The view across Cow Green reservoir looks bare. It was cold with a biting wind and although sunny, the flora was not in flower yet.
This region has an Arctic/Alpine flora of special endemic species. It is thought they have survived here for 10-12000 years since the last Ice Age. The local geology also contributes to the unique soils and aspect of the area. The Whin Sill, shown below at Cauldron Snout, is a region of volcanic intrusive rock showing unusual extensive contact metamorphism. It is thought that the presence of Sodium chloride as brine assisted the formation of metamorphic Sarcoidal Limestone (sugar limestone) unique to the area. The Whin Sill in Northumberland, by contrast, is composed of dark quartz dolerite but Teesdale has so called White Whin that on weathering forms calcareous gravels and soils.
A sample of Sugar Limestone from nearby Cronkley Fell is pictured below.
The geological conditions resulting from the emplacement of the whin sill also produced the mineral veins of the North Pennine Orefields. Shown below is a sample from a spoil heap near a Baryte mine. It could be either Barium sulphate or Witherite (Barium carbonate).
This could be Hoary Whitlow grass (Draba incana) though not quite in flower so not easy to be certain.
Blue Moor Grass (Sesleria caerulea) was well in flower and very attractive.
I do not know the flower below.
Sea Plantain (Plantago maritima) is one of the plants that seems to like these conditions. Sea Pink (Armeria maritima) was also found. The other plant is an Alchemilla of some kind.
Below are the leaves of Spring Gentian (Gentiana verna). Two days later it was flowering in blue splendour.
This is probably a pearlwort although we did see the foliage of Spring Sandwort.
The leaves of Yellow Mountain Saxifrage (Saxifraga azoides) were noticed as was Scottish Asphodel, Mountain Pansy, Hare’s- tail cotton grass and Rockrose.
Bird’s- eye Primrose (Primula farinosa) was almost in flower.
This Fir Clubmoss (Huperzia selago) is growing among the cotton grass and emerging Wild Thyme.
Although flowering plants were rare the Lichen and Bryophyte flora was very colourful.
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