Montgomeryshire Field Society

Reports for 2018  to view a report, click on the title.

25th April- visit to Pensychnant Conservation Centre, organiser Sheila Turner.

14th May- Ynys-hyr, Ynyslas and Cors fochno, organisers Sue Southam and Lizzie Beare.

28th June- Hurdley Hall and Roundton Hill, organiser Sue Southam.

15th July- Pant Glas and Kerry Ridgeway, organiser Steve Attwood-Wright.

Reports for 2017  to view a report, click on the title.

12th February- Indoor talk by Razvan Chishu- on the famous Transylvanian wildflower meadows and how they are managed.

25th April- Field Trip to The Centre for Alternative Technology, Machynnlleth, organisers Sue Southam & Maureen Preem.

18th May- Field Trip to Foel, near Llangadfan, organisers Sue Southam & Lizzie Beare. Unimproved pasture, drovers' routes, river valley.

MFS – outing to Llandyssil 10^th May 2016

Organisers – Sheila Turner and Steve Attwood-Wright

The day dawned cool and wet but this did not dampen the spirits of the Field Society members.  We were provided with coffee and tea at our meeting point – the 1830’s new church of St Tyssil before walking through the village to the churchyard site of Old St Tyssils.  Here we took our picnic lunch under the shade of the ancient Yew trees and made a Flora survey for the local community who are considering adopting the site as a nature reserve.  We recorded over 70 species.

Shiela and Steve then led two parties on a circular route through the lanes to the south of the village which included a species rich green lane where we found Moschatel (Town Hall clock)  Unfortunately we did not hear or see the Curlew spotted on the research walk three weeks earlier.

We were provided with an excellent tea back at the Church by local volunteers and a ‘Happy Birthday’ was sung for our vice chair Steve Attwood-Wright on the occasion of his 65^th birthday.  Steve gave the vote of thanks to the tea ladies and to local resident Claudia  Jones who had shown us the routes taken.

S A-Wright

Bumblebee Training Day Sat 21st My 2016   Tutor: Ian Cheeseborough  Venue: Lower View, Sarn

 Montgomery Castle, 18th August

Dyffryn Ardudwy 7th July 2015 led by Sheila Turner

Butterfly and Moth Training

Dolanog, April 24th 2014

Osprey observatory, bog, flora and beach.

 8 acre smallholding, rich pasture, orchids and  butterflies

10 acres transformed over 10 years by the current owners.  A derelict old long house and cattle barn into highly ecological and beautiful huse with stunning views.  Wildflower meadows, native trees, a  pond and an orchard all to explore and admire.

Ganllwyd, Dolmelynllyn 15th September

Leighton Woods 16th October 2014

Pendugwm Wood 2013 to 2014

 Montgomeryshire Field Society Trip to Dolanog, April 24^th 2014.

This, the first MFS outing of the season, was to the lovely village of Dolanog, and a fine day we had for it.  Thirty-two of us explored several different and picturesque routes around the Vyrnwy valley.

The footpaths on Allt Dolanog gave the opportunity to enjoy splendid views in all directions, with an interesting boggy area just below the summit, where we found Cranberry, Marsh St John’s Wort and Marsh Violet amongst other damp-loving plants.  This hill was the last place in Montgomeryshire  to yield records of High Brown Fritillary butterflies, as recently as 2003, and the common land here is managed to protect the violets on which the caterpillars of the Pearl-bordered Fritillary feed. To hear the curlew and skylarks singing was a real treat, and the eye-catching white rumps of wheatears were further reminders that Spring was well and truly with us.

A riverside walk to the north-west involved some woodland and pastures. Two further walks flanked the Vyrnwy towards Pont Robert – the Ann Griffiths Way to the North of the river and Glyndwr’s Way to the South. A circular walk combining these was also possible for the keen walkers.

The walks along the river towards Pontrobert proved to be rich in bird life. Redstarts were seen by several people as were stock doves, grey wagtail and teal. Another less common summer visitor, which was more often heard than seen, was the wood warbler, present in good numbers on both sides. A pair of hares were observed frolicking by the old fisherman’s cottage – always a welcome sight.

Dolanog is renowned for its association with the Welsh hymn writer, Ann Griffiths, who spent most of her life here. Some members of our group enjoyed  the chance to look around the chapel, which is a not only a memorial to Ann, but also an interesting and unusual example of  an Arts and Crafts architectural style applied to a Non-Conformist chapel.

As the very pleasant outing drew to a close, and we all compared notes on the day, the ladies of Dolanog welcomed us with a good spread of tea, sandwiches, cake and conversation in the Old School House. We were very happy to make donations to a Ukrainian orphanage, for which they fund-raise on a regular basis.

Suitably refreshed, a few of us extended the day by following the wild daffodil-edged lanes to Tan-y-Rhyd chapel, where several old plant records include Adder’s-tongue and Hound’s-tongue. Although we didn’t spot these, the carpet of cowslips, wood anemones and wild daffodils in the graveyard made it a particularly special place, and one to revisit on another occasion.