Thursday 13 May 2010

A very successful search

Thurday 13th May 2010
          Yesterday we returned to the N.W. corner of Lancashire were the border adjoins the Cumbrian border near toArnside and Silverdale which is listed as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This area south of the River Kent Estuary is famous for its wild flowers including several orchids. Because of my interest in wild orchids the seach was on to see if we could find any different orchids that we had only viewed in the text books, so we away early to search this unspoilt corner of N.W. England.
    On our way across country this field near to kirkby Lonsdale drew my attention, a field full of the humble Dandelions dispersed with the Lady's Smock (May Flower)



                Arnside viaduct and the River Kent from Arnside Knott

                     The distant Langdale Pikes in the Lake District

                                         Early Purple Orchids
                            Looking south across Morcambe Bay

A curtain of precipitation  hangs down below the cloud this falls as snow on the higher hills such as the Pennines and the Lake District Fells
    This field is old Pasture Land, in this field we found hundreds of orchids

        Our first new find... the Green Winged or ( Green Veined Orchid)




               Early Purple and Green Veined Orchids growing together
                         A type of Hybrid Pink Green Veined Orchid





 
                          I think this is a White Early Purple Orchid?

              Another Green Veined Orchid less than 2 inches in height

                                  Another shower approaching
                    Walking the coastal path around Arnside Knott

                   The woodland floor covered in Lily of the Valley


                                            Coastal path
                             Cowslips beside the coastal path

                      And finally back to the small resort of Arnside

5 comments:

  1. I felt as if I was on this outing David! All those beautiful wildflowers and the coastal walk looks wonderful. It was nice to see the photo of the Lily of the Valley growing in its natural habitat. I've never seen it growing wild like that. I have a small clump in the garden, but to see all those.... it must have been beautiful! Arnside looks lovely. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. It is amazing how beautiful Dandelions can look when grouped together. The field we back on to is like your picture..then it turns in to a sea of cream as the seed heads are produces which I also find lovely..then the wind gets up and the seeds blow in to our garden! My husband spends most of the summer digging up Dandelions that have sown themselves in the lawn and veg plot. Loved the Orchid pictures.

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a wonderful day out. Lovely pictures.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Some good finds and a beautiful walk, loved the orchids.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Gorgeous shots today; you were quite successful! The expanses of orchids and lily of the valley are beautiful. Last weekend I found a small stand of lily of the valley growing wild in our woods, but your find puts mine to shame!

    ReplyDelete