Ribblehead Quarry Nature Reserve and Station Café

Our first day of the month walk (Craven Conservation Group and Churches Together Climate Walk) was finally held today the 5th, the first day with a decent forecast, at Ribblehead Quarry Nature Reserve

This sign  is the general
Welcome to the Nature Reserve sign at the entrance

. and on the day after the election when Labour got in with their big majority. Our Conservative candidate was returned, but had less than 2000 votes more than Labour. 

(see other climate walks here)

You have to drive to the other side of the railway at Ribblehead to park next to the nature reserve.  Today Common Spotted Orchids were blooming next to the notice board at the entrance.

We could not walk round all the reserve because there were white temporary signs saying "No entry, birds breeding"..  but still as we had a date at the Ribblehead Railway Station for tea it did not matter too much. And I did feel guilty by raising one vociferous lapwing to the sky.. and was respectful of the sign. 

near the entrance to the quarry

This wall below is made of different types of stone which represent the geology of Whernside (seen in the background) (the geology is also the same for the other two of three peaks).  Those people who have been here before may know what I am doing with the bottle of water.

Sitting on the seat which represents the unconformity between the "Slate" and the Limestone - a 100MYR gap.

We were rather shocked to see how much Garden Lady's-mantle Alchemilla mollis has been allowed to grow here. 
It has taken over part of Langcliffe Quarry at a terrific rate over the last four years.
  and Preston under Scar Quarry (as I would find out on Sat 6 July, the following day)

Thyme

A native wild Alchemilla .. growing next to..

A tiny patch of cotoneaster in the quarry floor.. 

(Hope that doesn't spread too..)

This is a plant which  spreads and covers tiny plants on cliffs

Water spearwort

Lady's Bedstraw

At the picnic table beside the pond - we had time to reflect on the notes produced by "PrayandFastForTheClimate:1 July 2024 - and since the 4th we have had the General Election yesterday. So we reflected on the work of the new government and the people with new jobs.
.
The pond was now nearly full of Bottle Sedge plus a few white water lilies.. But you could hardly see the pond.

Maybe one day I will find the name of this beetle which joined us at the table.. and by Monday Geoff had told me the answer.. Orchid Beetle Dascillus cervinus 
He had been to a Hay Meadow Day with the Lancs Wildlife Trust and discussed it with  others. Its larvae eat the roots of grasses

Northern Dock. Rumex longifolius. I think this (though still rare) is increasing along the roadsides in Upper Ribblesdale. It is near the southern edge of its limit here, and has increased in abundance along he roadsides over the last 30 years I think. 
 https://plantatlas2020.org/atlas/2cd4p9h.m1a

The following evening I picked a sprig of Northern dock from a plant at the roadside south of here to photograph the individual fruit. Broadleaved Dock has a tubercle (wart) on one of the tree sides. This Northern dock has no tubercle on any side.

Nearby I was pleased to see the Rhubarb plant was still surviving.
On a CCG moth rapping evening we had come here many years ago and the Rhubarb flower had attracted more moths than any of our lights.

A glance again at the Common Spotted orchids

I am holding pineapple fruit cake. the other two have fat-rascals.. Behind my head, in the centre of the picture 9bottom left of the board of keys) is a ticket machine. Geoff has a similar but older ticket machine he told us - the last one that was used on the Clitheroe line before the line closed (The Line  is now reopen but with modern ticketing)

See pictures and videos of singing in 2017

https://rainforest-save.blogspot.com/2017/12/settle-and-lakeland-voices-on-settle.html

Below Here are some pictures of Craven Conservation Group in September  2016

Limnephilus lunatus lily pond Ribblehead
This is the only adult Caddis I can recognise- The end of its wing has a half moon shape lighter area.

(see other climate walks here)