Lathkill Dale, Derbyshire Dales National Nature Reserve and Hartington Meadows

Wednesday 8^th July: Lathkill Dale, Derbyshire Dales National Nature Reserve and Hartington Meadows, a Derbyshire Wildlife Trust reserve, Derbyshire.

Leader: Marion Rider

Meet at 10.30 in the car park in Chapel Street, Monyash, DE45 1JJ; Grid Ref: SK149666; what3words: ///thinking.populate.guilty. The car park asks for voluntary donations. There is a cafe nearby and the Bulls Head pub. We will walk about half a mile to the start of Lathkill Dale where there are more public toilets. The path in Lathkill Dale is uneven at times but not steep. We will walk for about a mile or two miles and return the same way. This is one of the best locations for Jacob’s-ladder Polemonium caeruleum, the county flower of Derbyshire. We should also find Hoary Mullein Verbascum pulverulentum, Orpine Hylotelephium telephium, Water Avens Geum rivale, Crosswort Cruciata laevipes , Common Rock-rose Helianthemum nummularium and many other plants. We will return to the car park and then drive for about 15 minutes to Hartington Meadows and more importantly lunch! Park in Hartington Station car park, SK17 0AZ; Grid Ref: SK149609; what3words: ///reporting.applauded.cashier. This is a pay and display car park, cash and card payments. There are toilets, a small café and picnic benches. Here we find meadows full of predominantly Common Spotted-orchid, Dactylorhiza fuchsii, Common Twayblade Neottia ovata, Meadow Crane’s-bill Geranium pratense, Betony Betonica officinalis, Great Burnet Sanguisorba officinalis, Yellow Rattle Rhinanthus minor, and Eyebright Euphrasia spp. We can wonder through the meadows to see what else is in flower. Paths are good’

To book, contact Janet John wfs.meetings@gmail.com