2005 Devils Dyke and Cherry Hinton Pits 30th April One Day Meeting
Some twenty members met our leader Stephen Clarkson and the trusty DEFRA at the beginning of what was to be an excellent day's botanising. From the informative sheets presented there was much anticipation, we learnt that Devil's Dyke is the largest Anglo-Saxon dyke in Britain and contains one of the most varied areas of species-rich chalk grassland in Cambridgeshire.
The lay by and field were explored with great enthusiasm and we were soon off to a good start noting Allium paradoxum (few flowered garlic), Capsella bursa-pastoris(shepherd's purse) and Legousia hybrida (Venus looking glass). Once upon the dyke itself Pulsatilla vulgaris (pasque flower) was soon found in attractive groups. Before long with great help from Stephen many species were identified, and with much discussion on hands and knees various sedges were being named, including Carex ericetorum (rare spring sedge).
After a break for lunch we set off for the church and surrounding area of Brinkley. The day had become warm and sunny and soon there was much discussion and investigation about an impressive display of comfrey Symphytum 'Hidcote blue'. Allium ursinum (ramsons), various forget-me-nots and Pseudofumaria lutea (yellow corydalis) were also found in a tranquil setting.
We then moved on to Cherry Hinton, on the outskirts of Cambridge where in a residential area we descended into Lime Kiln Pit where we saw Lonicera caprifolium(perfoliate honeysuckle), where it is thought to have existed since 1763. Our last site, West Pit, was a short distance away and Stephen continued to fill in names and great knowledge about all the plants and flowers which we saw.
It was my first WFS meeting and along with friendly people and great botanising I could not have had a better day.
TERRY RODBARD