Saturday 20 April 2019

There was a great turnout for the first field trip on Saturday, 30th March which took us up Caer Caradoc in some very fine weather.

Teesdalia nudicaulis, Shepherd's Cress was the star of the show with many rosettes in flower on the first steep slope we encountered.


The group fanned out for a finger tip search and also found the diminutive Gnaphalium sylvaticum, Heath Cudweed and plentiful Rumex acetosella, Sheep's Sorrel.

We had lunch below the rocks on the Iron Age hillfort to stay out of the fresh breeze which was blowing across the top.  This helped clear the haze and we were rewarded with fine views of the Strettons below.

Dan Wrench captivated everyone with the finer details of identification of some more difficult plants.


We decided to descend via Helmeth Hill, the beautiful Woodland Trust woodland, where the spring flowers were just coming into bloom.


There was a fetching clump of Luzula pilosa, Hairy Wood-rush beside the path which wound its way gently through this very beautiful ancient woodland.  The bluebells will be spectacular in a few weeks time.