Gwersyllt to Gresford, 9th May 2009

Leader:  Peter Gateley

Five members met on Bidston station to make the change for the Chester train to reach Gwersyllt. By the time we had we had reached the public footpath system, via the north-eastern road through the village, the party had increased to twelve. After perusing the pavement and verge plants along the village roads, including an extensive bank of mouse-ear hawkweed Pilosella officinalis, the footpath to the east opened onto a shallow valley of predominantly pasture land. However, the valley bottom is occupied by a strip of diverse swampy habitat, mainly dominated by reedmace Typha latifolia, but with very noticeable large clumps of greater tussock-sedge, Carex paniculata, in full flower. Amongst many other species in this area were lesser pond-sedge, Carex acutiformis, ragged robin, Lychnis flos-cuculi and marsh marigold, Caltha palustris.

The footpath continued east, crossing the B5425; given that the party included several younger members, time was spent comparing the three common buttercup species and also three horsetails, common, Equisetum arvense, marsh, E. palustre and giant, E. telmateia. This footpath leads into the lush Alyn valley, with rich grasslands and glimpses into woodland showing both bluebell, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, and wild garlic, Allium ursinum, in abundant full flower. Bulbous buttercup, Ranunculus bulbosus, was in abundance in this part of the walk and lunch was taken on a grassy bank over-looking the river Alyn.

Heading north along the Alyn valley we then turned east, across the river, and into the very different landscape of a disused colliery, with typical development of birch woodland and areas of disturbed ground with good displays of ephemeral plants such as weld, Reseda luteola, and scarlet pimpernel, Anagallis arvensis, amongst many others. The footpath then took us across both carriageways of the busy A483(T) into the flat arable land of Gresford, Crossing through the fields, looking at arable weeds and hedgerow plants we arrived at Gresford Church. The churchyard here is how botanophiles would like to see all churchyards, a fitting setting to the magnificent mediaeval church but also managed to maximise local biodiversity. Mixed grass and woodrush swards were studded with plump clumps of primroses, Primula vulgaris (just going over) as well as some cowslip, P. veris, and cuckoo-flower Cardamine pratensis, but the chief delights were the frequent patches of meadow saxifrage, Saxifraga granulata, just coming into full flower, and goldilocks buttercup, Ranunculus auricomis. The party were able to study the diverse foliage of this plant and its strangely sparse flowering habit. We also admired the magnificent ancient yew tree, Taxus baccata, on the north-east side of the church, said to be the largest and oldest in Wales.

Sharp-eyed Peter Tipping noted carvings of green-man on the exterior of the church and inside, the most helpful and informative custodian moved aside a flower arrangement to show us another magnificent green-man low down on the wall of one of the side-chapels.

From this glorious churchyard we headed back west, through part of Llay and then across restored colliery land that now forms part of the Alyn Waters Country Park. We re-crossed the Alyn along sections of old country lanes with species-rich hedges and verges that had escaped the rigours of coal mining and returned to Gwersyllt station and car park.

Birch woodland over colliery waste.	Swampy valley bottom at Gwersyllt.	The Alyn Valley at Gwersyllt.	Cowslips	Greater Tussock-sedge

Meadow Saxifrage & Daisies.	Meadow Saxifrage	Meadow Saxifrage foliage.	Scarlet Pimpernel