Reports for 2024
26th April 2024 – Roundton Hill, Old Churchstoke. Organisers: Fran Holland, Jane Hudson and Jane Phillips.
Reports for 2023
22nd October 2023 – Fungus Foray, Pontrobert. Organisers: Sue and Steve Southam.
21st September 2023 – Snailbeach, The Hollies and Stiperstones. Organisers: Sue and Steve Southam.
11th August 2023 – Lymore Pools, Montgomery. Organisers: Philippa Young, Maureen Preen and Debbie Freeman.
12th July 2023 – Mynydd Waun Fawr, Llanerfyl. Organisers: Liz Wilson, Judy Abbey, Helen Siddons and Jane Phillips.
26th June 2023 – Dolydd Gobaith, Pen-y-Garnedd, nr Llanfyllin. Organisers: Jane Hudson, Fran Holland and Liz Wilson.
24th May 2023 – Cefn Goleu, Bwlch y Cibau. Organisers: Lizzie Beare, Philippa Young, Fran Holland and Judy Abbey.
22nd April 2023 – The Ciliau, Llandeilo Graban, nr. Builth Wells. Organiser: Julie Pearce.
Reports for 2022
20th April 2022 – Coed Caeau-gwynedd, Llanfyllin Organiser: Jane Hudson.
23rd May 2022 – Wood Lane Nature Reserve, Ellesmere. Organisers: Helen Siddons and Jane Phillips.
30th June 2022 – Prees Heath Common Reserve. Organisers: Sue and Steve Southam.
12th July 2022 – Minera Quarry. Organisers: Sue & Steve Southam, Ruth Dawes, Lizzie Beare and Liz Wilson
6th August 2022 – Whixall Moss and Fenns Meadow memorial walk. Organiser: Sue Bosson.
11th September 2022 – Beneath the Fridd, Montgomery. Organisers: Maureen Preen, Debbie Freeman and Philippa Young.
7th October 2022 – Fungus Foray, Cefn Goleu Wood, Bwlch-y-cibau. Organisers: Fran Holland and Les Hughes.
Reports for 2021
11th June 2021 – Coed Mitchen, Llanerfyl. Organisers: Fran Holland and Jane Hudson.
23rd June 2021 – Blaen y Cwm, Llangynog. Organiser: Sue Bosson.
15th July 2021 – The Briedden. Organisers: Sue & Steve Southam
2nd August 2021 – Llys Coppice, Bwlchydda. Organisers: Jane Hudson, Fran Holland and Maureen Preen.
3rd September 2021 – Penybontfawr. Organisers: Sue Bosson, Lizzie Beare, Sheila Turner and Debbie Freeman.
5th October 2021 – Gregynog Fungus Foray.
Reports for 2020 – all outings were cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Reports for 2019.
15th April 2019 – Trelystan Field trip, organisers Maureen Preen, Helen Siddons and Jane Phillips.
14th May – Cwmlladron (Robber’s Valley) outing, organisers Lizzie Beare & Steve Attwood-Wright.
6th June – Cors Gogh, Anglesey coach trip, organisers Jane Hudson, Fran Holland & Lizzie Beare.
11th July – Hirnant, near Penybontfawr, organisers Sue Southam & Sue Bosson
16th August – Will Woodlands, near Pont Llogel, organisers Sue Bosson and Jane Phillips
11th September – Llandanwg, near Harlech, coach trip, organisers Sue Bosson and Sue Southam
8th October – Guilsfield area Fungus Foray, organisers Maureen Preen and Pam Blair
Reports for 2018.
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, organiser Sue Southam
15th July– Pant Glas and Kerry Ridgeway, organiser Steve Attwood-Wright.
16th August– Dyfnant Forest & Rainbow Trails, organisers Sue Bosson, Jane Hudson and Jane Emmerson
3rd September– Pistyll Blain-y-Cwm, Cwm Pennant, organiser Sue Bosson
2nd October– Llanfechain outing, organisers Maureen Preen, Jane Hudson and Fran Holland
Reports for 2017.
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.
12th June– Field Trip to Pantmaenog, Llanidloes, organisers Sheila Turner & Steve Attwood-Wright. Flower-rich meadows, woodland, restored hedgerows.
12th July– Field Trip to Great Orme, Llandudno, organiser Sue Bosson. Limestone flora, silver-studded blue butterflies, beach environment.
17th August– Field Trip to Deerfold Forest, nr. Wigmore, organiser Sue Southam, walk leader Mark Lawley. All-ability walks in the footsteps of the Woolhope Naturalists, unusual flora, castle.
9th September– Field Trip to Llanfihangel-yng-ngwynfa, organisers Jane Firth-Emmerson & Lizzie Beare. Three-peaks challenge plus a variety of easier walks, flora & fauna in abundance.
6th October– Allt-y-Main, Meifod, organisers Jane Firth-Emmerson & Sylvia Backhouse. Woodlands, fungi, hill and lane walks.
INDOOR WINTER PROGRAMME 2017
11th November– Talk with slides by James Shaw on monitoring, surveying, trapping and identifying moths.
1st December– Our annual Christmas lunch at the Lakeside Golf Course Restaurant, Garthmyl.
Reports for 2016.
Pont Logel 3rd October 2016
Tan y Foel Quarry, Friday 9th September
Hafren Forest, Monday August 8th
List of birds provided by Mike Backhouse
Cwm Mawr, Hyssington 4th July – SSSI, wetland, meadows and rich flora
Whixall Moss, Shropshire 9th June – raised bog, wet woodland and heathland.
Llandyssil, Nr Montgomery -May 10th 2016 ancient churchyard, lanes and woodland.
MFS – outing to Llandyssil 10th 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 65th 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
Brockholes April 13th 2016 Coach trip. Nature reserve just off M6 motorway near Preston. pools, reedbeds, marsh, woods and floating visitor centre. Well worth a visit for all the family.
Reports for 2015.
Llangynog walks, 6th October
See report for explanation of the picture.
Correction to the text of the report.
Nantewyn means ‘foaming white stream’ in English.
Cae Heulen, Aberhosan wood walks, 16th September
Montgomery Castle, 18th August
Dyffryn Ardudwy 7th July 2015 led by Sheila Turner
Golfa, Welshpool, 11th June
Snowdon Lily expedition, June 9th.
Friog and Fairbourne, 19th May 2015 led by Michael and Sylvia Backhouse
Hidden Valley, Guilsfield 14th April
Coed Pendugwm a blog by volunteer warden Tammy Stretton
http://www.montwt.co.uk/blog/CoedPendugwmDiaries
Report for 2014 -2015
Butterfly and Moth Training
A report of a series of 4 days training in the field and classroom with Montgomeryshire Butterfly Recorder, Douglas Boyes by Sue Southam
Dolanog, April 24th 2014
Riverside, woodland and hill walks.
Cors Dyfi and Ynys Las 20th May 2014
Osprey observatory, bog, flora and beach.
Rhoslan, Rhos y Brithdir near Llanfyllin 23rd June 2014
8 acre smallholding, rich pasture, orchids and butterflies
Fron Haul, Cefn Coch 17th July 2014
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.
National Botanic Garden of Wales 11th August 2014
Coach trip to the Botanical Garden of Wales
Ganllwyd, Dolmelynllyn 15th September
Coach trip. Flat or hill walks, rivers and streams, wildlife and plants.
Leighton Woods 16th October 2014
Fungi foray
November 15th 2014 Indoor meeting.
The Special Features of Snowdonia
Talk and slide show by Dewi Davies, Senior Warden-North
Pendugwm Wood 2013 to 2014
This is a wood near to Pontrobert which is managed by Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust
January 11th 2014 Indoor meeting.
Alastair Hotchkiss of the Ancient Tree Forum
‘The Ancient Trees of Montgomeryshire’
February 8th 2014 Indoor meeting
Simon Spencer
‘The effect of modern farming on our native butterflies’
Montgomeryshire Field Society Trip to Dolanog, April 24th 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.