On Sunday 17 July, PALE (Petersfield Area Lichen Enthusiasts) took part in Petersfield’s first ever Eco-fair.
The fair was well supported by a wide range of local organisations across four principal categories – Low Waste Living, Nature, Home Energy and Green Travel.
Despite the temperature reaching in the order of 30 degrees, it was most encouraging that there was a steady and interested flow of visitors throughout the six hours of the Eco-fair.
Lichen Walk in the Settle area with AP, JA, SK, LK
A Frank Dobson Commemoration Meeting - this is one of the many meetings being held across the country in August to commemorate Frank.
TIme: 10.30am
We will visit several sites in SD86, near Settle, on rocks of different ages, including
1. Rocks south of the South Craven Fault in Giggleswick -sandstones.
(Although the lowest point of our walk at 140m it is the newest rocks - .
Brennand (or Grassington) Grit on top of Pendleton Grit The base of the
millstone grit layers - 329-328 million years old. (Acid rocks) Example of lichens on these rocks here
2. Rocks from the Silurian (Acid Rocks, but with water of mixed pH running over)
3. Great Scar Limestone (Carboniferous) (Basic rocks)
This is an informal walk in which Allan Pentecost, Judith Allinson and Sue and Les Knight will explore the wealth of lichens in this area and welcome others to join them.
Strong footwear, waterproof clothing, suntan lotion recommended
Please contact Judith Allinson for details on zoom-improvement@britishlichensociety.org.uk
Thurs 28 July - Mid-Wales meeting at Craig Caerhedyn, Ceredigion NGR SN710968.
Access & parking: Take single track road up the hill directly off A487 in the village of Eglwys Fach. Note pullover spots as these are few! Park in the grassy area around the base of the track to Dynnin @ SN70779634.
Focus on: upland oceanic saxicolous lichens. This will be a VC 46 upland recording day aimed at obtaining records from an unrecorded hill, ultimately for the Cardiganshire lichen 'flora'. Habitats: Exposed silicious rocks, dry stone walls and scattered trees and shrubs. The area is primarily open access. Altitude: 270 m.
Lichens for All event remembering Frank Dobson
Petersfield Area Lichen Enthusiasts (PALE) will be meeting at Petersfield Heath.
Meet at the Plump Duck at 16.00 for a meander around the Heath Pond. It is aimed at absolute beginners to encourage an interest in and enthusiasm for lichen. Lasting for between 90 minutes and two hours, the walk will enable participants to see at least 12 different and common species. Lenses and ID charts will be available.
Please email the contacts on the Petersfield local group page for more details.
Along the north coast of Devon between Combe Martin and Countisbury a series of hog’s back hills falls away dramatically to vertical cliffs above the Bristol Channel. Here outcrops of Hangman Grits with north-facing underhangs are home to distinct and interesting communities of lichens which were recorded thoroughly almost 30 years ago.
OPAL was an exciting initiative formed from a giant partnership of c. 22 scientific, educational and government organisations that was run from Imperial College London and funded by the Big Lottery in two phases from 2007-2016 (see www.imperial.ac.uk/opal/).
The project aimed to encourage citizens to get involved with nature by enabling them to explore, study and record nature in their local environments.
Devon Lichen Group - Introduction to Coastal Lichens (Torrs Walk, Ilfracombe)
A Frank Dobson Commemoration Meeting - this is one of the many meetings being held across the country in August to commemorate Frank.
An introductory event to coastal lichens, delivered by Maxine Putnam and John Skinner (local lichenologists) at Torrs Walk, Ilfracombe in North Devon. This area has been well recorded in the past, but the site serves well to provide an introduction to those interested in coastal lichens.
Meet at the National Trust car park (Torrs Park, Ilfracombe EX34 8AZ - SS 5116 4745). Torrs Car Park, EX34 8AZ is also very close. We will be following the coastal path which is rather uneven ground. Much of the route is north-facing and can be surprisingly cold. Bring packed lunch.
Please contact April Windle (devon-lichens@britishlichensociety.org.uk) if you are hoping to attend. John’s mobile on the day: 07508 956 839
Local contact: John Douglass
The meeting and residential provision is at The Well Road Centre, Moffat DG10 9BT.
There are very limited records for this part of Scotland and the meeting will focus on upland rock outcrops and screes (sandstones, shales, mudstones), together with heathland and freshwater. Some of the hikes may be long and rough going in places. The crags around Hart Fell, Cold Grain, Black Hope Burn and Carrifran Gans will be visited and possibly White Coombe at 821m (weather permitting). Good outdoor kit is essential, including wellies for the freshwater work. OS Explorer map 330
The BLS have booked the whole centre for the duration of the meeting. The meeting is self-catering. There are 13 bedrooms which we anticipate using as twin rooms depending on the level of interest in the meeting. The cost is £80 per person for the week.
Attendees should book with the field meetings secretary, Graham Boswell, email togooutdoors@hotmail.com or by post to Base Lodge 16 The Parks, Minehead TA24 8BS and pay a deposit of £30 in to the BLS account, CAF Bank sort code 40-52-40 Account No. 00012363 and reference it Southern Uplands, if you are making the payment on behalf of an attendee, please include the attendee’s name.
There are several large rooms at the centre that can be used for microscope work and meetings. The BLS microscopes will be available for communal use. Please bring your own extension leads.
Bring your problems
Workshop facilitators: Brian Coppins & Neil Sanderson
Field visit leaders to Arncliffe Wood: Dave Minter & Wendy English
Friday 24th to Monday 27th February
The ‘bring your problems’ workshop has been a feature of the BLS meetings programme for some time, last year we have added Lichenicolous fungi to ‘spice up’ the meeting and cater for the growing interest in this area of Lichenology. This year will continue that theme.
The meeting features a field visit to Arncliffe Wood.
Meeting Base
The meeting will be residential at Cober Hill, Cloughton, Scarborough, North Yorkshire YO13 OAR.
Tel: 01723870310 email: receptiondesk@coberhill.co.uk - web-site www.coberhill.co.uk to have a look at the accommodation and facilities.
Accommodation and costs
Accommodation for 20 people in single and twin en-suite rooms has been reserved and a deposit paid by the BLS.
Full board accommodation including dinner, breakfast and packed lunch for 3 nights is £365.45 including VAT. The price includes the cost of the meeting room(s).
The earliest time for check-in is 1500. Dinner is at 1900.
Attendees wishing to stay on Thursday night must book their own accommodation.
Booking
Attendees should book their rooms with the field meeting secretary, Graham Boswell, email togooutdoors@hotmail.com or by post to Base Lodge 16 The Parks, Minehead TA24 8BS. And pay a deposit of £50 in to the BLS Bank Account, CAF Bank, sort code 40-52-40 Account No. 00012363 and reference the payment Cloughton.
Please advise of any special dietary needs.
Microscope Work
A very large meeting room has been reserved for the duration of the meeting for microscope work and presentations. The BLS microscopes will be available for communal use.