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(Species lists below)

11 members met at this slightly out-of-the-way farm in the Howardian Hills, including two new members whom we were delighted to welcome (and one intrepid member who had walked to the rendezvous from Slingsby!). We were welcomed by Susan Bragg, the new project officer for the AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), who introduced the area to us, and also gave us a bit of history on the development of the AONB. We then set off for what she thought would be about a 4-hour walk, but she hadn't reckoned with the botanists who kept finding interesting plants and dropping behind! We logged over 160 species, many of them in flower; and this is an underestimate of those present as we did not identify most of the grasses, nor all the sedges we saw. So this is clearly a very rich area, partly because of the variety of habitats, including sandy fields, wetland, woodland and some more base-rich areas.

We started our walk at the farmhouse and went across farmland including several fields with “free range” pigs. It was wonderful to see the animals outside, enjoying the open air and mudbaths, but apparently the unit is not economic in the present mad world and may have to close. This part of the farm is on very sandy, quite acid soils, which meant a wide variety of weeds I was less familiar with since I live on neutral, even limy soil. The corn sow-thistles in particular were making a fine show, and there were more unusual plants such as corn spurrey. Several areas were presumably set-aside and had a magnificent growth of “weeds”, mostly redleg and the closely-related pale persicaria, together with such flowers as speedwell and pineapple-weed along the edge of the track. I have never seen such large and healthy-looking field pansies, which suggests that the soil had been well fertilised.

The track then led up through woodland, with a suite of typical woodland species such as yellow pimpernel, with water-pepper in the damp ruts of the path, wood sage and brambles. The find of the day was wood vetch (Vicia sylvatica), which we found in two separate patches; unfortunately it had almost finished flowering, so we did not see the very beautiful purple-veined flowers at their best. At the top of the wood we crossed the “Entrenchment” marked on the OS map, probably an Iron Age defensive bank, that runs all along the crest of this ridge above the Vale of Pickering. We had our lunch at the top of Fryton Lane. Here we were on limestone, and the flora changed to reflect this, with such lime-loving species as quaking grass, field scabious and salad burnet. We made a brief diversion down the lane to see the Millennium seat and artwork which had been placed by the people of Fryton with support from the AONB. The next phase of the walk was down through the wood to Hollin Hill Bogs, a very interesting area of wetland in the valley bottom (on the Oxford Clay). This was quite a mosaic of different habitats, including a zone of prehistoric-looking sedges in alder carr. The tussock sedge (Carex paniculata) was particularly impressive, growing on a plinth of its own dead leaves. Many of the plants in this area, especially the wetter parts, had finished flowering. It would be most interesting to re-visit the area earlier in the year, when such species as valerian and the sedges would be in flower. We did not spend as long here as some of the botanists would have liked – but quite long enough for the local midges to find us!

We then skirted the wetland and noted the plants in the damp meadows. Sue discussed some of the issues involved in the conservation of such habitats, pointing out that there were often hard choices to be made, and also reminding us that much of what we consider to be “natural” is in fact man-made. Much of what she said was thought-provoking, and made a fitting end to a most interesting trip. Michael Bliss thanked her on behalf of all those present for showing us much of interest. We saw many new things and learned a lot, even though we were close to home. Finally we made our way back up through an area of dry grassland to the farm. Here there were more lime-loving species, including musk thistles which attracted several butterflies.

I was quite surprised to find we had logged over 160 plants, reflecting the varied habitats on this trip. I have split them into flowers, trees, shrubs, ferns, rushes, grasses and sedges (and one horsetail). We also recorded 17 birds and a variety of other wildlife.

Flowers

Latin name Common name Achillea millefolium Yarrow Agrimonia eupatoria Agrimony, common Ajuga reptans Bugle Alchemilla vulgaris agg. Lady's mantle Angelica sylvestris Angelica Arctium minus Burdock Artemesia vulgaris Mugwort Atriplex patula Orache Campanula latifolia Bellflower, greater Campanula rotundifolia Harebell Capsella bursa-pastoris Shepherds purse Cardamine flexuosa Bittercress, wavy Carduus crispus Thistle, welted Carduus nutans Thistle, musk Centaurea nigra Knapweed, common Centaurium erythraea Centaury Cerastium fontanum Mouse ear, common Chamaenerion angustifolium Willowherb, rosebay or Fireweed Chenopodium rubrum Red goosefoot Chrysosplenium oppositifolium Golden saxifrage, opposite leaved Circaea lutetiana Enchanters nightshade Cirsium arvense Thistle, creeping Cirsium palustre Thistle, marsh Cirsium vulgare Thistle, spear Crepis capillaris Hawksbeard, smooth Cruciata laevipes Crosswort Epilobium hirsutum Willowherb, great Epilobium montanum Willowherb, broad leaved Erodium cicutarium Storksbill Euphrasia officinalis agg. Eyebright Fallopia convolvulus Bindweed, black Filipendula ulmaria Meadowsweet Galeopsis tetrahit Hempnettle, common Galium aparine Cleavers Galium verum Bedstraw, ladys Geranium molle Cranesbill, dovesfoot Geranium pratense Cranesbill, meadow Geranium robertianum Herb robert Geum urbanum Avens, wood Glechoma hederacea Ground ivy Gnaphalium uliginosum Cudweed, marsh Heracleum sphondylium Hogweed Hieracium species Hawkweed Hyacinthoides non-scripta Bluebell Hypericum perforatum St Johnswort, perforate Hypericum tetrapterum St Johnswort, square stalked Hypochaeris radicata Catsear Impatiens glandulifera Balsam, Himalayan Knautia arvensis Scabious, field Lamium purpureum Deadnettle, red Lapsana communis Nipplewort Lathyrus pratensis Meadow vetchling Leontodon autumnalis Hawkbit, autumn Leontodon hispidus Hawkbit, rough Linum catharticum Flax, fairy Lonicera periclymenum Honeysuckle Lotus corniculatus Birdsfoot trefoil, common Lotus pedunculatus Birdsfoot trefoil, greater Lysimachia nemorum Yellow pimpernel Matricaria discoidea Pineapple weed Matricaria recutita Mayweed, scented Medicago lupulina Medick, black Mentha aquatica Mint, water Mentha arvensis Mint, corn Mercurialis perennis Dogs mercury Myosotis arvensis Forgetmenot, field Odontites verna Red bartsia Oxalis acetosella Wood sorrel Papaver rhoeas Poppy, common Persicaria hydropiper Water pepper Persicaria lapathifolia Pale persicaria Persicaria maculosa Redshank Pilosella officinarum Hawkweed, mouse eared Plantago lancelata Plantain, ribwort Plantago major Plantain, greater Polygonum aviculare Knotgrass Potentilla anserina Silverweed Potentilla erecta Tormentil Potentilla reptans Cinquefoil, creeping Prunella vulgaris Self heal Ranunculus repens Buttercup, creeping Raphanus raphanistrum Radish, wild Rubus fruticosus Bramble Rubus idaeus Raspberry Rumex acetosa Sorrel, common Rumex acetosella Sorrel, sheeps Rumex obtusifolius Dock, broad leaved Rumex sanguineus Dock, wood Sanguisorba minor Burnet, salad Scrophularia auriculata Figwort, water Scrophularia nodosa Figwort, common Senecio jacobea Ragwort, common Senecio vulgaris Groundsel, common Silene dioica Campion, red Sisymbrium officinalis Hedge mustard Sonchus arvensis Sowthistle, corn or perennial Sonchus asper Sowthistle, rough Spergula arvensis Spurrey, corn Stachys sylvatica Woundwort, hedge Stellaria media Chickweed, common Succisa pratensis Scabious, devilsbit Taraxacum sp. Dandelion Teucrium scorodonia Wood sage Thymus polytrichus Thyme Trifolium dubium Trefoil, lesser Trifolium pratense Clover, red Trifolium repens Clover, white Urtica dioica Nettle, common Urtica urens Nettle, small Valeriana officinalis Valerian, common Veronica arvensis Speedwell, wall Veronica beccabunga Speedwell, brooklime Veronica chamaedrys Speedwell, germander Veronica officinalis Speedwell, heath Veronica persica Speedwell, common Veronica serpyllifolia Speedwell, thyme leaved Vicia cracca Vetch, tufted Vicia sepium Vetch, bush Vicia sylvatica Vetch, wood Viola arvensis Pansy, field

Wood Vetch Devil’s Bit Scabious Hawkweed Bramble

Trees

Latin name	Common name
Acer campestre	Maple, field
Acer pseudoplatanus	Sycamore
Aesculus hippocastanum	Chestnut, horse
Alnus glutinosa	Alder
Betula pendula	Birch, silver
Castanea sativa	Chestnut, sweet
Corylus avellana	Hazel
Crataegus monogyna	Hawthorn
Fagus sylvatica	Beech
Fraxinus excelsior	Ash
Ilex aquifolium	Holly
Larix sp. (L. decidua)	Larch
Malus sylvestris	Crab apple
Pinus sylvestris	Scots pine
Populus tremula	Aspen
Populus x canadensis	Poplar, hybrid
Prunus spinosa	Blackthorn
Quercus sp.	Oak
Salix caprea	Willow, goat
Salix cinerea	Willow, grey
Sambucus nigra	Elder
Sorbus aucuparia	Rowan

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© Ryedale Natural History Society 2002; Pictures © Gill & Adrian Smith 2001, 2002
Page last modified 15th September 2002