1997 Avon Gorge Somerset 26 April One Day Local Meeting
When I came to write up these meetings I found one which was 'one day' certainly but was organised like those we used to call 'main' meetings. So I decided to compromise by putting in here but using the very nice report on it complete and as it stands. Here it is:
The spring sunshine and drought paused briefly on 26 April as 24 botanists and nine umbrellas gathered in the Promenade at Clifton with our leader, Pam Millman. We started by exploring the area between the Promenade and the Avon Suspension Bridge. Our first find, on the Observatory Wall, was Anisantha madritensis (Compact Brome), with its flowering spike beginning to show, and as we walked along Smyrnium olusatrum (Alexanders) was plentiful. We were shown "The Slide" - a sloping rock face that all true Bristolians have slid down on their bottoms as children. Surrounding it were Erysimum cheiri (Wallflower) which is abundant in the Avon Gorge, Salvia verbenaca (Wild Clary) and Allium roseum (Rosy Garlic) which the warm weather had brought into flower a month early. There were a number of trees - Laurus nobilis (Bay), Viburnum lantana (Wayfaring Tree), Tilia cordata (Small-leaved Lime), Quercus ilex (Holm Oak). We saw plants of Nectaroscordum siculum (Honey Garlic), Allium carinatum (Keeled Garlic) and Allium vineale (Crow Garlic). Potentilla neumanniana (Spring Cinquefoil) was in flower but the rain which, like mercy, had dropped gently from heaven upon the place beneath meant the flowers were not open. There were abundant stands of Lathraea squamaria (Toothwort), interestingly growing on the roots of sycamore and holly trees. Walking back we made a short detour to find Arabis stricta (Bristol Rockcress) which was mainly in fruit, but it was better than the Hornungia petraea which we didn't catch a glimpse of as it had long since finished flowering.
We moved on to The Gulley and scrambled over rocks to find several national rarities - Trinia glauca (Honewort), Cerastium pumilum (Dwarf Mouse-ear), Carex humilis (Dwarf Sedge) and Clinopodium acinos (Basil Thyme). The leaves of the very rare Allium sphaerocephalon (Round-headed Leek) were present too. At all times Pam Millman, ably assisted by her husband, was careful to make sure everyone saw all the plants on offer and added lots of fascinating information on geology, botany and social history - 'the bridge Brunei built' - 'sandstone layer in the limestone' - 'large rise and fall of the tides' - 'Honewort first recorded by Turner in 1562' - 'carboniferous limestone unlike the oolitic rocks of the Cotswolds'.
Lunch was taken in our cars - ironically the only time the rain ceased completely! Then our convoy snaked its way to the west side of the Gorge, the heavens opened and it was 'wet, wet, wet'. But spirits undampened we started with Sorbus anglica (a rare Whitebeam) and then made our way down the slippy rock-strewn path of the Nightingale Valley. There was a good range of woodland plants including Lamiastrum galeobdolon (Yellow Archangel), Sanicula europaea (Sanicle), Polystichum setiferum (Soft Shield-fern), Tellima grandiflora (Fringe-cups), and banks of Phyllitis scolopendrium (Hart's-tongue).
When we reached the Avon towpath there were masses of Cochlearia anglica (English Scurvy-grass) on the mud banks. Along the towpath we recorded Cotoneaster horizontalis, Polypodium interjectum (Intermediate Polypody), Carex riparia (Greater Pond Sedge), Carex digitata (Fingered Sedge), Geranium purpureum (Little Robin) and Ceterach officinarum (Rustyback). Pam Millman's good planning, enthusiasm, humour and excellent presentation brought the Avon Gorge and its exciting flora to life for us. It was a pity about the rain but the day had been such a delight of flowers and spectacular scenery that, as the hymn puts it, we had had 'Showers of Blessing'.
DIANA STROUD