Townclose Hills SSSI (VC64)

Making the most of sunshine and a day off work I decided to walk over to Kippax and see what I could find at Townclose Hills SSSI, a fabulous remnant of unimproved limestone grassland affording great views over the lower Aire Valley. I wasn't quite sure what I would find, as the season seems to be whipping on at a rapid pace this year, with Butterfly-bush (Buddleja davidii) unbelievably in full bloom at the end of June. Thankfully, recent rain seems to have reinvigorated increasingly stressed flora, and grassland habitats at least are about where they should be for the time of year. Certainly, the grasslands of the SSSI were a carpet of flowers, with plenty to see. Highlights included:

Carpets of the native form of Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria subsp. vulneraria), strictly prostrate to prostrate-ascending on weak stems.

Masses of Greater Knapweed (Centaurea scabiosa var. scabiosa), an uncommon plant locally.

Good swathes of Yellow-rattle (Rhinanthus minor subsp. stenophyllus), a subspecies more typical of calcareous fens further south but less fussy in Yorkshire where the local climate is more accommodating.

Perforate St John's-wort (Hypericum perforatum) which many will not consider that exciting, but I'm increasingly of the view that its not that common. I suspect it is widely over-recorded, especially in Yorkshire, for its hybrid Des Etang's St John's-wort (Hypericum x desetangsii). Recorder's shouldn't assume Perforate St John's-wort unless they have not checked the sepals carefully for the absence of teeth. By default it is therefore a plant that should only be named when in flower.

Plenty of Clustered Bellflower (Campanula glomerata) just starting to come into bloom.

With time to indulge this spring, and with an exceptional new BSBI Handbook to accompany Vince Jones' regional monograph (criminally under-printed by the Yorkshire Naturalist's Union), I've been dipping my toe into hawkweeds. One of the commonest locally, and earliest flowering, is Southern Hawkeed (Hieracium argillaceum). There was plenty of this in the grassland on steep slopes.

Moving down slope to the wooded margins of the SSSI provided:

Orange Whitebeam (Sorbus croceocarpa)

The largely sterile hybrid between Dewberry (Rubus caesius) and Raspberry (Rubus idaeus) i.e. Rubus x pseudoidaeus.

And, surprisingly, a highly scented hybrid Mock-orange (Philadelphus Lemoinei Group).

Into the woodland proper was a welcome plant of Soft Shield-fern (Polystichum setiferum), an uncommon species in the lowlands to the east of Leeds but one which is increasingly being found in small numbers in woodland habitats.

Hackfall Wood (VC64)

Just coming out of a week of intense recording, I finally have some time to share some news. Between the trips out, the late evening pressing of dog-rose collections, and the associated data entry, time has been limited

One of my first trips was braving an unpromising rainy day to head up to Hackfall Wood.  What a site, I thought it would fill half a day until the weather cleared but I ended up filling a day pottering around the various paths and I still left feeling there was more to see. The plants were exceptional, helped by proximity to a boulder strewn section of river dripping in vegetation, with each boulder with its own mini hanging garden. However, the experience was added to by the various 18th century gothic follies hidden through the wood.

Giant Bellflower (Campanula latifolia)

Harebell (Campanula rotundifolia subsp. rotundifolia) on riverside boulder

The trip was spur of the moment, so I quite forgot this site is famous for its thriving population of Wood Fescue (Festuca altissima). So when I stumbled over my first patch, there was much head scratching until it clicked into place. A new species for me. Its here in its hundreds dripping from the rock outcrops and slopes below.

Plenty more widespread species added to the interest.

Bifid Hemp-nettle (Galeopsis bifida)

Goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea subsp. virgaurea)

Common Cow-wheat (Melampyrum pratense subsp. pratense var. pratense)

The final highlight of a great day was the biggest stand of Great Horsetail (Equisetum telmateia) I have ever seen, easily 100 x 10m in area. This is an uncommon species in VC64.

To Addingham and Back Again (VC64)

Time for a bit of a catch up on local news. Last week I took a trip over to Ilkley as I had always fancied a walk along the river towards Bolton Abbey, but had never quite made it. Spring was definitely springing in Wharfedale, but not as advanced as on my local patch. So I enjoyed a second final hurrah from the daffodils, while also being able to enjoy some of the species just starting to come into there own.

It was nice to see the thriving colony of Fairy Foxglove (Erinus alpinus) on Old Bridge, Ilkley. Far too early for flowers though.

(photo by Jerzy Opiola, Wikimedia Commons)

Not a rare plant, but I forget how prolific Few-flowered Garlic (Allium paradoxum var. paradoxum) is along the Wharfe. All those bulbs where there should be flowers.

A surprise find on a tree stump well away from gardens was Trailing Bellflower (Campanula poscharskyana), but this is not my first find of this species on an isolated river bank.

On the river bank at Addingham, and likely of planted origin, was Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides).

Moving up hill away from the river towards Langbar, I was surprised to find a Chameleon ... i.e. Sweet Spurge (Euphobia dulcis 'Chameleon'). The hedgerow along Langbar Lane also had the hybrid hawthorn Crataegus x subsphaerica (to be seen again later in the hedge bounding Ilkley golf course).

Another nice find on Langbar Lane was a particularly robust lush clump of Alternate-leaved Golden-saxifrage (Chrysosplenium alternifolium).

A rubbish photo but this odd Daffodil (Narcissus 'Pipit') lit up a shady beck bank at Nesfield. I'm not even going to try linking this to a named Daffodil species or hybrid! Google it for a better image.

Back towards Ilkley were Garden Solomon's-seal (Polygonatum x hybridum) and this striking, and very early into bloom this year, Broom (Cytisus scoparius subsp. scoparius f. andreanus).

The Hanging Gardens of Fountains Abbey

Midway through my week off work I thought it about time that I did something that was not botany orientated (or at least not entirely botany, you've got to keep looking otherwise you don't find the good stuff). So I took myself off to the ruined Fountains Abbey (VC64), originally founded by the Cistercians in 1132.

The walls support a staggering amount of vegetation, fairly dripping in species that are now uncommon or that have never been common in the wider landscape. These included Small Scabious (Scabiosa columbaria), Hawkweed Oxtongue (Picris hieracioides) and Harebell (Campanula rotundifolia ssp. rotundifolia), the latter included white-flowered plants.

One of the specialities of the site is Wallflower (Erysimum cheiri), long since flowering at this point in time but otherwise living up to its name (see below). The walls also support Pink (Dianthus plumarius), again not flowering but nice to see.

Thorp Arch and Boston Spa

I had a productive day today working to increase the number of records for this VC64 hectad, in support of the Atlas 2020 project.

The top find for me had to be Pale Pink-sorrel (Oxalis incarnata), as I had not come across this before. A few plants of this introduced annual were found by the riverside path in Boston Spa.

Thorp Arch churchyard provided the yellow-flowered form of Gladdon or (rather unfairly) Stinking Iris (Iris foetidissima var. citrina)

Several locations provided Lesser Burdock (Arctium minus ssp. pubens). This subspecies is thought to be of hybrid origin and it is relatively widespread in VC64 despite the general absence of one of its putative parents -  Greater Burdock (Arctium lappa).

I then took a trip over to Thorp Arch Trading Estate where I knew there were some small relict areas of species-rich calcareous grassland. This proved well worth the trip with the grassland in peak bloom.

Some of the plants seen include Dark Mullein (Verbascum nigrum), Tutsan (Hypericum androsaemum) and Clustered Bellflower (Campanula glomerata).