Category: Trip report

It was great to welcome a number of new faces amongst the dozen bryologists who assembled in the ample parking area, ready for the fray. The group’s chosen modus operandi, holding field visits which fall on various days of the week including Sundays, is clearly working, allowing people the option to attend when it suits. It surely also helped that Sunday’s forecast was reasonable, and improving, as the day progressed. In truth, the weather was superb for February, everyone enjoying the sunshine, the extensive views from the top of the scarp, and of course the chance to look at mosses without rain!

Whitbarrow is a limestone scar – essentially, the compressed remains of uncounted billions of sea creatures from 350 million years ago, which died and sank to the bottom of the shallow tropical sea, their skeletons of white calcium carbonate slowly turning into Carboniferous Limestone. The tectonic plate drifted from the tropics, to a higher latitude, was uplifted, and now the Scar stands a “mighty” 210m (at highest point) above sea-level, here in Cumbria. Given that it sit on a coastal plain, its modest height nevertheless gives Whitbarrow superb views, both out across the bay, and inland to the higher, more acid hills of the central lakes.

The limestone creates habitats and bryophyte communities which are quite uncommon in Cumbria (have a look at a geological map – there’s not many places where limestone exposures exist). Bryophytes, just like lichens, are sensitive to underlying pH, so the alkaline conditions created on limestone allow a suite of liverwort and moss specialist “calcicoles” to evolve. (Calci = calcium, –colere = “inhabit”, so “things which inhabit calcium-rich areas”). Although soils and seepage water derived from limestone are indeed strongly alkaline, the situation is complicated by the presence of loess (wind deposited sediments) and the development of humus-rich soils in pockets on the limestone, which over time become leached by the glorious Cumbrian rain, and so can become really rather acid in pH. Pockets of acid soil, in a predominantly alkaline habitat, means that the bryophyte communities are rich and varied, and create mosaics where calcicolous and acidophile species can sit side by side. A case in point? We came across two Riccia species, neither of which are all that commonly recorded in Cumbria. Riccias are a group of small liverworts which are colonists of bare, wet, mud – they pack their life cycle into a short time (whilst the mud is wet) and exist as spores in the long dry spells. Riccia beyrichiana grows on acid soils, whereas Riccia sorocarpa is a calcicole. They were two metres apart.

The main objective for the day was to record on Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s Hervey Reserve which includes Lords Seat, the highest point on the scar. Despite being a National Nature Reserve, Site of Special Scientific Interest and Special Area of Conservation, there are several monads on Whitbarrow with surprisingly few records. We climbed the steep path through the wood trying to resist the urge to stop and look at the abundant mosses and liverworts present as this was outside the target square. Once over the stile and into SD4486, the pace slowed as the mosaic of limestone grassland, woodland, and broken rock and scree of the Park Limestone were closely examined. The calcicoles Ctenidium molluscum, Neckera crispa and Tortella tortuosa were conspicuous at almost every stop, and there were fine patches of Flexitrichum (formerly Ditrichum) gracile in places. Closer inspection of some of the Tortella revealed the presence of the uncommon Tortella densa. Acidophiles such as Hylocomium splendens, Hypnum jutlandicum and Polytrichum formosum, and more generalist species such as Thuidium tamariscinum, Pseudoscleropodium purum and Dicranum scoparium were also frequent in the grassland. Close inspection of the ant-hills revealed the identities of numerous small acrocarps (unbranched mosses) including Bryum dichotomum with bulbils visible on the shoot tips, Weissia controversa with abundant capsules, and Barbula convoluta.

After lunch just below Lord’s Seat, we dropped down the dip slope and onto the Urswick Limestone with its distinctive pavements. Here Clare found Rhytidium rugosum growing with (and looking very like) Hypnum cupressiforme var lacunosum (formerly Hypnum lacunosum), and soon we were spotting it everywhere! Rob found Marchantia (formerly Preissia) quadrata growing on the low cliffs, and we also found Tortella nitida here, helpfully growing with T densa and T tortuosa for comparison.  Argles Tarn was an obvious place to visit as a ‘bonus habitat’. The relatively uncommon Campyliadelphus elodes had previously been recorded here and we may have found a small amount growing on pavement near the tarn margin, but this is still to be confirmed. Calliergonella cuspidata and Scorpidium cossonii were also found here. The developing Hazel woodland around the tarn proved to be of interest too, with numerous “corticolous” (on wood) species including the liverworts Myriocoleopsis (formerly Cololejeunia) minutissima, Radula complanata, Metzgeria violacea and Ricardia palmata. On our way back, Campylopus fragilis and Encalypta streptocarpa were added to the list, which at the time of writing stands at 77 species for SD4486.

Report by Gary Lawrence and Kerry Milligan

Photos by Paul Ross (PR), Clare Shaw (CS), Peter Bullard (PB) Gary Lawrence (GL) and Kerry Milligan (KM)

The weather forecast for 10 December was for non-stop double rain all day, so it was a small and determined group that met at Swindale, three of us looking at bryophytes (Ian, Kerry and Clare) and Caz and Chris looking for lichens. We headed up the valley along the road, wading at times through deep puddles, to reach the bridge by the stepping stones over Swindale Beck. then followed the path to Gouthercrag Gill.

The first stop was by the bridge over the gill. There were many Racomitrium species on rocks near the water, including R. aciculare by the water’s edge, R. lanuginosum, R. heterostichum and R. fasciculare (both checked microscopically); also Polytrichum piliferum and a small cushion of Grimmia donniana with a single capsule. Some good mossy boulders had Barbilophozia attenuata and a small patch of Lophozia sudetica, tentatively identified by the red back to the stem and bilobed leaves. Later, under the dissecting microscope, some nice red perianths were found. A few yards from the beck, a rock face with water running down it had a good range of tufa moss: Amphidium mougeotii, Gymnostomum aeruginosum and Anoectangium aestivum, as well as Palustriella commutata, Conocephalum salebrosum, Preissia quadrata and Fissidens taxifolius. There were healthy patches of Loeskeobryum brevirostre by the beck, and a small amount of Fontinalis antipyretica at the edge of the water.

We headed away from the beck, past flushes where Dichodontium palustre was growing with Philonotis fontana and small amounts of Sphagnum auriculatum and S. inundatum. Scrambling up a slope that proved to be a stable boulder field, we found large amounts of Barbilophozia floerkei. In this promising habitat we hoped to find more Atlantic species such as Anastrepta orcadensis, but the Barbilophozia was predominant. Some of the boulders had large quantities of Gymnomitrion obtusum and some Andreaea rupestris, whilst low crags had cushions of Bartramia pommiformis. At the top of the boulder field, Gouther Crag provided some shelter so we stopped for lunch and a welcome hot drink under a hawthorn which occasionally showered us with drips. Although the crags themselves were dry and largely unpromising, we found some different species on boulders below, including Plagiomnium affine, Plagiothecium denticulatum var. denticulatum, Ptilidium ciliare and a small, narrow-leaved Polytrichum that turned out to be Polytrichastum alpinum. The weather had been showery rather than the unremitting heavy rain that the forecast suggested, but it was still starting to soak into the ends of sleeves and it was a bit on the chilly side to be sitting, so we decided to descend the slope and walk briskly up the valley to look at some hazel woodland. On the way down we passed a large cushion of Tortella tortuosa and an enormous colony of Gymnomitrion obtusum. The hazel woodland produced a few more species including Ulota bruchii, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus and Frullania tamarisci. It was encouraging to see that the hazels all had abundant young stems as well as older wood. Unfortunately by this stage the rain seemed to be getting heavier and we were getting colder, so we decided to head back. It was a lovely site, quiet and unspoilt, and would definitely be worth revisiting in better weather, perhaps exploring further up the valley and some of the other crags. There was enough variety here to suggest it might warrant further exploration.

Text and photos: Clare Shaw and Kerry Milligan

On the day before the trip date, the weather was appalling, with strong winds and relentless heavy rain, and the weather forecast was not amazing, so we set off for the day with some trepidation to see how the weather would evolve. There was a lot of standing water on the roads, with quite long stretches of the Burton road submerged, but two of us arrived safely at the meeting point on the A5084, near the small road to Stable Harvey (SD 28934 91049). There was a surprisingly good turnout, with eight people in the bryophyte group.

With the benefit of local knowledge from Rob, we decided to have a quick look at the quarry where some of us were parked. It was indeed a good site and the bare quarry floor was almost entirely carpeted in bryophytes, including Philonotis fontana, small amounts of Dichodontium palustre, Didymodon insulanis, Campylium stellatum, Cratoneuron filicinum, Calliergonella cuspidata and quite a surprising amount of Palustriella commutata (not as regularly pinnate as you would normally expect, but showing all the other features – plentiful rhizoids and paraphylla, curved leaves etc.). We had two beginner bryologists joining the group for the first time, so this was a good opportunity for teaching / revising some common species. The walls of the quarry also had quite a good variety of species: large quantities of Kindbergia praelonga in one corner, also Schistidium crassipilum and some small cushions of fruiting Ptychomitrium polyphyllum. At the far entrance there was further evidence of base-rich substrate, with Tortella tortuosa and Ctenidium molluscum. It was nice to see a good cushion of the tufa moss Gymnostomum aeruginosum, as well as Ptilidium ciliare and a small patch of Scapania compacta.

After a good explore of this area we thought it was time to head for the mires on Blawith common. We splashed up the Stable Harvey road, stopping to admire some lovely patches of the lichen Pannaria conoplea on an old ash (see lichen report!). The lower stretches of the road pass through open woodland with birch and some old ash and oak. Spotting a waterfall just off the road, we headed off to explore. The waterfall had Chionoloma tenuirostre, Metzgeria conjugata and a few nice cushions of Amphidium mougeotii (another tufa moss), but sadly no Jubula hutchinsiae, which has however been recorded in this tetrad. A veteran oak overhanging a rock face had a big cushion of prolifically fruiting Leucobryum at its foot – the capsules (with a white calyptra and distinctive but small bump at the base) pointed to L. glaucum as L. juniperoideum is more rarely seen fruiting and the capsules are slightly different. A sample was examined in case it was L. albidum, but it was confirmed by Tom Blockeel as L. glaucum. Hanging off the rock face, on a mat of decaying vegetative matter, was a small amount of Lophozia incisa. There was also some nice, gemmiferous Lophozia ventricosa on a tree root, Gymocolea inflata on a rock and a potential Rhytidiadelphus subpinnatus. We had lunch near the waterfall, then headed back to the road under a grey sky and light drizzle. Some flat rocks near the road had Polytrichum pilliferum, Racomitrium lanuginosum and Pogonatum urnigerum with Bryum alpinum and Breutelia chrysocoma in seepages. By the road edge there was some gold-tinted Sphagnum inundatum.

A little way up the road, we finally reached the mire, which at first was rather poor, mainly Molinia and Myrica gale with only small amounts of Sphagnum beneath. We collected a couple of Sphagnum species, then headed across the road to a better site, where there were cushions of Polytrichum strictum and Aulocomium palustre, as well as several Sphagnums: S. capillifolium subsp. capillifolium, S. auriculatum, S. fallax, S. inundatum, S. palustre, S. papillosum and S. russowii. There were patches of Odontoschisma Sphagni and one patch of Mylia anomala, with only a few shoots showing clusters of gemmae after the heavy rain. Straminergon stramineum was poking its head out of some of the mounds. A small escarpment of rocks above the mire had Andreaea rothii and Ptilidium ciliare.

A cold wind was starting to blow, so we decided to beat a retreat. It was an enjoyable day, and undoubtedly far better than any of us had been expecting.

Text and photos: Clare Shaw

For a change the sun was shining and the winds light for our October meeting at High Wallowbarrow Farm near Seathwaite in the Duddon Valley. The farm is unusual in having large areas of ancient semi-natural woodland, most of which lies within the Duddon Valley Woodlands Site of Special Scientific Interest. Whilst bryophytes have been quite well recorded in parts of the SSSI, other areas appear to have been little visited; monad SD2196 immediately west of the farmhouse  has records for only three species, whilst the adjacent monad (SD2296) has a list of 189 species. We decided to focus the morning’s efforts in SD2196 and visit the spectacular Wallowbarrow Gorge in SD2296 in the afternoon.

After a brief introduction, we made our way to Wallowbarrow Coppice, an area of upland oakwood on a steep west facing slope with frequent birch and hazel. An abundance of common mosses such as Thuidium tamariscinum, Isothecium myosuroides, Rhytidiadelphus loreus and Polytrichum formosum covered the woodland floor, rocks and tree bases, with the liverworts Scapania nemorea, Scapania gracilis, Diplophyllum albicans also abundant. More unusual species included Rhabdoweisia crenulata, Orthocaulis (Barbilophozia) atlantica, Tritomaria exsectiformis, and Scapania umbrosa. A quick foray into a small mire above the wood added several Sphagna including Sphagnum papillosum and S rubellum, together with Polytricum strictum and Aulocomium palustre. An unusual Racomitrium on rocks nearby was later confirmed as R obtusum. This was formerly considered a variety or subspecies of R. heterostichum and there are as yet very few records of it in Cumbria, although it is likely to be quite widespread. Whilst we did not re-find Syzigiella (Jamesoniella) autumnalis, Grimmia ramondii or Ptychomitrium polyphyllum which had previously been found in SD2196, 62 new species were recorded. We could probably have spent the whole day in this monad and identified a lot more, but after lunch we headed into SD2296 to visit Crag End Wood and Wallowbarrow Gorge. Quickly ticking off many of the common bryophytes already encountered in the morning, we soon found some new species including Diphyscum foliosum and Hyocomium armoricum on the river banks, Sciuro-hypnum plumosum and Marsupella aquatica on rocks in the river, Amphidium mougeotii and Saccogyna viticulosa on crags, and Dicranodontium denudatum on dead wood. Towards the end of the day, the rain came in and we retreated. In total 83 bryophytes were recorded across the two monads. Thanks to Chris at High Wallowbarrow Farm for access and to everyone who participated in what was a very enjoyable day.

Text: Kerry Milligan. Photos: Kerry Milligan, Clare Shaw, Paul Ross.

As with any bryology outing, it’s easy to get distracted by the surroundings of the car park. Some awkward road closures and traffic spread out arrivals, so a brief look around Pendragon castle yielded a light green Zygodon growing on an old ash – Zygodon rupestris perhaps? Alas, the longitudinal cell walls on its gemmae confirmed it as the more-common Zygodon viridissimus.

Once all three bryologists were present, we set off for the Mallerstang crags aiming to focus our efforts on grid square NY7902 which curiously lacked any bryophyte records. After confirming the presence of Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus ambitiously (presumptively?) identified by Judith from 800m away in the car park, we found a typical assembly of upland acid grassland mosses and the first few of what would be a good day for Sphagnum – Sphagnum capillifolium, S. subnitens and S. russowii.

Our first liverwort of the day was Tritomaria quinquedentata growing among wefts of Pleurozium and Pseudoscleropodium, quickly followed by Ptilidium ciliare, Orthocaulis attenuatus and a larger gemmiferous Orthocaulis (confirmed later as O. atlanticus) on the grassy margins of exposed rocks. The shaded bases of the larger rocks were occupied by Diplophyllum albicans, Scapania gracilis and the occasional large stand of a Cephalozia, later confirmed by Kerry to be C. bicuspidata.

As we advanced further towards the crags, we crossed several rush-dominated flushes, adding six more sphagna to our list – S. squarrosum, S. auriculatum, S. palustre, S. fallax, S. angustifolium and S. teres. We also added Polytrichum commune whose family was well represented on the day, including P. piliferum, P. strictum, P. formosum, Polytrichastrum alpinum, Pogonatum urnigerum and P. aloides.

We passed a few more damp patches adding Sphagnum papillosum and S. rubellum to our list, and our arrival at the crags was further delayed by a stream with typical riparian bryophytes – Brachythecium plumosum, Racomitrium aciculare, R. aquaticum, Scapania undulata and a Pellia species. The flushed edges boasted Philonotis fontana and Dichodontium pellucidum with scattered patches of Riccardia chamaedryfolia.

It was after 2pm when we reached the crags where we pondered a slender Campylium, later identified as C. portensum with leaves <2mm long, large alar patches and abruptly tapering leaves. The flushed crags were adorned with flows of the usual suspects – Philonotis fontana, Amphidium mougeotii, Palustriella commutata and Breutelia chrysocoma. The diversity expanded with Pohlia wahlenbergii, Bryum julaceum, Aneura pinguis, Pellia endiviifolia with ample branchlets, Blindia acuta, Jungermannia atrovirens, Hookeria lucens and Gymnostomum aeruginosum.

Our journey back to the carpark included a brief stop around some boulders with Calypogeia arguta, Schistidium crassipilum and Orthotrichum diaphanum joining our list. Further down, a quick look around a streamside limestone exposure yielded little more of interest but hiding in turf overhang was Sphagnum girgensohnii, our twelfth and final Sphagnum of the day.

Text and photos: Paul Ross