Wildflowers in South Devon

Some time will be spent in the classroom but we shall spend as much time as possible exploring the plants of the wonderful Devon countryside. The course is designed to help you identify plants in a glorious setting. This will require close examination of the flowers which provide the major big clues to the identity of any plant, but other features are also very useful to determine precise identification.  We shall approach this in a systematic way using reliable methods that should stand you in good stead and give you confidence to pursue the subject further. Plenty of help and guidance will be available. The daily excursions will involve some steep uphill and downhill walking but the pace will seldom be strenuous.

As you can imagine, Devon can be glorious on a fine day in July (but be armed with sun cream etc.). However, if the weather is poor, the coast can be exposed to the worst. You should be prepared with water- and windproof clothing (available for hire from the centre). Rain will not stop play but we are likely to return to Slapton earlier than planned and spend more time studying the plants in the classroom.  Strong winds may dictate changes to the programme – cliff tops and woodlands are not the safest places to be under such conditions

Ros Bennett

Ros Bennett is a botanist and ecologist. She was formerly a full time tutor at Flatford Mill (another Field Studies Council field centre) and then organiser and leader of courses for FSC Overseas. She has written books on plants and teaches courses on plant identification to both amateurs and professionals, and she is passionate about thistles.

Slapton Ley is a stone’s throw from the unspoilt and picturesque coastline of South Devon. Slapton Ley Field Centre is located on the Start Bay coast. It’s surrounded by the 210-hectare Slapton Ley National Nature Reserve that includes the 4km long Slapton Sands beach and the largest freshwater lake in the Southwest.

The centre is located within the South Devon National Landscape close to Dartmoor National Park and is within easy reach of the M5 and mainline train station at Totnes. It is located within landscaped grounds with seating areas, shelters, kitchen garden and wildlife areas.

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  Expert Tuition
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  Free Wi-Fi
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  Full Board Accommodation
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  Hot and Cold Drinks
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  Picnic Lunch

What to bring

As the course involves field visits, you will need a Thermos, lunchbox, waterproof clothing (available on loan from the centre) and stout shoes or boots.

Also, please bring the following with you if you can:

• A x10 magnification hand lens (available on the course, £8.75)
• Two pairs of fine pointed forceps and/or two mounted needles

N.B. It is not necessary to purchase any books before the course or to bring any with you. However, you might like to have with you a picture book that arranges its flowers in family order, such as one or other of the first three listed below

• Collins Flower Guide by Streeter (Harper Collins)
• The Wild Flower Key by Rose and O’Reilley (Warne)
• The Wild Flowers of Britain and Ireland   by Fitter, Fitter and Blamey (Bloomsbury Natural History)
• New Flora of the British Isles by Stace (CUP ideally 4th edit)

If you don’t have these items or books, they may be borrowed from the Centre.