Oxenber and Wharfe Woods, Austwick 6.5.25 

We started out from the village of Austwick following a footpath, past the stone walls around fields of sheep with their lambs, crossing a stream on an intriguing bridge made of long flat stones. It was a cloudless, bright sunny day.  Along the way we found a flowering stem of Good King Henry – a plant not seen so often. We also came across Marsh Marigold, Water Avens and a  hybrid of Water and Wood Avens. There was an abundance of Dog’s Mercury by the path’ together with sloe bushes now well past their wonderful white flowering. 

Wending our way upwards we broke into open land. We were on a grassy hillside dotted with hawthorn and the occasional small limestone outcrop. Early Purple Orchids, Cowslips, Primrose and the lemon coloured Mouse-ear Hawkweed were in flower. We spent some time examining the identifying features of a False Oxlip plant which is has a multi-flowered flower head like cowslips but the flowers are more akin to primroses.  Birds proved elusive to see but were identified as Garden Warblers. 

***We had some trouble identifying a vetch andalso which name it goes under these days.

Higher up and on the crest of the hill we came to the woods. These were largely of ancient (and maybe coppiced?) Hazel, with some Birch, Oak, Rowan and Ash. The woods were generous in their colour – carpets of Bluebells, patches of creamy yellow Primroses, and occasionally pure white splashes of Greater Stitchwort. We also found a few Aquilegia plants, one just about to break into flower.

The woodland seemed to consist of a number of small hazel woods (small in height as well) broken by open areas of grassland. The paths we took went past these woods rather than under them but we took the scenery in on either side as we passed them by, occasionally breaking off to look deeper in. However, our attention was drawn to (possibly ashy mining bees?) making holes in the dry earth of the path, beetles, and a brown ? moth) by Julia and John.

Descending, we left the woods and climbed the steps over the protecting wall. Here we had a great view of Pen- y-Ghent and the hills towards Ingleborough. And here our party broke into two: one to enjoy tea and cake, the other to skirt the land below the woods and take in the views across the valley towards Ingleborough. On the way we were given the gift of a long close-up view of a curlew feeding in a field, prodding in the grass with its, yes, – very long bill.  We were also fortunate to hear, and see, two ravens high in the sky above us.

So thank you BEES, the weather, all who came, and our walk leader and driver Julia. Many thanks.

Madeleine