This trip was arranged at short notice to replace a possible full-day more distant outing, in view of the very unsettled period of weather and the difficulty of recruiting participants in August. It proved a popular choice, with 10 well-wrapped-up members bravely venturing into a tiny window of dry-ish weather.
Quarry Moor was designated an SSSI in 1986 – the underlying magnesian limestone supports a rich flora, in particular the rare parasitic Thistle Broomrape. In 1946, part of the land was donated to “the children of Ripon” by one Thomas Spence, managing director of the local firm of varnish manufacture, TR Williamson; this family firm, founded in 1775, still makes varnish in Ripon today!
As in some previous Bryophyte expeditions, it took us a while to leave the car park, where little patches of late-growing plants such as Dove’s-foot Crane’s-bill and Yarrow were found in corners. We then proceeded down a dank and dripping path, which gave the first impression of only sodden dead nettles, but yielded much of interest – an oak with “Artichoke galls” – caused by a tiny wasp; Hairy St John’s Wort, Greater Burnet-saxifrage, Crab Apple, Wood Dock, Guelder Rose. Hairy Tare.…
The path opened out onto a beautiful close-cropped meadow, patched with great swathes of wild Marjoram, a cloud of pink and white. Many other lime-loving plants were growing here – Yellow-wort, Centaury, Agrimony, Sneezewort, several of the late-summer yellow Asteraceae, bright splashes of Bird’s-foot-trefoil; then a connecting meadow with taller vegetation showed us the famous Thistle Broomrape plants, tall and bright chestnut – striking despite having finished flowering. It is a mystery to botanists why this parasite of the commonest Thistle species is one of our rarest plants.
Finally, up a waterlogged slope, we found more interest in the hedge banks: large white-spotted Pulmonaria leaves, the unrelated Black Bryony and White Bryony growing opposite each other, ‘Nail Galls’ on the leaves of a field maple. And now, since the rain was forecast to reach “double drops” by 1:00, we returned to the cars having suffered only one short shower. Even at the end of the flowering season there is plenty to see at Quarry Moor, including several late-flowering plants we have not recorded before on earlier visits. We are fortunate to have this nice little reserve in our area!
Many thanks to Kerry for organising this in a very short time.
Muff Upsall
