lunch should be carried. There are no toilet facilities other than the nearby Golf Club at the start of the walk. There are two stiles and a short length of the A143 will be walked before we take in the village of Earsham into Bungay Town centre. The site is known for the naturalised Iris foetidissima (Stinking Iris) and Helleborus foetididus (Stinking Hellebore). The site is full of early spring flowers and is a great way of adding early flowering plant records to the WFS diary. The circular walk is about 5 miles long but members can either walk the whole route and or return at any time to the car park. Numbers are not limited. but the leaders would welcome an idea of numbers before the day. The walk will still go ahead if it rains so suitable foot and rainwear should be worn. Contact Mr Colin Jacobs and Mrs Eileen Tink on (01502) 719752 or use this email contact.

Tuesday 20th April 2010 Leader: Stephen Clarkson Warley Place, Great Warley, Essex Meet in the reserve car park through the gate at TQ 583 906 for 10.30 am. To revisit , once more to hunt for the elusive Hyacinthoides italica (Italian Bluebell). Slightly earlier than last year when most of the Scillas were going over, but there are a wealth of other flowers to marvel at. Meet in the reserve car park through the gate at TQ 583 906 for 10.30 am. Please contact Stephen Clarkson or telephone 01473 823220 (new number).

Saturday 1st May 2010 Leader: Stephen Clarkson Devil's Dyke Meeting 1 Meet in the lay-by on B1061 SW of Newmarket, Suffolk TL632605 (near to old destroyed bridge) at 10.30am. This year we will continue visiting a site over a period and view the changing plants. This time we will be looking at calcareous grassland flowers on the Devil’s Dyke in Suffolk over a three month period. The Devil’s Dyke is an impressive Anglo-Saxon man-made fortification running just over seven miles. We will cover it in three stages, the first to look at the impressive numbers of Pulsatilla vulgaris (Pasqueflower) and Carex ericetorum (Rare Spring-sedge). Contact Stephen Clarkson Stephen Clarkson or telephone 01473 823220 (new number)

Saturday 8th May 2010 Early Stagers Meeting. Leader: Michael Knaggs Strid Wood, Bolton Abbey, North Yorkshire Meet at the Strid Car Park, by the Old visitor centre This is the third car park if approaching from the A59. We will be looking for woodland plants. Walks will start at 10:30 and 2pm and will be different, so you can attend one or both. Contact Stephen Parker on 01823 666006 or email Stephen Parker

Saturday 15th May 2010 Leader: Stephen Clarkson Barnack Hills and Holes reserve Meet in the car park in Wittering Road on the northern boundary of the reserve at TF 074 047 for 10.30 am. To visit near Peterborough, Cambs. This was designated a Special Area for Conservation in 2002 to protect its orchid rich grassland. It also supports Pulsatilla vulgaris (Pasqueflower). Contact Stephen Clarkson or telephone 01473 823220 (new number)

Saturday 22nd May 2010 Leader: Chris Mulvey Sutton Common and Shingle Street 1 Meet 10.30am in car park at on B1083 SE of Woodbridge at TM 304 474 (on the bend of the road) We will visit Sutton Common and Shingle Street, Suffolk to look for Viola tricolor ssp curtisii (Dune Pansy) and Medicago polymorpha (Toothed Medick) as well as many Trifolium (Clover) species. Leader is Chris Mulvey.

Saturday 22nd May 2010 Leader: Gareth Bursnall Shoreham Beach, West Sussex. Meet at 10.30 am in the car park near the Fort (Charge £2.50) at the end of Old Fort Road. TQ232044. A meeting to look at the stabilised shingle plants found at this location. Plants we should see include Crambe maritima (Sea Kale), Glaucium flavum (Yellow Horned-poppy) and Trifolium scabrum (Rough Clover). Also present will be many established and casual garden escapes such as Senecio cinerea (Silver Ragwort), Rosa rugosa (Japanese Rose) and Lavatera arborea (Tree Mallow). We hope to find Trifolium stellatum (Starry Clover) known here for 200 years. Numbers do vary from year to year however. If you want to travel by train the nearest station is Shoreham-by-Sea, allow 30 minutes to walk from the station to the fort. Bring a packed lunch and waterproofs. All are welcome email Gareth Bursnall.

Saturday 5th June 2010 Leader: Stephen Clarkson Devil's Dyke 2 Meet in the car park by the Devil’s Dyke on the B1102 between Swaffham Prior and Burwell at TL580648 for 10.30 am. Our second visit to the Devil’s Dyke but exploring the northern end up to the village of Reach which we haven’t done before. Contact Stephen Clarkson or telephone 01473 823220 (new number).

Saturday 5th June 2010 Leader: Liz McDonnell Shapwick Heath National Nature Reserve, Somerset Grass Identification Course suitable for beginners and the more experienced. Bring lenses and id books. A binocular microscope will be available. Booking essential, Numbers limited to 15. Bookings to Stephen Parker on 01823 666006 or email Stephen Parker

Sunday 6th June 2010 Leader: Sarah Finlayson Ballantrae shingle beach in Ayrshire, Scotland. NX082825 A trip to see Mertensia maritima (Oyster Plant). There is a car park at the South end of the road at the shore (called Foreland). We should see many other interesting plants along the beach as well. Contact Sarah Finlayson by email or Stephen Parker by telephone on 01823 666006 or email Stephen Parker

Sunday 6th June 2010 Leader: Colin Newlands Scar Close NNR plus Ribblehead Quarry NNR. This is a Joint meeting with Bradford Botany Group the leader Colin Newlands (Natural England). Booking essential Numbers limited to 15. Bookings to Stephen Parker on 01823 666006 or email Stephen Parker

Wednesday 9th June 2010. Leaders: Lorna and Derek Holland Ranscombe Farm Grid Ref: TQ 718 675. A midweek trip involving a moderately easy walk of about three miles there and back, to enjoy the various specialities of Ranscombe. Hopefully the Agrostemma githago (Corncockle) and Althaea hirsuta (Rough Mallow) should be at their best witih countless other specialities of Ranscombe Please ring us on 01622 812583 or email Lorna and Derek if you would like to come.

Sunday 20th June 2010 Leader: Michael Knaggs Clifton Backies Local Nature Reserve, York. Early Stagers Meeting. Meet at Car Park on Water Lane next to Woodland Chase at 10:30 and 2pm. We will be searching for Meadow Flowers. Walks will start at 10:30 and 2pm and will be different, so you can attend one or both. Contact Stephen Parker on 01823 666006 or email Stephen Parker.

Sunday 27th June 2010 Leader: Geoffrey Kitchener North Kent. Meet 10.30 a.m. at housing development (TQ6683.7358) east of roundabout 500m down Dering Way from its junction with the A226 and Lower Higham Road. A Rumex (Docks) identification day lead by Geoffrey Kitchener. A meeting with a particular focus on docks and their hybrids, which may include walking onto the estuarial grazing marshes (Westcourt, Shorne and maybe Cliffe/Cooling). Please contact the leader beforehand by email Geoffrey Kitchener or Telephone 01959 532282.

Saturday 3rd July 2010 Leader: Stephen Clarkson Devil's Dyke 3 Please meet in the same car park as for the second visit, near Burwell, for 10.30 am. Our third and final visit on the Devil’s Dyke this time to explore the central section. We always seem to get the Himantoglossum hircinum (Lizard Orchid) too late so this visit is a couple of weeks earlier than one we had in 2007. There are swathes of chalk plants to admire on this manmade fortification. Contact Stephen Clarkson or telephone 01473 823220 (new number).

Tuesday 6th July 2010 Leader: Heather Colls Newport Wetlands Reserve Newport Gwent. Meet 11a.m. in Main Car Park, Grid Reference ST335834 This is a National Nature Reserve constructed ten years ago from the fuel ash storage lagoons of the neighbouring Uskmouth Power Station, principally for the birdwatchers but with a very good range of maritime and wetlands plants. We would hope to see Lathryus sylvestris (Narrow-leaved everlasting pea), Lotus glaber (Narrow-leaved Bird’s-foot Trefoil), Lepidium latifolium (Dittander), Chenopodium glaucum (Oak-leaved goosefoot) and possibly Monotropa hypopitys (Yellow Bird’s Nest) along with Epipactis palustris (Marsh Helleborine) and some other orchids. Please contact Heather Colls by email Heather Colls or telephone 01600 740656

Saturday 17th July 2010 Leader: Stephen Clarkson Winterton on the east Norfolk coast A visit to the fixed dune system at the RSPB reserve comprises dune heath, wet slacks and dune grassland similar to Baltic habitats on acid soils. Meet for 10.30am in the beach car park (small fee) at Winterton on Sea at TG 498 197. Contact Stephen Clarkson or telephone 01473 823220 (new number).

Saturday 24th July 2010 Leader: Edward Pratt Wareham, Dorset We will visit some of East Holme Meadows, private pasture by the Frome - the only current British locality away from Windermere for the introduced Lysimachia terrestris (Lake Loosestrife), which should grace us with a few flowers. Rich and colourful ditches also have Butomus umbellatus (Flowering-rush), Sanguisorba officinalis (Great Burnet), Callitriche brutia (Pedunculate Water-starwort) and sometimes Persicaria mitis (Tasteless Water-pepper) and Persicaria minus (Small Water-pepper), among others. Pyrus pyraster (Wild Pear with thorns), Agrimonia procera (Fragrant Agrimony), Parentucellia viscosa (Yellow Bartsia) and Mentha pulegium (Pennyroyal) will probably also be seen. Meet 10.15am at Wareham railway station SY919881 - toilets. Bring Wellingtons. Numbers limited to 20. Contact Edward Pratt, 7 Bay Close, Swanage, BH19 1RE (enclose SAE) or Tel. 01929 427229. Offers of lifts or requests for them welcome. If unavoidably cancelling on the day, or delayed in travel, ring 07946 542502 after 10am.

Saturday 24th July 2010 Leader: Stephen Clarkson Chippenham Fen This Cambridgeshire Fen is managed by Natural England and now with access allowed only to bona fide visitors (which we are of course). We will have a permit for the day to allow the visit with a maximum of 20 visitors. It is the place to look for the very rare Selinum carvifolia (Cambridge Milk Parsley). Access is down the lane from Park Farm in Chippenham (reached from either Snailwell or Fordham) at TL 655 687 with a further drive down into the Fen itself through a locked gate. To meet for 10.30 am. Contact Stephen Clarkson or telephone 01473 823220 (new number).

Saturday 31st July 2010 Leader: Chris Mulvey Sutton Common and Shingle Street 2 A repeat visit with Chris Mulvey to explore Sutton Common and Shingle Street. Meet for 10.30 am in the same car park as described above. The rare Vicia lutea (Yellow Vetch) is found at Shingle Street.

Thursday 12th August 2010 Leader: Stephen Clarkson North Norfolk coast A late summer visit to look at saltmarsh plants including the rare Limonium bellidifolium (Matted Sea-lavender) and Lathyrus heterophyllus (Norfolk Pea). A beautiful part of the coastline but it will entail a long walk. Meet for 10.30am in the car park (small fee) at Queen Anne’s Drive, opposite the entrance to Holkham Hall, Holkham at TF892447. Contact Stephen Clarkson or telephone 01473 823220 (new number).

Saturday 14th August 2020 Leader: Stephen Clarkson Market Weston Fen A late visit to the small reserve of Market Weston Fen owned by Suffolk Wildlife Trust to see Parnassia palustris (Grass-of-Parnassus) and other fen plants, and then in the afternoon to visit nearby Knettishall Heath. Meet at 10.30 am and park with care on the roadside verge in Fen Street, Hopton at TL978788. Contact Stephen Clarkson or telephone 01473 823220 (new number).

Sunday 22nd August 2010 Leaders: Colin Jacobs or Eileen Tink Kessingland Beach Flora South of Lowestoft Meet 10am at Kessingland car park in Church Road opposite Green lane. Grid ref TM532861. We will be recording in tetrad TM5284 as far as Benacre Sluice. There is the option of climbing the stile and visiting Benacre National Nature Reserve. Toilet facilities at at Kessingland Beach. A packed lunch should be taken with you and we shall be having lunch beside the River Hundred where members will be free to record the rich freshwater flora. Typical shingle plants like Lathyrus japonicus ssp maritimus (Sea Pea) and others can be found. The Shingle and Dune Flora will be explored with the good chance of finding some aliens around the nearby Holiday camps former rubbish tip. The numbers are not limited but the leaders would like some idea of numbers. Suitable footwear should be worn; if it rains the meeting will still go ahead so bring suitable clothes. Contact Mr Colin Jacobs and Mrs Eileen Tink on (01502) 719752 or use this Benacre email contact

Saturday 11th September 2010 Leader: Alan Leslie Cambridge area Alien Hunt in the Cambridge Area. Simply to walk round the city to see what we can find: most will be aliens and although some things can be reasonably guaranteed you never know when the next round of spraying or wall cleaning will remove ones favourite plant. It really will be walking all day (perhaps a public bus) the leader has done this meeting with several Parnassians in recent years and worn them out, so this will not be an outing for those that cannot walk very far! We hope to see Trachelium caeruleum (Throatwort), Portulaca oleracea (Common Purslane) and Eragrostis minor (Small Love-grass) and many others. Numbers limited to 20. Booking essential to Stephen Parker on 01823 666006 or email Stephen Parker

Saturday 18th September Leader: Michael Knaggs Westfield Wood, Wigginton Suitable for Early Stagers Meeting with Michael Knaggs. Investigating our native trees at Westfield Wood, Wigginton, near York. Access is from Eastfield Avenue, Haxby. Take the Path between 79 and 81 Eastfield Avenue and the Wood entrance is at the end. Car Parking is better on Bridge Close (nearby) than on Eastfield Avenue itself. Starts at 1pm. For full information Stephen Parker on 01823 666006 or email Stephen Parker

Sunday 19th September Leader: Michael Knaggs Homestead Park, York Early Stagers Meeting with Michael Knaggs. Parkland trees at Homestead Park, York. Meet at the Car Park, Shipton Road, York. Starts at 1pm. For full information Stephen Parker on 01823 666006 or email Stephen Parker

Friday 8th October 2010 Leaders: Clare and Mark Kitchen Forest of Dean 11:00am Wild Flower Society Conifer Identification meeting at the Cyril Hart Arboretum, Forest of Dean. .Meet at the small car park for the arboretum just to the east of the Speech House Hotel on the south side of the road at SO623123. We will use the new vegetative key by John Poland to identify the most commonly planted conifers. We will look in the area for naturalising examples. Bring lunch and suitable clothing/footwear..

Saturday 9th October 2010 Leader: Stephen Parker Bridgwater to Taunton canal Aquatic “Weeds”. During the meeting we will be searching for aquatic weeds of rivers and canals. Meeting will along the Bridgwater to Taunton canal. In 2009 both Azolla filiculoides (Water Fern), Pistia stratiotes (Water-lettuce) and Eichhornia crassipes (Water-hyacinth) where recorded from the canal. Other plants include Sambucus ebulus (Dwarf Elder). Contact Stephen Parker on 01823 666006 or email Stephen Parker

Additional Meetings

Starting with a First Hunt then April, May and July Leader:Julie Clarke In and around Silverdale Branch N3 meeting in and around Silverdale. Not sure of dates yet but as before, if members ring me into next year I will have the plans sorted. Phone 01539 563504 e-mail Julie Clarke

Email addresses of Leaders 2010

Clicking the green email addresses should produce an empty email for you to use with your email client (Outlook, Outlook Express or Thunderbird for example). If it doesn't work with your browser then the leader's email addresses can be obtained either from Stephen Parker or Peter Llewellyn:

Web site manager Peter Llewellyn

The Wild Flower Society is very grateful to all those who give their time and expertise when leading meetings. Offers to lead meetings will be gratefully received at any time. We particularly need leaders for one-day ones. In this case there is no need to be an expert or to show rarities. A variety of species in pleasant surroundings is all that is necessary.

Early Stagers meetings are specially suited to those wishing more detailed explanations of the plants shown. Beginners are especially welcome at all meetings. Leaders and others in the group will be pleased to help them if they make themselves known.

Members who do not drive and who have difficulty reaching the starting point of either Main or One-day events should contact the leader.

Packed lunches are required unless otherwise stated and will often need to be carried.

Please DO NOT bring dogs to any meeting as some landowners do not like them on their property.

All those attending WFS Field Meetings do so at their own risk.

Added on November 29th 2010, updated Nov 29th 09, Nov 30th 09