Ben Rhydding Gravel Pit

Yesterday evening I attended my first event with the Bradford Botany Group, a joint meeting with the Wharfedale Naturalists Society at one of their managed sites, the local nature reserve at Ben Rhydding. This was a gravel extraction site but ceased production in the 1970s. Since then, the pits have filled with water to become lagoons, and a mosaic of different habitats exist on the 4.5 hectare reserve just outside Ilkley.

With a mixture of grassland, scrub and woodland there were a range of plants to look at, including the broad-leaved helleborine and other orchids.  It is a varied reserve, and I was able to collect grass samples for my MMU assignment whilst also learning some more about the site and its less usual species.

One of these is the sea holly, a plant normally only found in the very south of England. It must have been brought up to Yorkshire for some reason, but has since become naturalised, presumably because the gravelly soil and warm sheltered site provides ideal conditions for its growth. It is a very stunning but rather unusual looking plant.

The visit was well attended with over 18 members, and they all seemed very friendly and welcoming. I will try and attend more field visits this summer, as it is a good way to improve my botanical knowledge and field skills.