Alton fern trail December 2020: 9 species

Alton Natural History Society: June Chatfield

Alton fern trail December 2020: 9 species

1. Start from King’s Pond car park and proceed through the alleyway and Waterside Court to the railway bridge in Paper Mill Lane. Here look for Hart’s-tongue fern (undivided frond) and Maidenhair Spleenwort (once pinnate), a small fern at top of underside of bridge.

2. Return to King’s Pond and follow the path below the railway line to the far end. Look for Male Fern (twice pinnate) and tan brown scales and pinnae coming off low down the stem, and in willow patch Broad Buckler Fern (thrice pinnate) with scales having dark centres and a much longer length of stalk before the pinnae which are longest at the base, so the frond is triangular.

3. Cross the road to the Dell and in this old chalk pit you will see more Hart’s-tongue Fern, then continue along pavement towards Crowley Drive and look for ferns on the mossy wall – this is Western Polypody (once pinnate) and on top of the wall another Male Fern. The pinnules of Male Fern do not have thumbs as in Shield Ferns – they are mostly in the hollow lanes.

4. Cross the road under the railway bridge and take the footpath at the back of the railway line beside the brewery and, where there is a grass verge, turn left to a cul-de-sac. On the brick wall on the right of 6 Sherwood Terrace look for Black Spleenwort with stiff stem that has a black base and divided frond and also more Hart’s-tongue.

5. Cross the road at the end of the terrace and follow a footpath alleyway along the end of the Courage’s Cottages, then right behind their gardens to Drayman’s Way, cross over and continue to the High Street at the Curtis Museum. Here the war memorial cairn has Maidenhair Spleenwort and Black Spleenwort. Turn left down the hill.

6. At Costa Coffee, go into Wey Walk and look on the wall opposite near the drainpipe for Hart’s-tongue Fern and ten plants of Maidenhair Spleenwort. They would have arrived through the air as spores, germinated, proceeded through the prothallus generation, their ovules fertilised by swimming male gametes resulting in a young fern plant. The damp situation is significant to complete the life cycle.

7. Continue down the High Street to Marks and Spencers and cross Mount Pleasant to the former Hop Poles pub, then left and right into Old Acre Road. On the brick wall of an outhouse of the Hop Poles are several ferns. Look for Rustyback Fern (once pinnate) with brown hairs on the backs of the fronds. This is quite rare in Hampshire. There is more of it (24 plants) at the western end of town on the flint and brick wall at the entrance to the French Horn pub off The Butts. Also, there is Wall Rue Fern, another small spleenwort with divided fronds and pinnae and Hart’s-tongue. There is more of Wall Rue in a brick garden wall in Queens Road.

8. Continue up Mount Pleasant to the railway bridge for more Wall Rue and Rustyback Fern. Continue up hill and take New Barn Lane on left then right and cross to footpath between fences leading to steps by the Dell: look for Soft Shield Fern by railway bank. At the bottom is Ashdell Road, turn right and return to the meeting place at King’s Pond car park.

A useful identification aid for the field is Key to Common Ferns published by the Field Studies Council publications@field-studies-council.org