Top L to R: Mike Ball, Andy McLay, Chris Preston, David Long, Mark Lawley, Matt Stribley, Gordon Rothero, Tom Blockeel, Liz Kungu, Joan Bingley, Sharon Pilkington, Roy Jeffery, Mark Hill, Agneta Burton Bottom L to R: Calum McLennan, Lucia Ruffino, Clare Shaw, Alastair Stevenson, Mags Crittenden, Martin Godfrey, Peter Martin, Sean O’Leary, Philippa Thompson, Claire Halpin, George Greiff, Astrid Biddle
The AGM and Field Meeting in Barmouth were a great success, and huge thanks are due to Margaret Crittenden for persevering in organising this meeting over the past 3 years.
Photos will gradually be added when I have time. Please don’t be offended if your photos aren’t included – there are so many to choose from and it’s proving quite a lot of work to compile this ‘report’!
(Updated 9th October 2021)
(click on any image to view a larger image with caption)
Claire and Mags met at 10.30 for short walk and recording in the grounds of Plas Caerdeon. Much chatting of course, but still managed to record around 40 species within quite a short distance.
Less ‘panorama walk’ than a scramble up and down stony tracks and overgrown woodland in the rain! Although it was actually dry for most of the morning, and the rain set in just in time for lunch.
Oak woodland with a number of great finds. Clare made good use of the lab in the evening to confirm Radula voluta, Plagiochila exigua, Jubula hutchinsiae amongst others. (If someone from this group would like to provide notes, I will be happy to add captions to the photos – Claire)
We started by recording along the roadside, before exploring Coed Llechwedd – a nice area of rocky woodland but very steep and brambly off the road so only really accessible by paths.
An interesting drive along a gated road (6 gates) with high stone walls seeming to lean in on either side led eventually to our destination – steep slopes with large rocky outcrops and a reasonable list of species, though not as many of the oceanic species we’d hoped for.
An additional site which Mags had organised at the last minute, following a phone call from the farmer on Monday afternoon. Oak woodland with mossy boulders, river banks, bridge and wet heath.
Lakes and mountains. Some fine scenery and occasional bryologists captured by Calum McLennan, and a few other images to prove that bryologists do look at other species now and again!
Local meeting secretary: Margaret Crittenden, email: mcrittenden24@gmail.com
We will be recording in the county of Merioneth (Vice-county 48) which has everything from high, volcanic mountains to the great species-poor uplands of the Migneint. There is a coastal strip with dune systems and saltmarshes as well as numerous lakes and fantastic hidden river valleys. There are even the remains of a Carboniferous limestone quarry (SJ0542) and a few scattered lime-kilns on the Ordovician ‘limestone’. We will be based at Plas Caerdeon (www.hope.ac.uk/caerdeon/ ) which is an Outdoor Education Centre in North Wales owned and run by Liverpool Hope University. It is situated between Dolgellau and Barmouth on the A496.
The centre is set in its own grounds of 18 acres of secluded woodlands and was visited by Darwin in 1869. He wrote “we have a beautiful House, with a terraced garden and a really magnificent view of Cader [Idris], right opposite.”
The main house has 15 rooms over 2 upper floors which have both bunk beds and single beds. The ground floor comprises a fully equipped catering kitchen, professional servery, large dining room, library, large lounge/group meeting room, grand entrance hall and stairway, games room, drying room, toilets, and ‘wet activity’ entrance. There is a further basement games room and a laboratory which can be used for microscope work.
Rooms are available at Plas Caerdeon (near Barmouth, LL42 1TH, SH649181) on a first come first served basis. This is (generally) shared accommodation so please indicate when registering if you have any preference with whom you might like to share. The cost of the accommodation at Plas Caerdeon is £325 which includes full board and the Society dinner on Sunday night. If you are not staying at Plas Caerdeon, you are invited to join us for a BBS Society Dinner at Plas Caerdeon on Sunday evening 12th September at a cost of £20. Bring your own bottle(s).
The lab at Plas Caerdeon will be made available to all members whether they are resident or not.
If you haven’t already registered, please contact Mags before making any payment, especially if you would like to stay at Plas Caerdeon.
The preferred way to pay is by bank transfer (BACS); you will receive an email within the next few days with details including the BBS Bank account number. If you don’t receive this email, please contact Margaret Crittenden, email: mcrittenden24@gmail.com.
For those who are unable to pay by BACS, it is possible to use PayPal, however the cost will increase slightly to cover PayPal charges.
Please select the relevant option from the drop down list and click on the PayPal button. You will then be taken to the secure PayPal server where you will be asked for your details and a payment can be made by credit or debit card.
You can download the complete program below.
Saturday 11th September: Arrive at Plas Caerdeon (not before 2pm to allow for cleaning) with opportunities for committee meetings. Opportunity to do some recording in the vicinity of the Hall. Council Meeting 19.30 at Plas Caerdeon. Dinner for residents at 18.00.
Sunday 12th September: Short field day with AGM at Plas Caerdeon at 16.30 followed by Society Dinner at 18.30.
Monday 13th – Friday 17th September: Field visits
Saturday 18th September: Depart by 10am.
OL18 Harlech, Porthmadog and Bala
OL23 Cadair Idris and Llyn Tegid
Those people with digital map software may wish to download the GPS locations file below. This contains waypoints for most of the suggested parking locations, named according to the convention day_number – site_number. The file is in .csv format simply because we can’t upload the usual .gpx format to the website. Each waypoint includes the text of the site description from Mags’ excellent programme. Please don’t rely on the GPS data though; it’s not been double-checked!
Download full programme Download the Risk Assessment Download and complete the Covid-19 form Download and complete the medical form Download the full species list Download a list of 'wanted' species Download a list of extra tetrads to visit Download GPS file of meeting locations for each day
Barmouth, North Wales
Plas Caerdeon Barmouth LL42 1TH
