Update on the Ling heather

[AndyTh]

Anyone know whether the ling is in flower on the South Wales moorlands yet?

 

[AndyTh]

Farmer in S Wales said the heather is a bit behind (as has been the entire summer) and hasn't started blooming yet! Must be well in flower by now surely?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Just had a look out the window at Mynydd y Drysgol (nearest heather to me, about a mile away) on the black mountain (not the Black Mountains which are further to the East) and no real sign of it opening yet, although there is a slight change in the shade so it may be not far off - I'll drive over that way in the next hour on my way to do a cormorant count on the Towy and post tonight what I find

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Nearly there

Had a quick detour this morning and walked the foot of pen Taircarn. The heather is trying valiantly to open and the colours are starting to show on the mountain, as well as the hedgerows a bit further down. Should be nice for the opening of the grouse season

Os grid reference if you want a comparison to further East is SN 674 163

 

[AndyTh]

Thanks JBM, couple of us took 12 hives up onto moors near Blaenavon on 11th and were surprised that heather generally was into early bloom, but on areas of old mine workings where soil is thin the heather had no blossom and had been scorched in the recent hot spell. Although 2 weeks later to take the bees than last year, the bloom yet to come, and sufficiently good weather forecast leaves me optimistic. But then I always tend to the optimistic....!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Just driving back over the Betws mountain from work Monday and could look accross the valley with an almost birds eye view of the heather moor and it's significantly purpler than last week, maybe go out after the grouse the weekend and have a closer look at it (might think about putting a hive or two in that area next year!)