A nice surprise

A very interesting walk can be taken from Byfield via 'Muddy Lane' (more officially known as Pit Lane) to Byfield Pool and Boddington Reservoir. It is a walk I have enjoyed many times over the years but yesterday Chris and I, together with our friend Lynda, made the journey in pursuit of a clump of orchids.

Lynda had located them a few days previously following a tip from 'Pom' Boddington (whose surname, incidentally, has nothing to do with Boddington Reservoir). Having walked a couple of hundred yards along Muddy Lane we turned south-west to follow the track-bed of the Stratford-upon-Avon and Midland Junction railway. It was a locally valuable but generally uneconomic line which, having left Byfield continued, via Aston-le-Walls and Fenny Compton, to Stratford. There was a tiny halt at Aston-le-Walls from 1910 to 1953 which appears to have been mostly used for the transportation of sheep and cattle.

One of the last times the track was used was for a specially organised tour,

 here seen near Aston le Walls. Date unknown.

The line was single track and therefore our path was narrow. Nevertheless a steady stream of walkers has kept this (unofficial) footpath open and clear of brambles, etc. Few plants of interest were noted, the most exciting being a few specimens of the foul-smelling Black Horehound, Ballota nigra and some spikes of Weld, Reseda luteola.

Black Horehound plants were present here and there
beside the old track. 28 July, 2020

Eventually we turned off the old railway track and began skirting the edge of Parson's Spinney. Finally we found our quarry and the plant in question proved to be Broad-leaved Helleborine, Epipactis helleborine. Interestingly in 2009 it was found in Daventry, again beside the disused railway there, although in general it is an orchid of old, even ancient, woodland.

Broad-leaved Helleborine on the edge of Parson's

 Spinney, near Byfield. 28 July, 2020

We discovered ten spikes but there is little doubt that a careful examination would have revealed several more. Lynda told us that she had noticed some growing in an adjacent cornfield - a surprising habitat.

Botanically this is a little-known area and an observant botanist could possibly find many species of more-than-usual interest.

Thanks to Lynda we had a very enjoyable walk and I returned well pleased. Once home I sent the record off to Brian Laney, Northamptonshire County Botanical Recorder.