Upper Teesdale and North Pennines

[annew]

We had a great day out yesterday in this beautiful part of the country. I particularly wanted to see the hay meadows in flower before they were cut. We started out at Langdon Beck and walked up into the Moor House national nature reserve as far as Cetry Bank, which is noted for its Gentiana verna, Primula farinosa (both past flowering), and other interesting plants.
As soon as we got out of the car, we were drawn to the streamside, where we spotted orchids growing. Dactylorhizas are not our strong point, so if someone wants to correct our ID, please do. We thought these were maybe D. praetermissa, but it's a bit far north for that species, so they are probably D purpurella.

[annew]

As we walked along, we were accompanied by the fantastic sounds of waders flying close by, warding us away from nests - curlew, oystercatcher, lapwing and golden plover. Other orchids grew close to the path in the ditches and verges. We think they are D. incarnata, D. maculata ssp. ericetorum, more typical D. purpurella, and a possible hybrid incarnata x purpurella.

[annew]

We came past the sheep pasture to the haymeadows, and they were stunning - a mixture of different grasses, pignut, red clover, buttercups, yellow rattle, sorrel being the most obvious.

[annew]

Where the grass was shorter, there were Viola lutea in different colour forms, and Botrychium lunaria (Moonwort).

[annew]

When we arrived at Cetry Bank, we had a quick lunch and set to roaming about to see what we could find. The gentians were past flowering, and only one or two flowers to be found on the primulas, but the Bartsia alpina was in flower, and Saxigraga aizoides just starting, along with Selaginella selaginoides in fruit.

[annew]

Barry managed to find some Tofieldia pusilla in flower, and the thyme was just budding up.

[annew]

We made our way back down, spotting a family of ring ouzels on the way, and passing this grand little stallion with his family.

[Gerdk]

Where the grass was shorter, there were Viola lutea in different colour forms, and Botrychium lunaria (Moonwort).

Must be a magnicifent area with a lot of interesting species. Thanks for the pics, Anne!

Did you also notice the Teesdale violet - Viola rupestris?

Gerd

[annew]

I had been hoping to see Trollius europaeus in flower, but hadn't seen any, so we made our way home via Hannah Hauxwell's Meadow (http://www.durhamwt.co.uk/core_pdfs/HANNAH'S.pdf
This was interestingly subtly different in composition from the others we had seen, containing an extraordinary amount of euphrasia, especially near the edge. Unfortunately it was not allowed to walk into the meadow, so we had to observe from the path alongside. There were good patches of ragged robin Lychnis flos-cuculi, and yes, trollius too, but only visible with binoculars.

[annew]

No, we didn't see V. rupestris..
On the verge were beautiful patches of Geranium sylvaticum, including a pale form.
It was well worth a visit, although if a path could have been mown through the meadow to allow visitors to see more flowers, it would have been even better.

[David Nicholson]

A lovely day out Anne, thanks for posting.

[daveyp1970]

What a fantastic place Anne, that's a stunning incarnata hybrid.

[ronm]

Lovely Anne. Tha' wont see much like it outside Yorkshire, ( disputed but its real Yorkshire ) .
Hannah Hauxwell ..... what a story !!

[Lina Hesseling]

Anne, thank you for taking us with you on your walk.
I loved it.

Lina.

[annew]

I'm glad you enjoyed it. If anyone is thinking of going, don't leave it too long or the meadows will be cut.