Category: Trip report

Troutdale is a small valley on the east side of Borrowdale immediately south of Lodore Falls. It is part of Lodore-Troutdale SSSI but not part of the Borrowdale Woods NNR. Oak woodland on the valley sides has developed on block scree and crags of Borrowdale Volcanic rock, and includes humid north facing slopes as well as brighter east and west facing aspects. Recording will focus on NY2617 which has very few records  (9 bryos and 32 lichens) and adjacent monads.

(Taken from Kerry’s introduction to the site)

We met at the National Trust Bowderstone carpark on a chilly but, thankfully, mostly dry day. A brisk walk into the main monad containing the woodland warmed us up to start with. Kerry, the organiser, had told us about good lichens on an ash, seen on an earlier visit, so we headed to that grid ref first.

Two old ash a few metres apart on a bouldery NE-facing slope appeared pollarded, though it might have happened naturally by the upper part breaking off – one was quite ragged at the top. Kerry had reported Sticta and Peltigera horizontalis, growing on the first ash and on the rocks too. Indeed there was copious Sticta sylvatica, with young lobes also on the adjacent hawthorn and elm. This ash tree also had tiny flat orange apothecia which turned out to be Gyalecta truncigena when Chris looked at the specimen under the microscope – muriform spores with the right number of cells. The second ash had Peltigera praetextata and a sward of a tiny jelly lichen amongst bryophytes. We took a small specimen as it was too moist to see properly in situ, thinking it might be Scytinium  teretiusculum, but once dried out it was blue-grey not brown with no underlying lobes and had a photobiont other than Nostoc. It’s as yet unidentified but may be the rare Leptogidium dendriscum, not seen in Cumbria since 1988.

We crossed the beck where there were more ash trees and a couple of mature holly. Here the holly had lirellate crusts and some deep green areolate thalli with dark perithecia. Spores confirmed  Porina genus, followed by wrestling with involucrellum colour in water then KOH – was there purple or grey pigment? The eventual conclusion was that we had both P byssophila and P borreri. Hawthorn beside the beck had the only Xanthoria parietina and Physcia tenella that we saw during the visit.

The slope above was a struggle with vegetated scree and lots of brambles which drew blood. Here the trees were mostly oak and birch plus a few rowan. Most of the oak didn’t have much to be seen which was perplexing. Eventually we had Platismatia glauca on a blown down stick – in an oak wood this should be plentiful. Then a better oak had the first Thelotrema lepadinum (old woodland species) of the day, plus Micarea stipitata with pale white-pink stalked pycnidia over moss. Hypotrachyna taylorensis on a birch was nice to see.

The bryophyte people had been looking at the beck and Ryan had seen green Peltigera leucophlebia, with distinctive cephalodia (warts on the upper surface containing cyanobacteria which fix nitrogen). This is another indicator of at least some base richness. Nearby birch had lovely acid bark species – Megalaria pulverea (pale yellowish granules and dark apothecia with a pale rim, K+yellow), Mycoblastus caesius (scurfy thin thallus with soredia but bright in UV) and Hypotrachyna laevigata (a beautiful foliose lichen with pearly blue-grey lobes, distinct round axils and blobs of soredia only at lobe tips).

A final find in the dusk as we were heading back to the carpark was a lovely large patch of Baeomyces rufus on a rock. On closer examination we saw discoloured areas and some of the pink-brown stalked apothecia of the B rufus were blackened with possible pycnidia visible. This might be a lichenicolous fungus, a likely candidate being Arthrorhaphis grisea.

The day was bookended by two different lichen communities: Lobarion on two basic-barked old ash at the start in one part of the site and acidic bark lichens on old birch towards the end in another  location. Ash trees elsewhere in the wood didn’t show signs of having basic bark, perhaps influenced by differences in the geology (andesite volcanic rock) affecting soil and groundwater and therefore the pH of tree bark. Bands of calcite can also be found associated with these rocks. We’re constantly looking for reasons why the same tree species growing near one another can support different lichen communities.

There were lots of signs of deer presence – droppings, hoof prints, browsed shoots – and no regeneration seen apart from a few holly seedlings. We saw only one hazel which is unusual. The lichen list for the day was about 80 species and would be lots more with further exploration.

Troutdale is an interesting site which, as usual, would warrant another visit as we only saw a small part of the whole.

Text: Caz Walker
Photos: Caz Walker, Chris Cant, Keryry Milligan, Ryan Clark

After weeks of rain, all the lichens were soaking but we had a couple of dry hours at Thirlmere north of Launchy Gill before it got wet again. Our route passed through areas where the conifers had been felled and cleared. Quite a few of the remaining trees were blown over and the ground was steep and bouldery, with much moss and algae on the east-facing slopes and trees. So, the ground was rough underfoot and the habitat had changed considerably over years reducing the ecological continuity.

The Thirlmere reservoir was opened in 1894, damming the natural lake, a first supply of water for Manchester from the Lake District, majorly supplemented by Haweswater in the 20th century. It was accompanied by the planting of many conifers that dominate the lower slopes of the surrounding hills. However, we found several native tree species in our complete list of ash, beech, birch, hazel, larch, oak and spruce/pine species. Perhaps these were remnants of what was there before. There was regen of the beech and conifers.

In 2022/2023, Cumbria Woodlands did a project at Thirlmere to help restore ancient woodland sites to their former condition ie on Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS) sites, including beech thinning, rhododendron removal, deer management and removal of Western Hemlock. There is on-going wildlife monitoring and we may have been caught on a trail cam or two.

Our lichen species list so far has 69 species across two monads on bark, lignum and rocks. The geology was shown as andesite, a sometimes more basic rock, and there was very little Rhizocarpon geographicum. However we found no basic rock lichens such as jellies. There were very few Peltigera species. The small outcrops and boulders had some of the usual suspects including Baeomyces rufus. Pete found a lovely Cladonia caespiticia with mushroom-like fruit and a thallus that goes P+red. Nearby Helen fretted over a terricolous Cladonia that went P+orange but was too small to identify. Chris found a very soggy Micarea alabastrites on a birch whose white fruit were translucent in the wet, going C+red. Caz had Coniocarpon cinnabarinum on hazel.

As forecast, the rain started around lunchtime and we made our way back to the road. As Pete said: the lichens were swollen and were covered by a film of water, both sides of the hand lens were wet, the outside of his glasses were wet and the inside was steamed up.

There was a brief respite so we took the path below the road back to our starting point before heading home for an early bath.

Text: Chris Cant
Photos: Chris Cant

We met in a layby just north of Glenridding, and stepped into winter. Brrr! It was windy too. But a quick stroll along the road warmed us a little and then we were into the wood and the wind was forgotten. The bryo folk sped off upslope, leaving just us three lichenologists zig-zagging slowly uphill.

For some reason, there’s been relatively little recording of the lichens in Glencoyne Wood, despite it being close by the relatively well-known hotspots of Glencoyne Park, Aira Force and Yew Crag. Chris and Caz’s recce had included the northern side, overlooking the delightfully-named Seldom Seen. They had found Ricasolia virens, Pachyphiale carneola and Nephroma parile. So I was hoping for a bit of Lobarion. The thick-trunked old Oaks at the bottom of the slope looked promising.

Quickly, we found Thelotrema– the first I looked at had yellow under the apothecia and went red with K so I called it as T. lueckingii. There was lots of Thelotrema. Lots and lots. Other white splats on the mostly wet trunks included Pertusaria pertusa and P. hymenea. Foliose trunk species included Parmelia saxatilis and Melanelixia glabratula. The Hazels had some good thalli of Graphis scripta s. lat, and a Birch had Hypotrachyna laevigata. But mostly the trees were Oaks, thick-trunked Oaks with more Thelotrema than I could shake my stick at. But it wasn’t on all the oaks: on one “Thelotrema-free” tree we found- and discussed- the white pycnidia of Micarea stipitata. And were those apothecia?  

Caz had found Leptogium cyanescens in 2019 on the lowest outcrop.  Close examination found two other jelly lichens- Collema glebulentum and Scytinium lichenoides, but no cyanescens. Peltigera horizontalis was found just along the crag. We edged our way up and had lunch.

Higher up it felt a little drier, and a little lighter. Open areas had Cladonia portentosa and furcata growing on the mosses. The suggestion that we should measure Cladonia patches in Reindeer portions fell on stony ground. Sphaerophrous globosus started appearing on the rocks- and even the occasional tree. Some outcrops were really covered in coral!

The drier side of the Oaks began to have more Lecanactis abietina: the purpley-grey thallus has white-tipped pycnidia that go red with C. There was Chrysothrix candelaris too- yellow streaks that look like spray paint. A loud rush surprised me- dozens of Wood pigeons landed in the canopy nearby. Nuthatches called.

Higher still there was a rosette on the moss on the ground- Hypotrachyna taylorensis. Always an interesting species as it has no fruiting bodies or apparent asexual reproductive structures. It must spread by just having bits break off. This was a healthy looking patch but…where had it come from? We looked around suspiciously, but failed to find the source.

A last push up the slope gave lovely views along Ullswater. There was more Mycoblastus sanguinarius here, in places looking really red. There was Hypocenomyce scalaris and Parmeliopsis hyperopta– acid bark specialists- on the conifers. We found our first Pseudevernia furfuracea of the day too- this didn’t go red with C, so was var. furfuracea. In contrast to the lack of regeneration lower down there were prolific thickets of young Larch up here. Presumably they are not so palatable to the marauding Herdwicks that seem to call the wood home.

But it was getting darker. Our descent was quicker, if significantly more jolted by rocks and snagged by Brambles. There was more Peltigera horizontalis growing on an Ash- we’d not seen many of these- and then my favourite find of the day: Cetrelia olivetorum. I’d never bothered with trying to work out which of the subspecies of this I had found before… but Caz suggested shining UV onto it and there was a beautiful purply white edging to the lobes from the soredia. Cetrelia cetrarioides it is then. Sadly, it was far too late and dark to be fiddling about trying to take a photo.

So, it was a good day. We found some good things. Glencoyne wood is definitely interesting. We found no Xanthoria and just one Physcia. We got up to 9 on the Upland Rainforest Index score, all from just one line taken on one side of the wood. The more acid-bark loving species contrasted with what had been found before on the north-facing slope. Will this be to do with exposure to pollution, or tree make-up, or better moisture retention on one side? Or is it something else entirely? We’ll just have to come back for a second look and see what the evidence suggests.

Text: Pete Martin
Photos: Chris Cant, Pete Martin, Caz Walker

I know of three Cumbrian Borrowdales. The first, that we have visited repeatedly over the years, is justifiably famous for its lichens (as well as things like rain, tea bread, Yews and Gates). As for the second… well I’d never spent much time looking at its lichens, and neither had anyone else. So, on a day when rain was forecast to sweep in, six of us gathered at its Lune Gorge end to make a start on exploring them. The M6, just yards away, roared continually in the background.

It was a bit of a race against the rain. The eponymous Borrowdale Wood was dry underfoot, which it probably isn’t very often given the predominance of old Alder, with some Ash and Hazel. There was the occasional Holly higher up and the odd Birch, Rowan and Hawthorn. There’s some regeneration which was nice to see, though much of that was epicormic growth at the base.

We quickly got to grips with the common macrolichens for the day: Hypotrachyna revoluta and afrorevoluta, Parmelia sulcata, Ramalina farinacea, Punctelia subrudecta. There was Normandina pulchella aplenty and several of the lirellate species that used to all be lumped together as Graphis scripta. A number of the often-poorly-from-dieback Ashes had Peltigera horizontalis, which was nice to see, though there was more P. praetextata and membranacea as one might expect. There was Stenocybe pullatula on the Alders; the tiny little pin-like fruiting bodies of one of the non-lichenised fungi that are recorded traditionally by lichenologists. Its cousin, S. septata was on at least one of the older Hollies. There didn’t seem to be that much of interest on the Hazels, as they appeared very mossy, even though they are pretty old. We did find Thelotrema lepadinum on one though. And there was a nice example of Coenogonium luteum’s apricot apothecia on another.

There were things missing though. As in many Cumbrian woodlands, we only found the four commonest Southern Oceanic Woodland Index lichens (Thelotrema, P. horzontalis, S. septata and Anisomeridium ranunculosporum). There was nothing that appears on the Upland Rainforest Index, even though it’s a damp, mostly acid-barked ancient woodland. And there was no Usnea. There was some Xanthoria parietina, though less than we might have feared.

As we moved higher up through the wood we found more white splats of Pertusaria and Ochrolechia species. There were the multi-furrowed lirellae of Graphis elegans; the tiny conical and pointed pycnidia of Anisomeridium polypori. We stopped for lunch just below a low fence. The rain started.

We moved reasonably quickly (for us) downhill and over to the other side of the valley (but stayed in the same grid square). More widely spaced Oaks and Ashes provided the first Hypogymnia of the day, and a few more fairly common species. Less common were Normandina chlorococca (tiny black eyeball-like perithecia protruding from green squamules) on one of the Ashes and the tiny jelly lichen Scytinium subtile that eagle-eyed Caz found on another. Chris found a mouse in a tree.

We could see how little of the first woodland we had explored. Let alone further up the valley. And the wood on this north side looked tangled and steep. It was getting wetter… so we decided to call it a day early in the afternoon, but with the knowledge that there’s interesting stuff here, even if there are still strange absences. Is that to do with pollution from the traffic heading up and down the Lune Gorge? The steam trains of yesteryear? Will there be Usnea higher up? We’ll have to come back for another look. And maybe I’ll go and have a look at the third Cumbrian Borrowdale sometime soon too…

Text: Pete Martin
Photos: Chris Cant and Pete Martin

Our September trip was to Glasson Moss with the aim of enjoying some sphagnum practice at one of the best examples of a lowland raised bog in Cumbria (and perhaps all of England!). Three group members (Josie, Ryan and Clare) were joined by the West Cumbria Rivers Trust (WCRT) and their cohort of new apprentices, who, not three days into their roles, were met with the challenging task of distinguishing one sphagnum species from another.

We started by reviewing the 7 sphagnum sections (or 6, depending on whether you take out Spaghnum tenellum into its own group or not!) and understanding the key characteristics that are diagnostic for identification. We examined the sizes of cortexes, fascicle numbers, and stem leaf shapes, and discussed the role of colour and habitat for clues towards what species might be present in areas of different water influences. Autumn is the best time of year to visit bog sites; the sphagnum colours are their strongest, and this really could be seen in the vibrant deep red of Sphagnum medium, a key indicator for healthy ombrotrophic (rain-fed) sites. Many sphagnum samples can only be truly confirmed under a microscope, so going to a site like Glasson with well-known species lists and grid references was a great way to discuss field characteristics of rarer species such as Sphagnum pulcrum and Sphagnum fuscum.

We headed into the wet woodland towards the north of the site, providing both a rain-sheltered lunch spot and some species diversity for recording practice. Here, the apprentices were introduced to epiphytes (both of the vascular and non-vascular variety)  with some nice patches of Metzgeria violacea and Radula complanata. We were also able to compare some large versions of Sphagnum palustre and Sphagnum squarrosum to really get an idea of leaf shape and form, comparing the hooded-tips to squarrose leaves.

After lunch, the apprentices went their own way to have a quick identification practice while we went further out onto the bog to look for some of the rarer species. We managed to find some mounds of brownish Sphagnum and spent some time discussing whether it was really S. fuscum or just a brownish example of S. capillifolium. On microscopical examination later it did prove to be S. fuscum. We also found a small patch of the very rare Dicranum undulatum, and some Sphagnum patches that had lots of tiny liverworts growing through. As well as the common Calypogeia fissa and Cephalozia connivens, we were pleased to confirm Calypogeia sphagnicola (with mainly unsegmented oil bodies, compared to multiple-segmented in C. fissa) in the first find at this site for more than 50 years, and Cephalozia macrostachys, with small cells and very distinctive yellow cell walls in stem cross-sections. This species was also last recorded here in the 1950s. Also quite common across the bog, growing on Sphagnum, were Odontoschisma Sphagni and Kurzia pauciflora, including some lovely fertile examples with very ciliate perianths as well as male shoots. In one area there were healthy patches of Mylia anomala growing through the sphagnum.

As well as these interesting liverworts, we were able to confirm Sphagnum capillifolium, S. compactum,S.  cuspidatum, S. fimbriatum, S. fuscum, S. medium, S. palustre, S. papillosum, S. pulchrum, S. rubellum, S. squarrosum, S. subnitens and S. tenellum.

This trip to Glasson provided a great opportunity for the group to work alongside the WCRT and upskill some new ecologists, as well as refreshing some quite rusty sphagnum knowledge among the regular team! Thanks to all those that attended.

Text and photos: Josie Niemira and Clare Shaw

Over the years, we have developed a seasonal regime for our outings: woodlands in the winter and more open country in the summer. There was understandable discussion when Keskadale became the location for our August trip: would head-high bracken, voracious biting insects and spiky, malevolent gorse impede our access? And then there was the steepness of the ground…

Keskadale wood in the Newlands Valley is the most famous of the Lake District’s high altitude oakwoods. Francis Rose, in his report on Lake District woodlands from the early 1970s, said that  “although of great ecological interest as an example of a high altitude oak wood it is not very interesting for its epiphytic lichen flora, probably because it is 1) too dry and exposed and 2) appears to be regenerated coppice.” He recorded 33 epiphytic lichen species. Since then, a number of other visits have been made by lichenologists, bringing the total recorded for the square to 73 species. Could we add to it?

We (four lichen folk) met at the Little Town car park, just managing to squeeze in on a busy August Saturday that was destined to be hot. The walk in led past an ash pollard boasting Ricasolia virens and Nephroma laevigatum. It had been reported to us previously, but I’d not actually taken note of where it was! Still, it’s always nice to make virens go green by splashing it with water.

After being briefly further detained by a spreading elm tree, we crossed the Newlands Road and tackled the hill. It was steep and slow going, but not as bad as feared. There were ways through the gorse and I don’t remember bracken at all. In not-too-long a time we were up at the bottom of the woods: stunted oak trees with no shrub layer at all. We quickly compiled a list of common species whilst getting our breath back, and then moved upslope. Given the weather, it felt more like a Pyrenean wood than north-west England.   

Some features quickly became apparent. Firstly, almost all the tree are oaks. Ok, I found a rowan and saw a birch some way-off, but apart from that it was all oaks. All day. The trees are small, multi-stemmed (from coppicing or browsing?) and twisted. Secondly, there isn’t that much lichen.  But there’s some. Ochrolechia androgyna was on many stems, usually on the downslope bases of trunks. Sometimes it was fertile. Decorticated dead branches often had Platismatia glauca and Usnea subfloridana. There was nothing to indicate any basic influence on the bark. But there was also nothing to suggest any serious nitrogen pollution: we didn’t record any Physcia or Xanthoria in the wood at all!

Advancing up slope we gradually began to record small amounts of more interesting species: Mycoblastus sanguinarius on a few trees; Megalaria pulverea, Loxospora elatina, Trapelia corticola. Caz pointed out Lepraria rigidula with hyphae projecting at right angles. All are indicators of acid bark. But it wasn’t until we were higher up still (and refreshed by lunch) that we found the expected Ochrolechia tartarea and Sphaerophorus globosus (both on rock). There were signs of sheep and deer presence within the now-fenced woodland, but towards the top there was a greater growth of sprouts from the base of the oaks; a smattering of regenerating oak seedlings and a heather understorey. I don’t remember this from a previous visit long ago before the fencing. So maybe there is now more regeneration…

Eventually we reached the top of the wood and ventured onto the hot dry slopes overlooking the oaks. It’s a rare feeling in the Lakes to stand above an almost natural tree-line, even if it’s a false sort of feeling. Keskadale wood felt quite extensive- stretching down the fellside, across to the gill.

We didn’t linger long above the trees, but after making a bit of a list of saxicolous species plunged down. It was- again- surprisingly easy going. Or maybe I’m out of practice at moaning about steep descents. Our goal was to refind a tree with Bryoria fuscescens that Caz had located some years ago. And what do you know- we did! Though there wasn’t much of it, just a few scraps. A little further on, where a bough had come down from the canopy, an out-of-the-ordinary Usnea caught our attention. Considered thinking later on made us realise it was Usnea fragilescens,  a rarity in Lakeland, but a species that had been recorded from here before.

And then it was the walk out, dreaming of ice cream on a late summer afternoon. Back at base,  samples revealed the rare in Cumbria Micarea lignaria var endoleuca (with a C+ persistent orange reaction) and some tiny nitrophilous crusts such as  Myriolecis hagenii. There’s also an interesting “Caloplaca” that’s too large for what is now Athallia cerinella.  The current total stands at 72 species for the wood for the day- eerily close to the 73 previously recorded. Some of those are new to the square though, and the western end of the wood near Ill Gill could probably do with a visit on another occasion…

Text: Pete Martin
Photos: Caz Walker, Chris Cant, Pete Martin

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 the 1700s but turned to baryte production in the 1890s. Some exploratory work was carried out during WWI and in recent times the spoil heaps were reworked in the 1970s and 1980s, ie not much disturbance from mining in the last few decades so some of the spoil heaps are slowly vegetating over with low-growing plants and moss. However there were signs of digging, probably to use the spoil as gravel for track surfacing etc.

The site is part of the Appleby Fells SSSI which covers most of the north Pennines. It is designated mainly for habitat, eg limestone grassland, and associated plants and birds, although the geology too gets a mention. Specialist mine spoil habitats are not included.

We were aiming to reach the upper mined area, at about 550m, in monad NY7127. It’s over 4km (2.5miles) up hill from Dufton to this point on a good track all the way. Once into the monad there’s a good range of limestone and gritstone boulders and outcrops above Great Rundale Beck, as well as lots of mixed mine spoil. We stopped here near a lime kiln for a while and saw most of the species found on our earlier recce – assorted jelly lichens such as Lathagrium cristatum and L auriforme, Solorina saccata and Secoliga jenensis. Also here was Trapelia coarctata on a tiny slate pebble plus a new find: Nationally Rare Sagiolechia protuberans on limestone, showing a few black apothecia with exploded star-shaped margins.

We carried on up the track to an area of gentler slopes of gravelly spoil where the rare lichen Peltigera venosa was found back in January. It was still there though many of the tiny thalli were blackened and dying – was this to do with the drought a month or two back? As we carried on uphill it was seen in several further spots so still enough of it around. On the higher spoil heaps were mounds of terricolous species looking much more exuberant than usual – Cetraria islandica, C aculeata, Dibaeis baeomyces and Cladonia rangiformis, amongst others. Was their size and abundance due to the lack of competition, access to minerals plus hydration where the ground was boggier ?

John Douglass spent most of the time looking for Rhizocarpon species for an ongoing project, but took the time to point out a candidate for Cladonia borealis, a rare member of the red-fruited Cladonia coccifera group. It has a bare corticated podetium and shallow cup containing flattened granules.

Other finds included Baeomyces placophyllus, another terricolous species associated with metal-rich sites, and Trapelia placodioides on an outcrop which showed a vivid C+red reaction.

The limestone influence even in the spoil heaps was very obvious with calcareous flora around – thyme and mossy saxifrage were flowering and several tiny moonwort ferns became apparent because we had our faces pressed to the ground. Chris also found a nice horn stalk-ball fungus growing on the keratin of a sheep skull.

Before our visits this year there were no lichen records so it’s been rewarding to fill in some blanks on the map for this interesting upland site. There’s plenty more ground to look at too, so as usual we may have to go back…

Text: Caz Walker
Photos: Chris Cant, Caz Walker