Day 12 of 30 Days Wild - Roudsea Wood NNR with the Cumbria Lichen Group

The Cumbria Lichens and Bryophytes Group arrange trips in.. Cumbria .. and on 12 June I am pleased to join them at Roudsea Wood.  This is on the coast - on the estuary of the Leven leading to Morcambe Bay . It is 45 miles by road, or 30 miles by crowflight  direct  WNW from where I live. There is limestone rock, acid rock and -just  above sea level raised peatbog - (Mosses). 

This is a National Nature Reserve and you have to get permission to visit.

Quoting the Woodland Trust  "This is a splendid wood to visit. Ancient yews and small-leaved limes abound. Occasional bay views add to the delight."

Small-leaved Lime probably

Small-leaved Lime on limestone

Wild Columbine - Aquilegia columbinum - on limestone in front of Yew

Opegrapha elegans on hazel?
 negative reaction with C (above) and K. Note the orange prothallus

Opegrapha elegans on hazel

Mystery

Peltigera leucophlebia  - on the left pale grey as we found it, on the right - we added water and it went bright green. centre - the rhizoids.

Calamagrostis

Calamagrostis

Calamagrostis

Rhamnus catharticus - Purging Buckthorn. This has toothed leaves, and opposite leaves - compared with Alder Buckthorn that has smoother edged leaves and alternate leaves.  

The tree next door is Spindle - with narrower leaves and green stems

Melanelixia glabratula

Stenocybe pullatula - on young  Alder twigs - an honorary lichen - really just a fungus

Opegrapha calcarea  on limestone

Anisomeridium polypori

Anisomeridium polypori - my camera could not get down to resolution to showthe conical pycnidia with nipple like or peg like tips. On Oak

Pertusaria albescens-coralloides? - "These lumps are soralia because if you rub the they go powdery," said Pete. On an acid rock boulder

A huge thank you to Pete Martin who organised this trip. (And to any who might have supplied data for him) . and to Liz Campbell who helped me on the way home:- 

Here is a picture of Lake Windermere. A policeman at a road diversion near Newby Bridge sent me off the A590 towards Windermere. Fortunately Liz rescued me and showed me this scenic route home. Note the hawthorn in full bloom at about 200 m - near the easily accessible "mountain"/viewpoint Gummers How - (321m)