Near Allt Rhongyr

But not in the reserve. We set out up a species rich lane to record in some privately owned land nearby (and therefore recorded the lane as well for general reasons).

It was nice to find a really good stand of Brittle Bladder-fern near one of the many cave entrances in this area:

Brittle Bladder-fern, Ffiolredynen frau or Cystopteris fragilis

Mike showed us a particularly attractive Blackberry - one of the many species he has recorded and helped to identify in our area:

Rubus vestitus (as the only online resource I could find that even attempted a common name calls it: "A Bramble")

When  we got up to the limestone-influenced level we started to find many more choice plants  - including another rarity from a difficult genus:

Hieracium repandulare, Repand-leaved Hawkweed

"A Welsh endemic locally frequent in the Craig y Rhiwarth area and at Craig Cerrig Gleisiad." (BSBI Atlas of British and Irish Hawkweeds). A pity we were too late for the flower...

John and Mike approach a cave entrance (picture by Sue)