Get to know your local wild flowers with Plantwalk expert Clare Gurton in Hartland.
Local writer and botanical enthusiast Clare Gurton is passionate about re-kindling
our associations with wild plants.
Clare has organised a series of weekly guided Plantwalks in Hartland to be a part of
B10 - the North Devon Biosphere’s tenth anniversary celebrations.
These friendly outings, where you can find and learn about plants growing on local
verges, begin in April, are usually of 2 hours duration and will be held on a
Wednesday evening from 6pm. This is a unique opportunity to see the North Devon
Biosphere from a different angle, to learn more about identifying local wild flowers
and to enjoy some of the fascinating stories associated with them.
Clare says “Plantwalk was born because of my belief that any knowledge of local
wildlife is better than none; because just 'knowing' the odd local wild plant can
enrich any experience of the natural world.”
Living within the Biosphere area means this to Clare “… for me, the high coastal
plateaus offer me a mental peace that comes from open skylines and the wilderness of
the sea; the small valley wild woods give me stimulation and excitement which comes
from an opportunity for exploration and discovery. The intricate plant and insect
associations of the culm allow me to loose myself to geology and history and
dreaming about what could have been.
This area of north Devon still has a feel of untamed-ness; a little wild and unruly
but with great depth.”
“Walking is good for your physical and mental health and so are wild plants - join
me to take a closer look at our local network of verges and learn about the huge
variety of insects and birds that depend on them Smell the gorse, taste the sorrel,
learn about country names and recipes and go home inspired and interested.”
