Tuesday was a warm, but dull afternoon as we walked down the track bordered by wheat fields enjoying the germander speedwell, hedge woundwort, cornus and dog rose with both black and white bryony winding their way through the hedgerow. As we turned left onto the hill and the terrain changes to limestone the wildflowers were prolific with swathes of yellow rock rose, wild thyme, milkwort, fairy flax, eye-bright and three species of orchid – common spotted, bee orchid and twayblade. Other flowers were bird’s-foot trefoil, ladies bedstraw, agrimony, clustered bell flower, yellow vetchling and musk thistle which smells delightful for those prepared to get close to the flower. There are so many flowers to see on this small hill it’s hard to avoid standing on them.
common spotted orchid