Bank holiday Monday 25th May a wonderful day out with www.yorkshirecoastnature.co.uk A botany day in beautiful Ashberry Wood alongside Rievaulx Abbey near Helmsley.
What a glorious way to spend a day, walking through the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Reserve along a low lying meadow with a river and several streams and boggy patches sometimes grazed by sheep and long horn cattle. Our party led by Emily McGregor from Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and Richard Bains from YCN came from across Yorkshire, I was without doubt the least knowledgeable but that didn’t make a jot of difference everyone was happy to share their expertise, it was fascinating.
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Wood Sorrel
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Water Mint...it tasted filthy!
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Marsh Marigold soaking up the water and early summer warmth
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Water Avens a stunning apricot colour
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Common Spotted Orchid
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Early Purple Orchid
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Butterwort with sticky leaves that trap insects!
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Everyone recognises the Cowslip along with a Bugle
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Tway Blade Orchid
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Globe Flower growing in abundant masses
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A rare find Birds Eye Primrose
After lunch we walked through Ashberry Wood. Finding a bank of Lily of the Valley was I think the highlight for me. With the dappled light, gentle breeze and a quiet walk with experts pointing out and describing the flora and fauna around us was fascinating. It is amazing how much can be missed! I will in future be far more observant, we saw so much in such a short distance.
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Walking in Ashberry Wood
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Swathes of wood violets
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Beauty next to a babbling stream
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Yellow pimpernel on a shady bank
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Lily Of the Valley clustered along the bank
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Wild Garlic festooned under the trees
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Wood Anenomes delicate in the woodland
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Wood Sorrell on a bank in Ashberry Wood
Thank you very much Yorkshire Coast Nature for a fun, fabulous and informative day. Check out their website for Wildlife Safari’s, birding days, photography courses and loads more!
Liz
