from early post-glacial times. with opposite pairs of elliptical, pale green leaves, TEES BANK FLOWERS about 1cm long. Inconspicuous white flowers with Sheep’s Sorrel (May–August) 5 petals, deeply cut into 2 widely diverging lobes, A small plant (25cm) often in short, acid grassland. shorter than the green sepals. 10-40cm tall, in wet 3 Slender flower stalk with brownish flowers. Leaves places. Compare with Greater Stitchwort. Flowers and Ferns arrow-shape with basal lobes pointing outwards. Fen Bedstraw (July–August) Up to 30cm. The sharp flavoured leaves can be Holwick Head Bridge A slender straggling plant with whorls of 6-8 sharp The North Pennines is one of England’s used to ‘pep-up’ sandwiches. pointed leaves. Square stems with backwardly most special places – a remote, unspoilt to High Force pointing prickles on the angles. Flowers small Hard fern landscape with a rich history and vibrant white stars. Up to 40cm. An easy fern to recognise. natural beauty. It was designated an Area of Dark green, prostrate basal Marsh Thistle (July–September) Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in fronds (leaves), strap-like A handsome, prickly plant of damp, marshy 1988. The North Pennines AONB is also ground. A biennial, with a basal rosette of leaves in with deeply cut, narrow Britain’s first European Geopark and a lobes on each side. Spore the 1st year followed by a tall stem (up to 150cm) bearing, fertile fronds are crowned with a cluster of red-purple flower heads. founding member of the UNESCO Global erect, with the edges of Plants are usually shot-through (diffused) with red Geoparks Network. narrower lobes, wrapped Hard Fern anthrocyanin (the colour in beetroot); forms around the spore. (30cm) without this pigment have white flowers. Produced and part-funded by Bracken (see also Walk 2) Hazel (January–April) Upper Teesdale Botany Group A very common, tall fern (2m): frond, roughly A many stemmed shrub (up triangular shape, divided into three main sections. to 6m) with hairy shoots and Contact: 01833 650 589 A serious weed. Essentially a woodland plant, “‘tis leaves, round/oval leaves All photographs © M E Bradshaw said there is ‘gold under bracken’‘’ alluding to the with irregular teeth, turn sometime, underlying deeper soil and former forest orange/red in the autumn. Hazel flowers Further information cover of the area. Bracken is a world-wide plant, Male catkins, formed in the Plants of Upper Teesdale (1997) and including Australian forests. autumn, expand and open before the females whose red stigmas protrude like a snake’s tongue Wild Flower Walks of Upper Teesdale (2005) by Bird Cherry Marsh Community on the north side of the path from buds near the ends of the stems. Hazel nuts, Christopher and Gayle Lowe 1 surrounded by a leafy husk, develop over the The Natural History of Upper Teesdale (2003) This 0.45km ( /4 mile) walk beside the River Tees Bog Asphodel (July–September) enters the Upper Teesdale National Nature Reserve summer. Ed. Margaret E Bradshaw In wet acidic marshes/bogs. Flat, sword-like leaves and has a wealth of wildlife, including numerous of uneven length turning Aspen (February –April) (see also Walk 2) plant species. Many are common British species and dull salmon-red in autumn. A tall tree (to 20m) with round, hairless leaves on This leaflet has been funded with the support of some belong to the ‘Teesdale Assemblage’ – a uniquely rich association of plants for which Upper Spikes of golden yellow, 6 long, laterally flattened stalks that enable the leaf to Teesdale is famous. The plants included here are the petalled, lily-like flowers dance in the wind. Many sucker shoots arise from larger flowering ones, trees and ferns that can be with furry anthers and – the roots and can develop into an aspen thicket (as near Wynch Bridge). These have large, heart- seen, at the appropriate time of the year (when they later, reddish fruits. are flowering), from this well-used path. Not all will shaped, pointed leaves on short stalks and may be This project received funding from One NorthEast Bleached fruit spikes persist be in flower on one visit. The flowering times into the winter. (30cm) bronze-green. Light-demanding and one of the indicated are for the peak period. Bog Stitchwort (May–June) oldest, deciduous trees in Northern Europe, To prevent trampling on inconspicuous and perhaps rare A slender, hairless plant evidence from bogs of 12,000 years ago. Bog Asphodel plants it is advisable to keep to the path and already- trampled areas; please do not extend them. Design and print by Mosaic (Teesdale) Ltd. Tel. 01833 640 893 On Holwick Head Bridge white hairs between the pairs of two similar sized stipules, make the leaf appear to hairy, toothed leaves. Flowers have 5 sessile leaflets. Very common with the To Alston Maidenhair Spleenwort Leaflet 3 Leaflet 2 Leaflet 1 rich bright blue with a white following plant in acid grassland. B6277 Attached to the stone parts of the bridge are many High Force eye. In some areas it is called Hotel and tufts of this dark green fern. The fronds (leaves) car park Bird’s-eye Speedwell (25cm). Heath Bedstraw (June–August) River Tees have opposite pairs of oblong segments on a wiry, Bowlees A mat-forming, low growing plant with leaves in Visitor Centre dark-brown rachis (midrib). With it is Wall-rue , and car park Common or Heath Speedwell whorls of 6-8, each broadest High which has a lobed frond. Force Holwick (May–August) near the tip and with forwardly Head Bridge Tees Bank Walk A creeping, mat-forming hairy directed marginal hairs. Flowers Bridge to the stile into the National Nature Reserve (Pennine Way) To Middleton-in- Teesdale plant: elliptical, coarsely small with 4 petals, star-like, in Wynch Lady’s Mantle (May-July and September) Bridge B6277 toothed, nearly stalk-less leaves. clusters on branched stems up A common plant of meadows, roadsides and Flowers are lilac, on long, erect, to 20cm long. pastures. Basal leaves round to kidney-shaped, densely flowered stems. 10- Heath Milkwort (April–August) with toothed lobes, hairy or hairless. Small, Scorberry 15cm. Bridge A small, slender, almost greenish-yellow flowers in clusters on much Thyme-leafed Speedwell prostrate plant with narrow, branched flower-stems have a scent of apricots. Heath Bedstraw (April–October) dark green elliptical leaves. The several species are separated by hair cover and Large, flat-faced violets, usually deep, purple-blue, The smallest: creeping, Flowers usually blue: two of the shape of the leaf and leaf-lobes. The most common but with various amounts rooting stems, leaves five sepals are large and coloured and enclose the is virtually hairless. Alchemists are said to have yellow/white, are found in oblong, hairless, and rest of the flower. Fruits are a flat, winged capsule collected the dew from the funnel-shaped leaves grassy areas. Pure yellow often shiny. Many with 2 seeds, each with a white oil body, attractive for their experiments. Height of basal leaves 4- flowers, common in the flowers, pale blue with to ants. 40cms. Yorkshire Dales, are scarce violet veins, on erect in Teesdale. An eye- Juniper (May–June) stems, about 10cm tall. Tall rushes (June–July) catching flower which often Heath Speedwell An evergreen shrub, spreading or columnar, with Tufts or dense stands of tall (60cms) green stems. brightens otherwise un- In the National Nature Reserve short sharp pointed Two kinds: both have small fawn/brown flowers. inspiring grassland. leaves in whorls of 3, Jointed rush has flattened, tubular leaves with Downy birch, northern form (April–May) shiny green below, grey crossbars which can be felt if the leaf is gently Mountain Pansy Bird Cherry (April–June) A small tree with diamond-shaped, simply toothed above. Separate male squeezed. Soft rush is unbranched, with clusters of A common, upland shrub. leaves. Young shoots are downy: the slightly sticky and female plants, the flowers a short distance below the sharp-pointed There is an ancient specimen near the path. Leaves buds and leaves emit a resinous scent when damp. small yellow/brown tip (be careful) of the stem. The spongy pith was are a long oval and toothed. Spike-like Male catkins are pendulous and 4-5 times the males produce clouds of soaked in tallow and used as a candle. Rushes inflorescences of strongly scented, cream flowers length of the erect green females which will pollen. The spherical Juniper were traditionally used for thatch and are still are pollinated by bees and flies.These develop into produce copious small females ripen in their 2nd occasionally used as bedding for cattle. small round, black fruits, also known as hag winged seeds in the autumn or 3rd autumn into blue-grey ‘berries’. Oil of cherries, and are eaten by birds but not palatable — winter food for small Juniper has medicinal and antiseptic properties and Meadow Sweet (July–September) to humans because of the high tannin content. birds. the ‘berries’ are used to flavour gin and in many A familiar tall plant of damp places. Stiff, red- culinary dishes. tinged stems, up to 150cm are crowned with Speedwells Tormentil (June–September) numerous, small, cream flowers, looking like a There are three along this walk. In all, the flowers Low growing or erect Yew mass of candyfloss. The basal rosette of large have 4 joined petals, the upper broad, the others spreading plant with small A dark evergreen tree with short, flat, dark green leaves with 2-5 pairs of toothed, oval leaflets have narrow. Stem round and leaves in alternating regular, four petalled yellow leaves (poisonous).