New Year Plant Hunt Events

This is one of two New Year Plant Hunts organised by the Botanical Cornwall Group.

Meet in the (free in winter) Seaton Bridge car park at Seaton SX304544, PL11 3JD.

We should finish around 2pm, or later if we have more breaks, so please bring a packed lunch and weatherproof clothing and footwear in case the weather is cold, or wet and windy. If the weather is icy or snowy, or looks very unpleasant, the meeting may be cancelled at short notice so contact Ian the night before or early in the morning to check if the meeting will go ahead.

Meet at Braunton Countryside Centre. Please contact leader Mary Breeds if you'd like to join her.

Sussex Botanical Recording Society is leading a New Year Plant Hunt at Pagham Shore, where there is easy access, car parking, toilets and plenty of plants likely to be in flower; previous years’ totals have exceeded 60 species.

The car park is on rough ground at SZ 89069 97355, at the junction of Sea Lane and Beach Road. It’s usually free, but occasionally about £3 cash in a bucket is required.

Please bring a hot drink to have at a stop en route. Pagham Beach Cafe should be open for coffee/refreshments afterwards.

Meet at the junction of The Gallops and Nevill Road, Lewes, next to Lewes Prison. (What3Words: visa.folds.tests)

Dr Lesley Mason is leading a group New Year Plant Hunt for Kent Field Club in Central Ashford, Kent. It will be an urban New Year Plant Hunt taking in Ashford Cemetery and parks along the River Stour. 

Meet at 10.30am at TR 01331 43455, at the junction of Heathfield Road and Hill View, TN24 8QD. There is on street parking and it is easy walking distance from Ashford International train station. 

People are welcome to turn up on the day but email in advance would be appreciated to give Lesley an idea of numbers.

We will explore Mile End, Limehouse and Shadwell, finding plants in flower and contributing our results to a nationwide survey.

Meet at Mile End u/g station 11am. End point will be Shadwell Basin, which is near both Shadwell and Wapping stations. Bring lunch.

Norfolk Flora Group will be leading a New Year Plant Hunt in Sheringham.

Meet at the Reef car-park in Sheringham (free) (TG1529842922 and nearest Post Code NR26 8NA).  The route will potentially include allotments, cemetery, residential areas, the seafront and Beeston Common. We will record for 3 hours with a break for lunch, so bring something to eat and drink and weather-appropriate clothing.

Norfolk botanists are a hardy breed, but in the event of snow, heavy rain or strong winds, we may cancel the event; email Jo if you have any concerns.

Location: this New Year Plant Hunt will begin from Paxton Pits Visitor Centre, Little Paxton, Cambridgeshire

The event is open to everyone and will be led by two knowledgeable and experienced leaders. Alan Garner will be focusing on the many varieties of birds on the reserve and Ann Miles will be concentrating on the wealth of flora and fauna.

A suggested donation of £3 will go towards the Friends of Paxton Pits, to help with the upkeep of the reserve.

Our New Year Plant Hunt will be Sunday 29th December - the most people are free on that day. We meet at 10:30 to move off at 11:00, at St Giles Church, Lower St, Desborough, NN14 2NP (SP803830). There is a small car park next to the church, but probably best to find some on-street parking as it's a Sunday. There are cafes and a Co-op, but we don't know whether they will be open, so best to bring a packed lunch. We will be hunting in some urban and verge areas, and possibly a municipal park. If you would like to join us, please contact Richard Mabbutt.

Warwickshire Flora Group New Year Plant Hunt at Bidford Upon Avon, Alcester, Warwickshire.

Meet at Saxon Fields Car Park. Postcode B50 4JA. What3Words:frantic.cookies.skim

This is a meeting of the Leicester Botany group. We will meet at 11am outside Morrison's supermarket, Freeman's Common, Leicester. Postcode LE2 7LT. Grid ref SK 58809 02857.

Our Hunt will last for a maximum of 3 hours and we'll explore the urban habitats around the industrial estate. We've held New Year Plant Hunts at this location before, so it will be interesting to see how this year's results compare with previous years.

We can decide on the day if we want to 'stop the clock' midway for an hour to grab a hot drink and some cake in Morrison's cafe.  The event will go ahead unless the weather is truly awful but please phone before leaving home if you'd like to check.

4 keen naturalists are planning a New Year Plant Hunt in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire. We are meeting at the Waterside car park, SE34965651. We will walk towards the Knaresborough Low Bridge, crossing Brigate and walk along Abbey Rd and back, beside the River Nidd.

Matt Harding, BSBI Scotland Officer, is leading this New Year Plant Hunt and says "meet outside the phone box on Main Street, the main road running through the village. We will explore the village and its neighbouring commons, to see if we can pick up a good range of species in flower. Last year I found 26 species flowering, but current heavy frosts are likely to reduce that. Finish off at the Lion and Unicorn pub for a drink and perhaps some food if they aren't busy. Bring warm clothes, outdoor boots, food and drink as needed. Terrain includes muddy paths, but nothing particularly steep. This is my home village, so I always do a Hunt here - the Stirling one will almost certainly be more productive".