Oxenber and Wharfe Woods

Saturday 13th May 2023

Leader: Nyree Fearnley

Today we enjoyed a peaceful walk along quiet lanes, grassy limestone slopes and through open woodland. The weather was pleasantly warm with a near cloudless sky. Compared with the last two field meetings, we were a somewhat smaller group today, with 12 members meeting in Austwick where there was roadside parking in the north east of the village. Nyree led us along a lane which soon crossed an old clapper bridge (Flascoe Bridge) to take us over Austwick Beck. Plants along the lane here included Giant Bellflower (Campanula latifolia), Wood Avens (Geum urbanum) and Hybrid Avens (Geum x intermedium).

We left the Penine Bridleway to turn left on a footpath towards Oxenber Wood, spotting Bulbous Buttercup (Ranunculus bulbosus) in the field and Parsley-piert (Aphanes arvensis) on a rocky outcrop. Entering the open limestone woodland, we headed up the slope into a wonderfully species-rich and colourful area. The flowers of the abundant Blue Moor-grass (Sesleria caerulea) were past their best now, but there was a good display of flowers from species that included Mouse-ear-hawkweed (Pilosella officinarum), Cowslip (Primula veris), Common Bird's-foot-trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) and numerous spikes of Early-purple Orchid (Orchis mascula).

There were also good amounts of False Oxlip, the natural hybrid between Primrose and Cowslip (Primula x polyantha).

On the way up the slope, Bruce pointed out Pill Sedge (Carex pilulifera), the inflorescence stalks characteristically bending down to the ground from the central tuft, almost looking like they are trying to root themselves in the ground. We left the path slightly, to have our lunch on an area of limestone pavement where we found Wall Rue (Asplenium ruta-muraria) and Common Whitlowgrass (Erophila verna). I could have stayed longer at the lunch spot to enjoy the surroundings, but not everyone had chosen such a comfortable rock! Continuing on our route, we soon enjoyed a view of the nearby hills of Ingleborough, Pen-y-ghent and the long rocky limestone ridge of Moughton Scar. We were successful in re-finding a small patch of Green Spleenwort (Asplenium viride), tucked away in a rock crevis. It can be easily told apart from the much more widespread Maidenhair Spleenwort (Asplenium trichomanes), by the green rachis (i.e. the green mid-rib of the frond) as opposed to the wiry, dark brown rachis seen in Maidenhair Spleenwort.

The open woodland and glades revealed more species such as Sanicle (Sanicula europaea), Common Rock-rose (Helianthemum nummularium), Stone Bramble (Rubus saxatilis) and Rue-leaved Saxifrage (Saxifraga tridactylites). An eagled-eye member also spotted some Bitter-vetch (Lathyrus linifolius). A careful search revealed a number of plants of Columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris) but it looked like it would be another week or two before it flowered. It was useful to see the leaves of Devil's-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis) and Common Knapweed (Centaurea nigra) growing side by side to examine the differences between these plants when not in flower. The leaves of Devil's-bit Scabious are much less hairy that those of Common Knapweed and, when viewed with a hand lens, the leaf edge has a transparent border which is not present in Common Knapweed.

Our route circled down through Wharfe Wood to join the lane down to the hamlet of Feizor. Plants on route to Feizor included Wild Thyme (Thymus drucei), Brittle Bladder Fern (Cystopteris fragilis), Hoary Plantain (Plantago media), Harebell (Campanula rotundifolia) and Entire-leaved Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster integrifolius). We enjoyed a long stop at Elaine’s Tea Room in Feizor for a much appreciated drink and an ice cream. Our route back to Austwick was along a pleasant path, enclosed by dry stone walls with a luxuriant covering of moss. There was much Dog's Mercury (Mercurialis perennis), Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) and Water Avens (Geum rivale). Highlights along the lane included Woodruff (Galium odoratum), Herb-paris (Paris quadrifolia) and good amounts of Goldilocks Buttercup (Ranunculus auricomus). We also spotted a single plant of Black Bryony (Tamus communis).

Back in Austwick, Nyree was thanked for leading us on such a beautiful walk. We had perhaps daudled a little too much as it was a rather late finish, not getting back to the cars until getting on for 6pm! Time seemed to fly at this special site. We weren’t alone in enjoying a day out here, bumping into Rochdale Field Naturalists' Society, when we temporarily seemed to merge into one group! Butterflies included Orange-tip, Speckled Wood and Peacock. It will be interesting to see what happens to the flora over time with the demise of the Ash trees.

Text by Susan

Photographs by Tom & Susan