Lake Garda and Monte Baldo

Speaker: Alan Schofield

Wednesday 9th October 2024

Following the AGM, Alan entertained us with a collection of photographs taken some years ago on a trip to Lake Garda and Monte Baldo in the Italian Alps. Alan visited the area in late August, the only time he and Carolyn could visit due to fitting in with school holidays. Alan braved the ‘terrifying’ open-topped bucket lift before walking along the mountain ridges, enjoying magnificent views along the way. There was a clear zonation of plants from lowland Mediterranean flora to arctic alpines as he ascended into the mountains. Alan also encountered evergreen forests of Holm Oak (Quercus ilex) as well as forests with much European Silver-fir (Abies alba).

Alan showed a selection of photographs, mainly of the flora, but also a few shots of other wildlife he encountered such as Alpine Chough and a Grayling butterfly. Plants included Edelweiss (Leontopodium nivale), Mountain Sanicle (Astrantia Major), Orange Saxifrage (Saxifraga Mutata), Dragonmouth (Horminum pyrenaicum), Crested Cow-Wheat (Melampyrum cristatum), Round-headed Rampion (Phyteuma orbiculare), Stemless Carline Thistle (Carlina acaulis) and Bearded Bellflower (Campanula barbata).

Text by Susan Simcock; Photographs by Alan Schofield