The Cumbria Lichen and Bryophyte group is a self-study group for everyone interested in learning, recording, conserving or simply enjoying Cumbria’s lichens and bryophytes (regardless of experience) .
Please join us on a field trip and share your experiences with us on the Cumbria Lichens and Cumbria Bryophytes Facebook groups.
Here are our most recent blog posts:
- Dufton lichen report 15 June 2025
As part of the North Pennine ore fields, the geology of the western slopes of Dufton Fell is interesting – mineral-rich veins intruded into sedimentary layers (limestone, sandstone, shale, coal), all exposed in an upland valley. The Whin Sill (quartz-dolerite) is nearby and a few boulders of that were seen. Mining for lead started in… Read more: Dufton lichen report 15 June 2025 - Watendlath lichen report 22 May 2025
Weather; sunny spells, scattered clouds, NNW wind gusts 13mph, 14 degrees. Now a week on, from our lovely day hunting Lichens in another Lakeland location; we were a small focused group, Caz, Chris, John, Helen, Paul and me. How fortunate we were with the weather, it’s heavy rain here in the Dales, but much needed.… Read more: Watendlath lichen report 22 May 2025 - Hardknott lichen report 26 April 2025
Hardknott Forest is near the head of the Duddon Valley, reached by some of us on the winding road over Wrynose Pass. The coniferous forest is slowly being felled and the area is now being restored to broadleaf woodland, peatbogs and heath by the Restoring Hardknott Forest project team who kindly welcomed us. We visited… Read more: Hardknott lichen report 26 April 2025 - Tilberthwaite Lichen Report 6 March 2025
Cards on the table. Tilberthwaite is one of my favourite areas of the Lakes. The gnarly landscape has woods and rocks and old mines and becks and a gorge and quarries and vernacular architecture. There’s access to the Coniston Fells and it’s never as busy as Coniston itself, or nearby Langdale. On past wanderings I’ve… Read more: Tilberthwaite Lichen Report 6 March 2025 - Lichens with students in Carlisle
For the last few years we’ve done a lichen morning with students on the University of Cumbria’s Wildlife and Media course in Carlisle. This usually involves a walk from the Brampton Road Campus along Tarraby Lane to Hadrian’s Wood, where there’s a lot of common lichens growing on the trees. We also look at lichens… Read more: Lichens with students in Carlisle