Wrekin Forest Volunteers: What a view!

20 Sept 2023

What a view!

Wednesday 13th September 2023, Hawkstone Park Follies

According to the site’s website “The Follies is a range of dramatic and rugged natural sandstone hills that were developed to include gullies, caves, towers and bridges, becoming one of the most visited landscapes in Britain during the 19th Century.”

There followed a period of neglect before major investment in its restoration allowed it to re-open in the 1990’s.

Please refer to the website (https://www.hawkstoneparkfollies.co.uk/) for more detailed information about the origins and development of the area.

We were met by one of the park’s employees who had been asked to look after us during our stay.

He had the use of a Land Rover and offered to transport us around the site. We took advantage of this offer and asked him to take us to the furthest part of the site called Grotto Hill. The plan would be to explore this area then make our way slowly back to the start on foot.

The Land Rover could take six, so it took him two trips to get us there.

The journey took us from the Visitor Centre down the Grand Valley, a wide grassland between sandstone hills and woodland. We then passed through a narrow passage under a bridge before making the ascent onto Grotto Hill.

After being dropped off we moved onto an area known as Raven’s Shelf where we were met by this magnificent view.

Photograph: David Williams

You will understand why it was some time before we started looking for things of interest as we took it all in.

Photograph: Nigel Jones

Raven’s shelf is so named as it was a site where Ravens nested. The fence is needed as it is perched over a precipitous drop known as "The Awful Precipice".

You may notice in the above photograph a green colouration on the rocks. This is caused, so I am informed, by Malachite, a mineral of copper, that was mined in the area, possibly as early as the Roman occupation.

One feature of the site is the abundance of Rhododendron. This took hold during the period of neglect.

In turn the Rhododendron was inhabited by lots of these.

Photograph: David Williams

This is the colourful planthopper, Graphocephala fennahi. Originally a native to the USA it was introduced to Europe in the 1900’s. It feeds on the sap of Rhododendron.

Other plants in abundance on the shelf were Scot’s pine, other conifers and heather.

Beating a Scot’s pine dislodged a male Common earwing and a Pine ladybird.

Photograph: David Williams

Rummaging through the heather yielded an Adonis’ ladybird.

Photograph: David Williams

An eye-catching Grey dagger moth larva was found in one of the trees.

Photograph: David Williams

Moving onto the body of the hill, the habitat changed to areas of grass with a few other species of tree together with the omnipresent Rhododendron.

Tapping the leaves of a Silver birch produced a Parent bug which was photographed then returned.

Sandwiched between a couple of bushes was a patch of bramble covered in ripe and rotting fruit. This was in full sunlight and attracted several Commas which were feasting on the berries. Here is one of them.

A Speckled wood butterfly did not seem to want to join in and kept a respectful distance away, on one of the neighbouring bushes.

Nearby a Red admiral was spotted feeding on Yew berries.

Photograph: David Williams

Seeing all these butterflies gorging themselves reminded me that it was lunchtime. As there were a couple of picnic tables handily placed nearby we took full advantage of them.

But first I nipped over to the edge of the hill to take a photograph of the Swiss bridge which crossed shortly after eating.

We think having lunch where we did must have set a record for the least distance the group had moved from its starting point We were dropped off about 30 yards away!

Lunch over we left Grotto Hill via the bridge we had passed under on the journey there to be met by a staircase of 39 steps. The steps, however, were not a gentle rise, but a rather taxing one.

Pausing for breath at the top we decided to take the route that crossed over the Swiss Bridge. I should admit, that it was not a universal decision!

Perhaps going this way was not the best choice as the bridge was very narrow. Negotiating it, carrying a rucksack, net, tray, suction sampler and stick, was quite a challenge.

Fortunately nothing was dropped into the abyss below and we all managed to get across safely.

One even went back for a second go to take a photograph of the view.

Photograph: David Williams

The area rising on the right is where we had spent the morning.

Eventually we emerged on to the main track along the sandstone ridge, known as the Terrace, doing a little entomology on the way.

As we walked along the Terrace, slowly gaining height, we noticed a pair of Collared earthstars at the side of the path.

Photograph: Nigel Jones

Every now and then we paused to check out clearings or the trees.

A Pale tussock moth larva was knocked out of a Sycamore.

Photograph: Nigel Jones

And just in case we forgot we were on the top of a ridge here was a reminder.

Soon we came across an area where we need to be careful of not upsetting the locals.

Moving swiftly on, we came to the highest point where a path to the side led to the Monument. We took this path, spotting a Hairy shieldbug along the way;

Photograph: David Williams

And a Red admiral at rest on a Rhododendron flower. There is also a hoverfly feeding on the flower.

At the side of the path there was a giant Chile pine (otherwise known as a Monkey-puzzle).

Photograph: David Williams

Yes, we finally reached the Monument.

No, we did not climb the 150 step spiral staircase to the top.

It was locked.

Well, that’s our excuse.

It was built in 1795 as a tribute to Sir Rowland Hill (1492 – 1561), the first Protestant Lord Mayor of London and the first member of the Hill family associated with Hawkstone.

Returning to the track we continued towards the White Tower where we hoped to find the path that took us down from the ridge and back to our starting point.

On the way we found a Rhopalid bug, Corizus hyoscami.

Photograph: David Williams

At last, the White Tower.

Not very white!

The white limestone wash has been lost.

The path down was not the easiest to negotiate but we all made it back to the Visitor Centre unscathed and exhilarated after an excellent day out.

My thanks to Hawkstone Park for permitting us to do what we enjoy doing, to our host for the day for looking after us, and to the photographers for allowing me to use their images.