Someone questioned the need for a recce as we have visited Stainforth Force several times to look for salmon, so know the area well. The reason (or one of them) turns out to be in order to see the fish! I have been in a routine of an annual visit to the Force for about 18 years, and the only times I haven’t seen fish is when I have been with the group!
Starting in Stainforth, we followed the bridleway where the walls are dripping with mosses and lichens. We paused to look at the Artichoke galls on the oak, before gathering on the bridge above the river. I relayed some of the somewhat pessimistic information I’d gathered from a local fisherman, and then we took up our lookout spots on the river side.
Although we know salmon numbers have drastically reduced over the past twenty years, I think the reason that we didn’t see any today was the low water level. We needed some rain to precede us. We gave it a good go, and then retreated to make the most of the rest of the day.
We all returned to the minibus and whilst our shuttle bus driver (thank you Kevin for enabling us to offer a variety of options today) drove down to the Hoffman Kiln with Marje, the rest of us walked across the fields to meet them. Whilst this is mostly improved grassland with not a lot of species diversity, there a few rocky outcrops that offered the interest of several species of waxcaps and a few flowers.
We made a confident identification of Meadow Waxcap, a tentative identification of Parrot Waxcap with green clearly showing on the stipe and part of the cap. We think the white one fitted best for Snowy, whilst the orange ones probably weren’t Orange Waxcap*, which is uncommon, but we didn’t study it closely enough to work out what else it could be, so just happy to enjoy a splash of colour. This was also provided by the rather unexpected Harebells and Mouse-ear Hawkweed.
[*edit - wondering if they may be Persistent Waxcap, Hygrocybe acutoconica; occasional in unfertilised calcareous grassland].
Before long we were at the Hoffman Kiln and spent a little while admiring our industrial heritage, and the flower and fern adorned walls.
At this point a few more jumped in the minibus for the shuttle to Settle, and six of us cut down to the river for great views of a dipper feeding and a goosander. At the weir we watched a Grey Wagtail on the weir wall (notably lacking in water), and a heron downstream.
Round the houses, spotting Rustyback Fern on the wall, past the ponds and factory, up and over the railway, and a patch of Dog Lichen, we reached the lane back to Settle. One final pause for a moment with my favourite tree (or one of them) – an enormous Elm.
Back in Settle people dispersed; cups of tea, wandering the lanes, buying a pitchfork; something for everyone. I think I even heard mention of Christmas Shopping.
Whilst we didn’t quite get what we came for, I think everyone enjoyed a pleasant autumn day.
Julia