Moughton Scar, Ribblesdale

Saturday 9^th April 2022

Leader: Alan Schofield

On the first of the BBG 2022 field meeting programme 13 members met at the main car park in Horton in Ribblesdale before starting the ascent onto Moughton Scar from the railway station (SD 8074 7258). It was a beautiful promising day with possible showers envisaged but not enough to quell the enthusiasm of those venturing out into a nearly post covid world!

We made our way onto the limestone pavement proper having noted enroute the abundance of Blue Moor-grass (Sesleria caerulea), typical of the limestone environment and showing a remarkable slate blue tinge to their inflorescences. Amongst the rocks, mixed in with the grass, several examples of Green Spleenwort (Asplenium viride) were found. Adjacent walls had Common Maidenhair spleenwort (Asplenium trichomanes subsp. quadrivalens).

Walking along the edge of the limestone pavement Carmen found our first Holly fern (Polystichum lonchitis) which is quite abundant in the deep grykes of Moughton limestone pavement which has been recently surveyed by Bruce Brown and the Yorkshire Fern Group.

From this area we made our way to the triangulation point across part of the limestone pavement. At the start we found near our stating point Crowberry (Empetrum nigrum) with their stonecrop like leaves. Across the pavement we encountered Juniper (Juniperus communis), some much distorted by the winds, with low lying growths. Amongst these we had lunch before ascending to the trig point and beyond to the edge of the pavement looking southwest over towards Austwick Beck. It was here we endeavoured to look for Purple Saxifrage (Saxifraga oppositifolia) and Teesdale Violet (Viola rupestris). The former is abundant on the steeper slopes of Pen-y-Ghent and Ingleborough, but some are present on Moughton and easier to access. We were eventually successful in finding two plants with some residual flowers but clearly, we had missed the peak of the flowing period. In a similar location but slightly higher up we located several putative Teesdale Violet but we were several weeks too early to see the flowers and their peduncles (flower stalks) which would have aided positive identification. However, some of the plants appeared to have the typical leaf form.

We made our way back in a circular route towards where we had entered onto the pavement and checked out a further area for Teesdale Violet but to no avail but did learn to identify young leaves of Harebell (Campanula rotundifolia) which could be confused with the Violet!

Although Rigid Buckler Fern (Dryopteris submontana) had yet to reveal new seasonal fronds we did locate several persistent fonds deep in some grykes where the highly glandular nature of the frond and rachis surface could be demonstrated with a lens.

Throughout the day we were treated to glorious views of Pen-y-Ghent, Ingleborough, Whernside and further to the south, Pendle Hill. We were also blessed with fair but blustery weather as we watched several hail showers skirting around us. Only on the descent back to the railway station did we receive a mild scattering of hail.

Some of the group on the way back observed a magnificent male Wheatear. Surely springtime?

The group thanked the leader Alan Schofield and Bruce Brown, and we were pleased at the successful day and glad to be back to the outdoors once again. We hoped this bodes well for the rest of the season field trips.

Text by Laurence Sutton

Photographs by Laurence, Graham and Tim