Lower Cragg Vale, Calderdale, 28 May 2011

Blustery conditions greeted members of the Rochdale Field Naturalists’ Society on their latest car trip in May. The area explored was Lower Cragg Vale in Calderdale, a steep sided wooded valley down which the Cragg Brook tumbled to meet the River Calder at Mytholmroyd.

 The route first took the group up through woods to an open shoulder overlooking the trees and later down past a long-abandoned water wheel alongside the wooded brook back to the car park at Mytholmroyd. The stiff breeze seemed to keep many of the birds hunkered down and only a limited number of species were seen. The woods were, however, full of the sounds of spring as young family groups of Blue Tits and Coal Tits flittered amongst the trees. Few butterflies were on the wing, but it was good to see a Small Copper and a Green-veined White.

 It was perhaps the flora and fungi that were the stars of the show on this trip. The colours of late spring were on display in the woods, by the path sides and in the fields. Beautiful drifts of Bluebells were scattered amongst the trees. Yellow Pimpernel, Common Bistort, Herb Robert, Forget-me-not and Dog Rose also added their own colours and scents to the walk. A good variety of fungi was also encountered, such as Blusher, St. George’s Mushroom and Birch Polypore.

Sightings List

Click on Thumbnail to see full size image

Photographs by Steve Pinnington