1996 Derbyshire 7th to 10th June Main Meeting
Friday 7 June
Those who had arrived early for the weekend gathered on the Friday night at the Wye Valley Car Park. John Hawksford then showed some of the Hawkweeds of the area - Hieracium cymbifolium, H. grandidens and H. pellucidum. These had boat- shaped very toothed and shining leaves, respectively. Narrow-leaved Bitter-cress Cardamine impatiens was very young and difficult to find, but the previous season s remains of the twisted pods of Draba incana (Hoary Whitlowgrass) confirmed its identity. A longish walk along the disused railway line eventually yielded Hutchinsia Hornungia petraea and Wall Whitlowgrass Draba muralis. A very short drive to the next lay-by of the A6 produced the large flowers and glaucous leaves of Hieracium britannicum. It was now gloomy and drizzling with rain, but most people stayed to view the Mountain Currant Ribes alpinum falling over the limestone cliffs, like a curtain, at Miller's Dale.
JOHN HAWKSFORD
Saturday 8 June
After the heavy thunderstorm during Friday night, Saturday proved to be a perfect day with virtually continuous sunshine. Approximately 20 members gathered at Tideswell Picnic Site where we were met by our leader Mr Martin Nicholls. Martin was born locally and he brought a number of friends to swell the party. Each participant was provided with a seven-sheet handout. The first three pages described the route to be taken and gave details of the various habitats to be visited. These were followed by a detailed sketch-map and finally there were three pages listing the species we were likely to see. Martin explained that in order to give us a circular walk, the first mile would be fairly routine. However, interesting plants were soon visible and these included Saxifraga granulata (Meadow Saxifrage) and S. tridactylites (Rue-leaved Saxifrage) Near the village of Litton, Lamium maculatum (Spotted Dead-nettle) was well naturalised and showed the rarer white form as well as the common purple.
We had been told that Tansley Dale was the real start of the walk, and what a glorious site we beheld as we entered the top of the Dale. Swathes of Orchis mascula (Early-purple Orchid) covered the banks interspersed with vast quantities of Saxifraga granulata. Dropping into the valley itself progress slowed as many plants were found. On a bank was a fine group of Trollius europaeus (Globeflower) and on an old spoil bank were good quantities of Minuartia verna (Spring Sandwort). Others worthy of note were Hieracium britannicum (Hawkweed) Asplenium tnchomanes-ramosum (Green Spleenwort), Potentilla neumanniana (Spring Cinquefoil), Galium sterneri (Limestone Bedstraw) and Helianthemum nummularium (Common Rock-rose).
At the end of Tansley Dale we entered the upper reaches of Ravens Dale before starting to climb up the side of the valley. Soon Viola lutea (Mountain Pansy) and Saxifraga hypnoides (Mossy Saxifrage) were admired, and then lunch was taken on the top of the ridge.
Afterwards we started the descent into the lower reaches of Ravens Dale and soon a grassy bank revealed Carex caryophyllea (Spring Sedge) and several spikes of C. ornithopoda (Bird's-foot Sedge). Lower in the descent, Rubus saxatilis (Stone Bramble) was nicely in flower. The habitat changed as we entered the wooded lower part of the Dale and Veronica montana (Wood Speedwell), Carex sylvatica (Wood Sedge) and Luzula pilosa (Hairy Wood-rush) were seen. We had seen Alchemillas (Lady s Mantles) previously, but here a clearing revealed the three Derbyshire species Alchemilla glabra, A. filicaulis ssp. vestita and A. xanthochlora together for easy comparison. Two fine specimens of Geum x intermedium (Hybrid Avens) were very much admired. We soon reached the village of Cressbrook and were shown Arabis caucasica (Garden Arabis) well naturalised as it is in many of the Derbyshire dales.
A short stop for refreshments was made before we turned into Water-cum-Jolly Dale. By an old mill, Rumex x pratensis was seen. This is a hybrid of Curled and Broad-leaved Docks. On the wooded banks were both Sorbus aria and S. rupicola (Whitebeams). Halfway along the dale we stopped opposite a rough climb up a scree bank. John Hawksford donned his official hat and reminded us that members attending do so at their own risk. About a dozen of us clambered up to a rock face and there on the ledge was Polygonatum odoratum (Angular Solomon's-seal). There were several plants in full flower. The descent was worse but all happily rejoined the main party intact.
The final lap took us into Tideswell Dale where there were further different plants including a group of Silene nutans (Nottingham Catchfly). Soon we were back to the starting point and it only remained for us to thank Martin Nicholls (ably assisted by Jim Comley) for leading the party so well. It is not often that one gets the combination of perfect weather, beautiful flowers and glorious scenery. A day to remember!
DEREK THOMAS
Sunday and Monday, 9 and 10 June
Sunday's pessimistic weather forecast proved to be incorrect and eleven members stayed on to enjoy a pleasant sunny day's recording under the benevolent supervision of the v.c. recorder, Roy Smith. The party started from White Lodge car-park and moved up Deep Dale. The first part was botanically very rich, but already well recorded and a leisurely half hour was spent exploring the flower-covered rocks. Non-flowering Small Teasel Dipsacus pilosus was added to the weekend's tally. As soon as the boundary of SKI 7 was crossed, two groups moved up the dale, at different height levels, with their Atlas 2000 cards. There was a vast amount of Viola lutea (Mountain Pansy), following a lead vein, like a stream, down the hillside and much Stone Bramble to contribute to a total of over 140 species, by lunchtime.
After a pause to look at the Chenopodium bonus-henricus (Good-King Henry), at the roadside, it was time to move on to a disused quarry and spoil heap, near Hartington, in another 10km square. Here, the long list on the card included Moonwort Botrychium lunaria, Adder's-tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum and Frog Orchid Coeloglossum viride. The unusual large shrub, seen there, was later identified as Lonicera tatarica. Roy pronounced himself well satisfied with the results of our efforts.
A smaller group met, on the Monday, for a longish circular drive. This started with Berberis x stenophylla, self-seeding on the Taddington by-pass, before proceeding to Lover's Walk, at Matlock Bath, for Festuca altissima (Wood Fescue) and the hairy leaved Tilia platyphyllos (Large-leaved Lime). The edges of Via Gellia sported Thlaspi alpestre (Alpine Penny-cress), Paris quadrifolia(Herb-Paris) and Chrysosplenium alternifolium (Alternate-leaved Golden- saxifrage) then we moved, via Buxton, over the Cheshire border. Some of the hundreds of plants of Rumex pseudo-alpinus (Monk's-rhubarb) were flowering in a field, near Kettleshulme, and Tellima grandiflora (Fringe-cups) was in fine form, near Disley Station. A longish walk, in the same parish, led to a huge stand of Stellaria nemorum (Wood Stitchwort) and Tolmeia menziesii (Pick-a-back- plant) lined the water's edge at the bottom of a steep dough between Strines and Brookbottom.
Alan Lewis had found some Saxifraga x polita (False London Pride), the previous day, in Ashwood Dale and this, fruiting Daphne mezereum (Mezereon) at King Sterndale, and the very narrow phyllaries of Hieracium subplanifolium near Tideswell brought the meeting to a close.
JOHN HAWKSFORD