Wildflower walk at Yesnaby - July 9th

The heavens opened and rain of biblical proportions fell on Stenness and Sandwick. The road to Yesnaby was under 6" of water in three places - flash flooding - the soil was impervious to the rain and it ran in torrents across the baked earth. But by the time we assembled at Yesnaby, the deluge was but a recent memory. We were looking at the wildflowers of Coastal Grassland and Coastal Heath and were privileged to find that the Scottish Primrose (Primula scotica) was in the middle of one of its finest displays of recent years. The grassland was liberally sprinkled with Grass of Parnassus, Kidney Vetch, Wild Thyme (including the white variant), Sea Arrowgrass, Sea Plantain, Buck's-horn Plantain, Eyebright, Glaucous Sedge and Carnation Sedge. In the heathier areas at Inga Ness we found a fine population of Mountain Everlasting along with Slender St.John's-wort, Ling, Bell Heather, Cross-leaved Heath, Yellow Rattle, Crowberry, Flea Sedge, Viviparous Fescue and Creeping Willow.

Primula scotica, Yesnaby

Primula scotica, Yesnaby

Los Afficionados on Coastal Heath with Coastal Grassland over their shoulders

Grass of Parnassus

Grass of Parnassus

Mountain Everlasting

Mountain Everlasting

Wild Thyme with white variant

Links two complete - but all ties nearly severed!

Two down, one to go.  I have finally finished the second links plate.  It has been a bit traumatic - with Tim and myself squabbling about whether to include bits of rubbish in the picture or not!  You will note that he got his way.  It is Orkney's 'Bag the Bruck' weekend, where around 500 volunteers help clear rubbish from the beaches, so I guess it's fitting that I should finish such a pristine scene at this time!

Anyway, with time of the essence, I've started on the last links plate.  This one will have Grass of Parnassus, Cowslip, Autumn Gentian, Field Gentian and Mouse-ear Hawkweed.  I'm giving myself two weeks - we'll see.