This meeting will visit the Herrington Hill Durham Wildlife Trust Reserve on the west side of A19 and, after exploring the reserve, we will visit Hastings Hill SSSI on the other side of the A19. Both sites are areas of magnesian limestone grassland with all the classic indicator species that define this internationally rare plant community.  Sesleria caerulea (Blue Moor-grass) is the dominant grass with Helianthemum nummularium (Common Rock-rose), Carlina vulgaris (Carline Thistle), Thymus drucei (Wild Thyme), Pimpinella saxifraga (Burnet-saxifrage), Gentianella amarella (Autumn Gentian, or as it is usually known locally, Felwort), Ononis repens (Common Restharrow) and Plantago maritima (Sea Plantain), which is more commonly associated with the coast. We should also see Epipactis atrorubens (Dark-red Helleborine) which was rediscovered here last year, after many years of absence.

Note: There are no defined footpaths and some steep slopes at both sites. This will be a general meeting for all levels of botanists.