WFV Hutton Roof Crags 27.05.25

Twelve brave, or foolhardy, people headed over the border to Hutton Roof. Perhaps
people hadn’t watched the forecast deteriorating hour by hour, until it finally predicted a
day of full on rain. Never great, but especially challenging when our aim was to explore the
limestone pavement.
It is several years since our last visit, either for a field trip or for a conservation weekend,
and this trip was timed to look for Angular Solomon’s Seal in flower.
Having had quite a delay on the A65, in a queue of traffic behind some bowtop wagons
making their way towards Appleby Horse Fair, and slightly reluctant to head out into the
rain, we had lunch in the minibus on arrival (where some of us may have wished we
stayed).
As soon as we entered the woodland, there was a large patch of Sweet Woodruff to bring
a smile. There was plenty of of Wood Sedge along many of the paths, but this was about
all we looked at until we reached more open ground. Common Valerian was in full bud,
and there was a splattering of Bird’s-foot Trefoil along the path edge. We had a little foray
amongst some stones in a first attempt to look for the Angular Solomon’s Seal, which
wasn’t evident, but we did see plenty of Honeysuckle, Hart’s-tongue Fern, and the leaves
of what may have been Orpine Sedum telephium (but reluctant to get books out in the
rain).
There were a number of the hemi-parasitic Common Cow-wheat plants at the base of the
trees, both in the first clearing we came to, and higher up on the pavement. There were
plenty of Dropwort leaves, confirmed as such with one plant in bud, and later one in flower.
It didn’t feel like the right day to crawl about looking for Bird’s-foot Sedge, but we did see
Wild Thyme, Limestone Bedstraw and Wood Sage before retracing our steps a little way
and then following the track to area enclosed by deer fencing. Fairly recent coppicing was
evident, with some poles stacked ready for use, though there wasn’t much sign of activity
around a large charcoal kiln. The coppicing is an important management task to enable
the violets to thrive, and provide food for the caterpillars of the fritillary butterflies.
Beyond the coppice, the hillside opened out into limestone pavement (though we felt there
was more scrub than we remembered).
It took careful attention to each step as we spread out to search the grykes for limestone
pavement species. We saw hawkweeds, Clematis, Wall Lettuce and the emerging rosettes
of Dark-red Helleborines. There were plenty of ferns; Wall Rue, Maidenhair Spleenwort,
Hard Shield Fern (a fairly confident id), and notably a large population of the grey-green
fronds of Rigid Buckler Fern – a pavement speciality.
But, was there any Angular Solomon’s Seal? We’d just about given up, but as we were all
heading back towards the cattle crush, there was a call from Amanda, taking a short cut
(though there were no definite routes) to the soggy group of people waiting to go home.
We did have to check our books, as the dense clump didn’t reveal the arched stems on
first view, but close inspection showed the alternate leaves, the angular stem, and the
flower stalks at the leaf axils. But no flowers! A thought is that they had been eaten,
perhaps by insects. So, a What 3 Words was recorded and we will have to come back!!
Perhaps we could choose a sunny day, though we must remember it didn’t rain all day
today, and hasn’t knocked Cow Green Reservoir off the top spot for wet BEES days out.
Though long, and plenty of ponies and wagons (safely parked up), the journey home was
straightforward. Thanks to Kevin for sharing the driving, and for the final stretch into town.
Julia