The British Pteridological Society

Stob Coire Sgriodain, West of Cairngorms; Clubmosses Stob Coire Sgriodain, south of Fersit, Highland. This is one of the two sites for Lycopodium lagopus identified by Fred Rumsey in his Watsonia article in 2007. When I visited the area in 2012 I found it to be rich in clubmosses, including a few plants of Diphasiastrum … Continue reading Scottish Group – Stob Coire Sgriodain →

The plan will be to explore a stretch of the West Highland Way on the east shore of Loch Lomond. We should meet at Tarbet on Loch Lomond at about 9.45am (park near Tarbet pier) and we’ll catch the passenger ferry to Inversnaid. The ferry costs £11.50 return and takes about 30 minutes each way (Click here for … Continue reading Scottish Group – Loch Lomond →

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Meet at Creag Tronach, near Dunkeld. Parking on a forest track near the site, to be confirmed. Bring a packed lunch. Initially, walking on a path to the first site, but later the terrain becomes more difficult (some slopes and loose soil and can be muddy). We did a reconnaissance trip to this site in … Continue reading Scottish Group: Creag Tronach, Dunkeld: Asplenium septentrionale monitoring →

An exploration of native ferns on Cumbrae and possibly also the fern garden of Fred Jackson. Details to be confirmed.

Puck’s Glen is one of the richest sites in the UK for native ferns. Meeting Place - One mile south of Benmore Botanic Garden in Foresty Commission car park NS 146839 (Sat Nav PA23 8QT), six miles north of Dunoon If time allows, we will go north to Loch Eck and look for washed up … Continue reading Scottish Group – Puck’s Glen →

Meet at 10am in the large car park at the tourist information centre on N side of the main Atholl Road (A924), grid ref. NN 9415 5805. We will then combine into fewer cars and drive to the car park beyond Moulin (NN 9435 5952). From here there is a path to the top of Ben Vrackie (NN 951 … Continue reading Scottish Group – Mountain ferns, Ben Vrackie, Pitlochry →

Fatlips Castle, in Roxburghshire, in the Scottish Borders at the top of Minto Crags. (NB: despite the date, this is not a joke!) Meeting point is the car park beneath Fatlips Castle, which is accessed via a dirt track road from the single track road leading from Ancrum to Denholm (NT 585 207). Please bring … Continue reading S: Asplenium septentrionale monitoring →

Meet at lay-by south of Devil's Elbow on east side of the road (N0 133 753). Steep, rough walk up to screes for Polystichum lonchitis and other limestone ferns. On to the ski buildings at the Cairnwell to see large population of Botrychium and four species of clubmoss. If there is time, return by Drummore … Continue reading S: Glenshee area, Cairngorms →

A return trip to this rich site for alpine flora, including some interesting ferns and even more interesting fern allies. Last year we got waylaid by clubmosses, moonwort and various other delights, and never made it as far as the summit and beyond, where mountain bladder fern and holly fern are reputed to be found. … Continue reading S: Mountain ferns, Ben Vrackie, Pitlochry →

Meet at Wemyss Bay ferry at 10am. Recently a robust colony of Hypolepis ambigua has been discovered by Angus Hannah at several sites on Bute. Angus estimates the population may be ~100 years old. A native of New Zealand, there are no records of this species anywhere else in the UK. If time allows we … Continue reading S: Hypolepis ambigua on the Isle of Bute →

Meeting time/place to be arranged, depending on attendees. At our indoor meeting last year, Steve Munyard told us about easily accessible sites in Glen Lyon where we can expect to see a range of interesting mountain ferns, including Cystopteris montana, Woodsia alpina, and Polystichum lonchitis, as well as Asplenium viride and Dryopteris expansa. The first … Continue reading S: Mountain ferns in Glen Lyon →

Meeting time/place to be arranged, depending on attendees. The marsh fern, Thelypteris palustris, is recorded at only two sites in Scotland, both in Dumfriesshire. One is Southerness. In the same area are also a few common fern species, and a number of horsetails (Equisetum arvense, E. palustre, E. sylvaticum, E. fluviatile and E. x litorale.) … Continue reading S: Thelypteris palustris in Dumfriesshire →

Now that government guidelines are allowing a bit more venturing out, Andy and Natalie are keen to go ahead with this meeting on Saturday July 25. This type of outing should comfortably lend itself to social distancing. We will just have to avoid any hugging! If you are interested in participating or for more information, … Continue reading S: Kirkton Glen, Balquhidder →

Meet at the Lochan na h-Achlaise view point car park (NN316 485). There is another site at Loch Ba on the other side of the road. If that is busy, there is another car park a mile or two further south on the A82. We will look for Lycopodiella inundata, as well as many ferns … Continue reading S: Lochan na h-Achlaise on Rannock Moor →

Bings in central Scotland are of course the spoil heaps from shale mining. Some have been maintained because botanists discovered that they have been colonized by interesting plants. At Shotts Bing, about halfway between Glasgow and Edinburgh, we should find Diphasiastrum alpinum and Lycopodium clavatum, as well as Botrychium (lunaria or nordicum?) and horsetails. There … Continue reading S: Lycophytes on Shotts Bing →

Coire Ghamhnain, below Beinn Udlaidh, near Tyndrum, has lime-rich crags with interesting flora, including records of Woodsia, but also Cryptogramma, Asplenium viride, Dryopteris oreades, clubmosses, etc. (More details to follow.) Leader: Andy MacGregor

At short notice, we are planning an extra fern outing, on Wednesday evening next week (25 May); a gentle stroll in Holyrood Park, Edinburgh. We hope to see several interesting things: - Adder’s-tongue fern (Ophioglossum vulgatum). Not at all rare, but not often seen! - at least three different horse tails (including Equisetum fluviatile and … Continue reading S: Extra fern outing, Arthur’s Seat →