00ll)0jj^ Jlatttralists' fulh ffilub. 



August 27th, 1885. 



EISBUEY CAMP AND BLACKWAEDINE. 



Thubsdat morning wa8 a glorious day for the thirsty soil — all vegetation rejoiced 

 in the pouring rain that had set in during the night, and gave every promise of 

 continuing for the day. The brown fields would soon be green again, and the 

 turnips would swell rapidly. Scarcely a shower had fallen for two months, and 

 all true naturalists could not but rejoice in so beneficial a refreshment of nature. 

 The members of the Woolhope Club did so, though the great majority of them 

 preferred to acknowledge their feelings in the comforts of home. Those who did 

 come deserve immediate mention. In the absence of the President, Mr. H. C. 

 Moore, a vice-president, took his place for the day ; there were present also Major 

 Doughty ; Dr. Bull, the Revs. W. H. Lambert, Augustin Ley and David Price ; 

 Messrs. H. C. Beddoe, Ernest Bull, T. Davies Burlton, Robert Clarke, — Madeley, 

 H. Vevers, and Theo. Lane, the secretary. Carriages were waiting at Leominster 

 station, and set them down at Wickset, where the old Roman road leaves the one 

 in ordinary use to-day. Risbury Camp was in full view on the other side of the 

 valley, but the visitors took the old Roman Road across some fields over the brow 

 of the hill for about a mile, to Hill Hole. It boots not to tell of the fine views 

 this walk commands, the numerous camps and distant hills, for the rain that was 

 so happily reviving the turnips hid them all. A sight very unusual in Hereford- 

 shire, however, was seen, and that wa.s, fields divided by stone walls. 



From Hill Hole the way was taken up the dingle back to Risbury Camp, and 

 beautiful it would have been if the gleams of sunshine had prevailed instead of 

 the mists of rain. Some interesting plants grow here, whose discovery enlivened 

 the walk. The green Hellebore, HeUeborus viridis, grows on both sides of the 

 brook from Hill Hole to Humber. This locality for the plant was pointed out by 

 the Rev. T. Hutchinson many years ago. He thought it a true native here, and 

 certainly it appears to be so. The Rosy Willow herb, Epilobium roseum, a very 

 local plant, was very plentiful on the stream margins, at Hill Hole, Humber, and 

 afterwards on the Lugg at Leominster. The Umbellate Hawkweed, Hieracium 

 umhellatum, a rare species in Herefordshire, grew in a hedge at Hill Hole, and so 

 too did Arctium majus, the Greater Burr. 



Leaving the brookside near the interesting arches of the old bridge Risbury 

 Camp was soon gained. Its massive entrenchments were examined on all sides 



