Halifax

Sunday 12^th September 2021

Leader: Andrew Kafel

Eleven members gathered for our last walk of the season in Halifax. It was “Goldilocks” weather – not too hot and not too cold – just ideal for the full day ahead. Andrew opened by saying that the itinerary for the day was all inspired by an idea of the Wild Flower Society who, at the very beginning of lockdown suggested members might `adopt` a 1 km square (monad) in their local area to patrol on their exercise walks and record the plants. Several BBG members took this up in their areas. Earlier this year Andrew walked us round one of his monads and, although we started at the same place as in May, our route today was completely new and into his second monad. Our list of sightings was as excellent as our May trip. The results of monitoring what happens in a year`s cycle on ones doorstep has proved amazingly fulfilling.

We had hardly set off when we saw a spike of Black Grass growing in the roadside gutter. Crossing the road we laboured up a steep cobbled slope to find a special variety of Hedge Bindweed (Calystegia sepium forma schizoflora) and an interesting variegated ivy. Returning to the road, those who had not seen Chinese Barbary in May took a short detour to see that, and then we carried on along the road seeing Small-flowered Cranesbill and Christmas Rose (Green Hellebore) to the musical accompaniment of the Minster bells. In the area around the Minster we recorded False-acacia which had seeded itself in a gutter.

A new plant for some of us was Armenian Crane’s-bill as we made our way towards several car parks. These produced a lot of diversity including Common Centuary, Intermediate Evening Primrose (a hybrid between Large flowered and Common Evening Primrose), Red Osier Dogwood with white berries, Himalayan Crane’s-bill and a white flowered Rose Campion. We took a little break here to pick blackberries that were in abundance on Cut-leaved Bramble, which were delicious. In the car park of a hotel a room key was found (and deposited in their post box). There we recorded Marjoram with white flowers, Thyme-leaved Speedwell, Balm (lemon-scented) and then Rosemary on a nearby wall.

Moving on we started another climb, the Minster bells tuning up again, seeing Yellow Loosestrife and Black Bent. We had an interesting explanation of the leaves of Alder – Italian, Grey, Common and a hybrid between Common and Grey. A little further on we saw Alsike Clover and came across Chinese Bramble which we had seen the previous week at Dewsbury when we had feasted on their fruit which tasted more like raspberries. Wood Meadow Grass was good to see as we made our way to a very steep road where Peach-leaved Bellflower was found.

From there we made haste to our lunch spot, climbing up through a long grassy bank to have our sandwiches in a field. Here we overlooked the town and its surrounding countryside. Nearby we found some garden escapes starting with Hedgerow Cranesbill in both blue and white forms, Shasta Daisy and an interesting hybrid toadflax (purple x pale), Linaria x dominii. Then we found a very interesting Cocksfoot var. Vivipara. After crossing the field, we peered over a wall seeing a fine array of Yellow Chamomile, a new plant for many, and then Sea Campion.

We dropped down to the Leeds Road level to see Royal Fern, Pale Willowherb, and Austrian Chamomile. Turning to make our way back we took note of trees growing on the edge of a rugby field, especially Orange-berried Whitebeam. Dropping down to a complex of offices, which were formerly a carpet factory, with a fast flowing stream running through, we found Fig, Tall Tutsan and for the ornithologists the bonus of seeing two Dippers flying low and fast along the waterway.

The delights of the day were not quite over as a few more gems were found – Nettle-leaved Bellflower, Sand Spurrey, and a very similar plant Lesser Sea-Spurrey, Shaggy Soldier, Narrow-leaved Pepperwort, Black Nightshade, Honey Spurge and finally Musk Storksbill.

Who could have thought there would be so much botanical interest in the centre of a busy town – an amazing variety with such varied habitat.

Text by Rita

Photographs by Susan