Halton Gill Bryophytes and Lichens - YNU walk 11 May

 

The Yorkshire Naturalists Union Bryophytes Section twice yearly  Field Excursion is to Halton Gill on 11 May. It is at the top of Littondale, a tributary dale of the  top of Wharfedale. Steve Heathcote is now the organiser of the Bryophytes Section of the YNU but we are really pleased that Tom Blockeel comes and that Gordon Haycroft who is surveying all of Wharfdale for lichens (bit by bit) has planned the route. Gordon says that he had only one Bryophyte record for this tetrad. So we will be contributing a lot.

Halton Gill hamlet car park is at  305 m (1000ft) (See useful topographic map website ) and the highest point of our journey is 882 m (1909 ft) ( the summit not far away is 605m (1984). The  Rocks are the Yoredale Series, repeating layers of limestone, sandstone and shale

Here are some pictures  - not had time to label them all yet, but some are labelled

We walk up the hill and drop down to the stream at a reservoir/water storage type place

This pale green moss is thought to be a Mnium sp.

We carry on up to this waterfall under a small willow tree (and possibly large sycamore?)

I think these are fern gametophytes

There are big globules of Collema auriforme

More of the Mnium. Perhaps it is just very young Mnium hornum

There are big globules of Collema auriforme

There are epiphytes on the willow tree

Porella arboris vitae

Porella arboris vitae

Porella arboris vitae

Dermatocarpon miniatum

Either Placidium squamulosum or Romularia lurida

Solorina saccata

Carex nigra

Carex nigra

There is new fencing round this area and saplings have just been planted

saplings have just been planted

Lichenomphalina umbellifera

Lichenomphalina umbellifera

Lichenomphalina umbellifera

View back to Plover Hill and Penyghent

hanging Sphagnum curtains with Lichenomphalina umbellifera

Lichenomphalina umbellifera

Setting off down, Penyghent and Plorver Hill ahead. Ingleborough in the far distance on the right

Pohlia nutans

Tormentil - Potentiall erecta

Sitting on the seat after the walk, at Halton Gill - looking towards the road up over the side of Penyghent home.

Mhyrris odorata in the foreground- our route up the gill in the ackground

Brief stop at Globe Flower Wood - 11 May