On this page you can find out more about the national field meetings and indoor botanical events scheduled for the year ahead across Britain & Ireland. Use the facilities below to search by month, by county or by country, and to find the kind of meeting or event that's right for you. Click on any entry in the list to expand the box and find out more. There's a searchable link (icon bottom left of each box) for each event that you can send to friends and colleagues or share on social media. Don't forget to also check out what's happening in your local area by visiting the Local Botany page and clicking through to your county.
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Syon Park
Middlesex 19th August 2023recording general
Syon Park has the last remaining extensive stretch of semi-natural and un-embanked landscape adjoining the Thames in Greater London. We aim to record the flora in this important landscape (permission pending!) and rediscover, hopefully, some lost treasures such as Sium latifolium (Greater Water-parsnip), Cyperus longus (Galingale), Mentha pulegium (Pennyroyal) and Persicaria mitis (Tasteless Water-pepper). Please note, the terrain is unlikely to be easy going and may be flooded depending upon the tide. If this the case, we will focus on exploring other areas of the park. This meeting is joint with the London Natural History Society and is suitable for beginners and for more experienced botanists.
Meet: at 11:00 am on the junction of London Road and Park Road (TQ17107717) on the Thames Path route.
Plant Identification for Habitat Surveys, Dumyat
West Perthshire 20th August 2023training
This meeting aims to introduce participants to the main indicator species which assist in habitat classifications, touching on several Phase 1 habitats and NVC plant communities. The workshop is not suitable for complete beginners but is more aimed at those who have some basic or intermediate plant identification skills who are also interested in understanding the relationships between plant species and the habitats in which they grow. (Please note that this is not a training course on Phase 1 habitat or NVC surveys but rather a workshop to assist participants in identifying key plant species in different habitats).
The meeting is open to all members of BSBI and BSS or anyone else who may have an interest (Priority will be given to BSBI and BSS members in the first instance). It is likely that the workshop will involve some rough walking over the open hill in places. Come prepared for a day in the hills! Places are limited, booking essential.
Ferns for Beginners Workshop, New Lanark
Lanarkshire 2nd September 2023training
This workshop aims to introduce the identification of some common ferns and is for "complete and utter beginners" in fern identification. Ferns are often thought of as difficult, so participants will gain some foundational knowledge which may then be confidently built upon through outings, field meetings and workshops elsewhere. Introductory work in the classroom with experienced tutors will be followed by fieldwork in the spectacular surroundings of the Scottish Wildlife Trust's Falls of Clyde Reserve. The programme will be tailored carefully, assuming no previous knowledge. All course materials will be provided and included in the cost of the workshop: £40 (50% discount for BSBI members and full-time students). Places are limited, register to attend here.
Fern training day
Co. Wexford 2nd September 2023specialised beginners
This will be a day learning fern ID. It is aimed at the Dryopteris affinis group, but we will look at all ferns. We will visit more than one site, and it should be fairly level walking. Location to be confirmed. Email Paul Green for more information and joining details.
Traeth Lligwy
Anglesey 3rd September 2023recording
CANCELLED
An opportunity to help record in varied coastal habitats in NE Anglesey as part of the ongoing monad-based updating of the Anglesey Flora. We will concentrate our efforts in SH4987, looking closely at strand line, sand dune, soft coastal cliff, saltmarsh, heath, scrub and unimproved grassland habitats. We hope to relocate a twenty year old record of Mentha pulegium (Pennyroyal) at its only known Anglesey site as well as assess the populations of two horsetail hybrids (Equisetum x font-queri and E. x robertsii) and search for Helictochloa pratensis (Meadow Oat-grass). We will be joined by members of the Anglesey Flora Group. Please wear appropriate footwear and bring sun cream and waterproofs.
*UPDATE* Apologies that this event has had to be cancelled.
Wallasea Island
South Essex 9th September 2023general
Wallasea Island lies more or less at sea-level at the confluence of the Rivers Crouch and Roach. It was formerly a site of intensive agriculture, but under the management of the RSPB and with the deposition of vast amounts of substrate from the Crossrail excavations, it is being transformed. A range of habitats is being created over several square kilometres, and coastal realignment is taking place, with the removal of a section of seawall. This is allowing the development of an extensive transitional intertidal zone, a rare thing in Essex where transitional zones are usually prevented from developing by the presence of seawalls.
Our visit is timed to fall between the sensitive bird breeding and wintering seasons, and is optimal for many of the late-growing coastal plants of the region in particular the Chenopodiaceae. The habitats are continuing to mature, and, because of the site’s location and recent history, we should expect the unexpected.
This is a day-long meeting. Access to the site is really only possible by road. The site is quite isolated, with no nearby shops or hostelries, so please bring everything that you will need for the day. There is a portable toilet located at the carpark. The terrain is moderate. It is largely flat, but we will encounter steep-sided seawalls, borrowdykes and ditches, and the intertidal zone may be uneven or muddy.
Poulaweala Creek and Limerick City
Co. Limerick 9th – 10th September 2023general
CANCELLED
This is two days of very different habitats. On the Saturday we will be exploring the coast looking at saltmarshes where we hope to learn how to identify Salicornia (Glassworts), Atriplex (Oraches) and many other coastal plants. The Sunday will be a complete contrast as we will be exploring the urban flora of Limerick City.
Newry (West)
Co. Armagh 16th September 2023training
The purpose of this meeting is to acquaint participants with some of the up-and-coming, as well as the long-established weeds, of urban Ireland. As a transport hub with a mainline railway, both used and disused canals, and a port area developed for recreation, it has a rich urban flora, including Potamogeton trichoides (Hairlike Pondweed) at its first confirmed Irish site, Galinsoga quadriradiata (Shaggy-soldier) and two species of Erigeron (Fleabanes). Our aim will be to refind and quantify some of the less common species and foster interest in a sometimes neglected aspect of the Irish flora.
Meet in car park at Newry Railway Station (Grid Ref J069279) at 11.00 am. Please let John know what time you will arriving and whether you will be travelling by train or car. Packed lunch advised!
Caughwell and Monivea
South-east Galway, North-east Galway 17th September 2023recording general
There are a number of small lakes and ponds on both limestone and cut over raised bog in the area; few have been surveyed. The day will be spent exploring these sites, (bring grapnels and chest waders if available). We expect to find a mixture of charophytes and acid loving water plants but anticipate some sites may be damaged by excess phosphorus.
Meet: Croughwell railway station at 10:30 am.
Recorders’ Meeting, Preston Montford
Shropshire 6th – 8th October 2023recording
This residential meeting is aimed at all BSBI members, especially County Recorders and referees, who make botanical records. There will be a mix of talks, walks and workshops, with plenty of time for general discussion.
More information to follow on the Recorders' Conferences & Meetings webpage.
Irish AGM and Autumn Conference, Glasnevin, Dublin
Co. Dublin 21st October 2023general
The Irish Autumn Meeting and AGM will be held at the National Botanical Gardens, Glasnevin. There will be talks on subjects including good farming practice, botanical networks, Irish bryophytes and the life and work of botanist Evelyn Booth, plus a workshop, tour of the Gardens and the AGM. A programme, info sheet and booking link can be found on the Irish Autumn Meeting webpage.
Scottish Botanists' Conference 2023, RBG Edinburgh
4th November 2023general
Scotland's leading botanical event of the year features talks on plant taxonomy, a year in the life of a conservation botanist, and how to get the most out of the Plant Atlas; workshops on willow-herbs and montane willows; exhibits, networking, the results of the BSBI Photographic Competition and more! To view the programme and book your space, please visit the Scottish Botanists' Conference webpage.
BSBI Annual General Meeting (online)
16th November 2023general
The AGM is a chance for BSBI members to have their say in how the Society is governed. Everyone is welcome but only members may vote. The AGM starts at 7.15pm and will be preceded by talks starting at 6.15pm.
Find out more and book to attend: bsbi.org/annual-general-meeting
British & Irish Botanical Conference 2023, University of Newcastle
South Northumberland 2nd December 2023general
Our biggest indoor event of the year features a full day of talks on urban botany, research on rare plants and resources for botanists; exhibits, posters, a quiz and flash talks; a demo by Prof John Richards, BSBI Referee for Dandelions; a behind-the-scenes tour of the Natural History Society of Northumbria's archive; Summerfield Books pop-up shop and more! Free to attend, free for exhibitors. More details, programme & booking link here..
Winter Talk - The Somerset Wetlands. A conservation success?
6th December 2023general
Our Winter Talks take place at 7.30pm on the first Wednesday of each month from December to March on Zoom.
Stephen Parker joins us to talk through the conservation challenges of the Somerset Levels.
BSBI County Recorder for South Somerset and member of the Somerset Rare Plant Group, Steve previously worked for Natural England and was particularly focused on the Somerset Levels and Moors.
Winter Talk - Building an online multi-access identification key to the mega-diverse and economically important genus Solanum (Solanaceae family)
10th January 2024general
Our Winter Talks take place at 7.30pm on a Wednesday of each month from December to March on Zoom.
Rebecca Hilgenhof, Postgraduate Programme Coordinator at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, has spent the past 4 years constructing an online multi-access identification key to the mega-diverse genus Solanum (1,242 spp. total) of the nightshade (Solanaceae) family using the software Xper3. The key currently covers over 60% (572 spp.) of species including all non-spiny species and crop wild relatives of the cultivated tomato and potato along with spiny species from Africa and Asia, which includes the cultivated eggplant. Each of the 52 morphological character (incl. geography) assessed in the Solanum key and their states are explained in written and with photographic plates making the key user-friendly for expert and non-expert users.
Winter Talk - Using plants of local provenance to create wetland habitats in the Lower Ure
7th February 2024general
Our Winter Talks take place at 7.30pm on the first Wednesday of each month from December to March on Zoom.
Martin Hammond, ecologist with the Lower Ure Conservation Trust, will be talking about using plants of local provenance to create wetland habitats. Martin will then be joined by two lead volunteers, Pandora Thoresby and Laurie Reed, to talk about plant propagation methods.
England Annual Meeting and AGM
25th February 2024general
The fifth England Annual Meeting and AGM will be an afternoon Zoom meeting. In addition to a short AGM, there will be a mix of short talks, a keynote talk by Daisuke Kurose (CABI) on the biological control of invasive plant species and the Chair’s address on “Where and what do I record?” – which will cover more than plants. More info here: England Annual Meeting.
Introduction to Conifer Identification workshop, Nesscliffe, nr Shrewsbury
Shropshire 2nd March 2024training beginners
A joint meeting with The Wildflower Society.
Fancy getting to grips with Conifers, can't tell your Spruce from your Firs, or would like to separate the 'Cypresses'? Then join Mark Duffell on a BSBI/WFS field-based training workshop on Nesscliffe Hill. A range of different keys and other resources will be used to show the beginner and intermediate how to accurately identify a variety of conifer species. There will be a charge of £2 to cover the cost of printed resources including a mini-booklet. The number of participants will be capped at 15. Priority will be given to those who booked for 2023 when the workshop was cancelled due to adverse weather conditions.
Winter Talk - Fenland Flora
6th March 2024general
Our Winter Talks take place at 7.30pm on the first Wednesday of each month from December to March on Zoom.
Owen Mountford is responsible for the Fenland Flora Project and works for the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. More on the Fenland Flora Project including annual updates can be found here.
Islington streets, London
Middlesex 9th March 2024recording general
This is an opportunity for attendees to familiarise themselves with some of the rapidly increasing community of Mediterranean ecosystem plants that are establishing in our cities. Species such as Sisymbrium irio (London-rocket), Polycarpon tetraphyllum (Four-leaved Allseed), Urtica membranacea (Mediterranean Nettle) and Laphangium [Gnaphalium] luteoalbum (Jersey Cudweed) are locally frequent. Other, more unusual species such as Genista aetenensis (Mount Aeta Broom), Eriobotrya japonica (Loquat), Calocedrus decurrens (Californian Incense-cedar) and Persea americana (Avocado) will also be seen. This meeting is suitable for beginners and for more experienced botanists. Please bring a packed lunch.
Meet at 11:00am outside the entrance of Farringdon Underground, Cowcross Street, Clerkenwell (TQ31598183).
Training for Trainers, Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh
Midlothian 23rd March 2024training
This is a new one-day workshop for anyone engaged in or considering working on a training event. This could be running or assisting with a beginners’ or specialist workshop, leading a field meeting at local or national level, giving a talk to non-botanists, acting as an Identiplant tutor, and so on. As well as an introduction to the psychology of learning, there will be plenty of opportunities for participants to assess different styles of teaching, try their hand at planning workshop programmes, hone their communication skills, and find out how their own voice comes across in real-life training situations. No charge, but places are limited, so booking is essential.
South-east Cambridgeshire churchyards
Cambridgeshire 23rd March 2024recording general beginners
The Cambridgeshire Flora Group makes an early start to the season with a tour of churchyards. This year it is exploring some in the south-east of the county. We should see various varieties of Violets and perhaps different species of Ranunculus auricomus (Goldilocks Buttercup). We will begin with Ashley churchyard and its cemetery then continue to Woodditton (about 11:45), Borough Green (13:30), Brinkley (14:30) and Weston Colville (15:30). We might call in at Six Mile Bottom as we return if there is time.
Meet at 10am at Ashley churchyard TL700616.
Ruislip Woods
Middlesex 6th April 2024recording general
We will be aiming to record regional rarities in this important, but increasingly degraded, series of ancient woodlands. Several of our target species, such as Melampyrum pratense (Common Cow-wheat), Achillea ptarmica (Sneezewort), Carex pulicaris (Flea Sedge), Eleocharis acicularis (Needle Spike-rush), Genista anglica (Petty Whin) and Pedicularis sylvatica (Lousewort) are now restricted to a very small number of highly fragmented populations and may become regionally extinct in the near future. This meeting is suitable for beginners and for more experienced botanists. Please bring a packed lunch.
Meet at 11:00am outside the Water's Edge Pub, Reservoir Road, Ruislip Common (TQ08648919).
Taraxacum training and recording weekend, Devizes
North Wiltshire, South Wiltshire 19th – 22nd April 2024specialised
This is the tenth long weekend dedicated to the genus Taraxacum. Compared to surrounding counties, the dandelions of Wiltshire are poorly studied, and v.c.8 (S. Wilts.) in particular has only 20 records of 14 species. Nevertheless, some interesting species are known from v.c.7 (N. Wilts.) including T. anglicum and T. cherwellense. Our centre will be Devizes, close to the boundary between the v.cc. and handy for distinguished calcareous grasslands and flood meadows which we hope to visit. A full programme including details of a room for evening meetings will be sent to participants.
Recording Meeting, FSC Preston Montford
Shropshire 19th – 21st April 2024recording
This residential meeting is aimed at all members who would like to progress to making botanical records, and to existing recorders, VCRs and referees who will support them. There will be a mix of talks, walks and workshops, with plenty of time for general discussion. More info and a booking link here.
Ballyteige Burrow, Kilmore Quay
Co. Wexford 11th May 2024general
This will be a walk to see the spring flora of this extensive area of dunes which stretch for over 8 km. There is a good mixture of tiny annuals to see such as Cerastium semidecandrum (Little Mouse-ear) and Myosotis ramosissima (Early Forget-me-not). Small perennials include Viola canina (Heath Dog-violet), and the endemic Rumex acetosa subsp. hibernicus (Irish Sorrel). These dunes hold the largest population of Asparagus prostratus (Wild Asparagus) in Ireland. We should also see Erodium lebelii (Sticky Stork's-bill).
Meet at 10:00am at the public car park on the sea front at Kilmore Quay (S965031).
Correl Glen and Lough Navar Forest
Fermanagh 11th – 12th May 2024general
Following the talks on bryophytes at the Irish Autumn Conference, this is a joint meeting of the BSBI and the British Bryological Society (BBS) to enable BSBI members to learn more about bryophytes in the field. The Correl Glen and Lough Navar Forest are among the richest areas for bryophytes in Northern Ireland. Apart from mosses and liverworts there will be an opportunity to see some of the specialities of the north facing scarps and woodland: both filmy ferns (Hymenophyllum spp.), Dryopteris aemula (Hay-scented Buckler-fern), Asplenium viride (Green Spleenwort), Orthilia secunda (Serrated Wintergreen) and Saxifraga aizoides (Yellow Saxifrage) are possibilities.
Meet at the car park at the entrance to Lough Navar Forest Park (H074547) at 10:30am on both days. Bring packed lunches and be prepared for some rough ground.
Tramore Dunes
Co. Waterford 12th May 2024general
Tramore dunes are located on a long spit reaching across the bay between Brownstown Head to the east side and the Metalman to the west. They are some of the tallest fixed dunes in Ireland and are backed by saltmarsh to the north. We plan on walking the dunes in the hope of seeing some rarities including Vicia lathyroides (Spring Vetch), Viola canina (Heath Dog-violet) and Vulpia fasciculata (Dune Fescue). Other species we are likely to see include Ononis repens (Common Restharrow), Cakile maritima (Sea Rocket), Anacamptis pyramidalis (Pyramidal Orchid) and Salsola kali (Saltwort).
This may be a long walk as the dunes are 3 km long from the parking spot to the tip of the spit. Please bring sturdy boots, a packed lunch, water, suitable clothing (hat, waterproofs etc.) and a hand lens.
Meet at 10:30am at car park at Tramore Beach, on the spit (S5949601021).
Plant Families Workshop, Townhill Community Centre, Dunfermline
Fife & Kinross 18th May 2024training beginners
The Plant Families workshops are suitable for anyone who can tell a buttercup from a daisy but wants to learn more about plant identification within a structured framework. There will be a mix of classwork, small groups with expert tutors, and fieldwork, following the principle of 'finding the family first'. This is a tried and tested way of getting to grips with ID instead of just playing 'snap' with a field guide or wading through incomprehensible keys. A copy of the booklet on which the course is based – Pocket Guide to Wildflower Families by Faith Anstey – will be included in the charge for the workshop: £40 (50% discount for BSBI members and full-time students). Places are limited, booking essential.
Abbeyleix Estate Woods
Co. Laois 18th May 2024general
This trip will explore Abbeyleix Estate Oak wood. These woods have been described as the finest and largest remnant of lowland old Oak woods left in Ireland and the display of bluebells will be spectacular! We will get the opportunity to visit the oldest Oak tree in Ireland, reputedly 700 years old, and see many other veteran Oaks. We will also investigate some patches of Hazel woodland and wetter woodland areas where the River Nore flows through the estate.
This is a private estate but we have been granted permission to arrange a visit. There will be some additional details needed to gain entry to the estate, so booking is essential. Dress for the weather. Bring a packed lunch.
Annual Summer Meeting, Guernsey
Channel Islands 20th – 24th May 2024recording general training beginners
Guernsey is famous for its orchid meadows, shaded hedge banks, cliff tops and coastal heaths. There will be a mix of excursions to interesting sites, recording trips and evening talks or workshops. Excursions and recording visits will cover the island and species that we might see include Anacamptis laxiflora (Loose-flowered Orchid), Asplenium x microdon (Moore's Spleenwort or Guernsey Fern), Hypericum linariifolium (Toadflax-leaved St John's-wort), Isoetes histrix (Land Quillwort), Ophioglossum lusitanicum (Least Adder's-tongue) and Ophioglossum azoricum (Small Adder's-tongue).
Further information and links to register and book accommodation and evening meals can be found here. Please register by 3rd May. B&B accommodation at the Premier Inn, St Peter Port is £430 (single or double) for the week and you can book this through the BSBI up to 31st March or through the hotel. There are nearby campsites, or you can book your accommodation elsewhere. There is a weekend meeting in Jersey immediately after the Summer Meeting, but you will need to make your own arrangements for travel and accommodation and to book.
Green Road, Fanore
Co. Clare 25th May 2024general
This meeting will explore some Burren flora found in this area including Helianthemum oelandicum (Hoary Rock-rose), Gentiana verna (Spring Gentian), Arenaria norvegica (Arctic Sandwort) and other Burren specialities. Booking is essential as numbers will be limited.
Starts 11.00am - contact Phoebe O'Brien for meeting location.
Jersey
Channel Islands 25th – 26th May 2024general
On Saturday 25th May we shall meet at Le Charriere car park in St Ouen and head off into the sand dunes. There we should find Bupleurum baldense (Small Hare’s-ear), Anacamptis morio (Green-winged Orchid), Silene nutans (Nottingham Catchfly) and Viola kitaibeliana (Dwarf Pansy). After having lunch at Le Braye café we will move to another sandy area nearby where we hope to find Taraxacum platyglossum (Tongue-leaved Dandelion), Crassula pubescens (Jersey Pigmyweed) and Crassula tillaea (Mossy Stonecrop).
On Sunday 26th May we will meet at the car park at Beauport and go on a hunt for Ranunculus paludosus (Jersey Buttercup) and Orobanche rapum-genistae (Greater Broomrape). Other plants we might find include Juncus capitatus (Dwarf Rush), Silene gallica (Small-flowered Catchfly) and Ornithopus perpusillus (Bird’s-foot). In the afternoon we will visit Jersey’s best known site for Anacamptis laxiflora (Jersey Orchid). We should also see many wet meadow plants such as Parentucellia viscosa (Yellow Bartsia), Cuscuta epithymum (Dodder), Cyperus longus (Galingale) and possibly Oenanthe fistulosa (Tubular Water-dropwort).
Hounslow Heath
Middlesex 25th May 2024recording general beginners
Joint with the London Natural History Society
Historically, Hounslow Heath was one of the most species rich lowland heaths in England. Species such as Damasonium alisma (Starwort) and Mentha pulegium (Pennyroyal) are long extinct. Recent habitat restoration work has saved the remaining species from extinction but they remain highly threatened. We will be aiming to record species such as Betonica officinalis (Betony), Calluna vulgaris (Heather), Danthonia decumbens (Heath-grass), Logfia [Filago] minima and Filago germanica [vulgaris] (Small and Common Cudweed), Genista tinctoria and G. anglica (Dyer's Greenweed and Petty Whin), Trifolium subterraneaum (Subterranean Clover) and Ulex minor (Dwarf Gorse), most of which are restricted to fewer than 5 sites across Greater London. This meeting is suitable for beginners and for more experienced botanists. Please bring a packed lunch.
Meet at 11:00am on the corner of Simpson Road and Hanworth Road, Hounslow Heath Open Space, Hounslow (TQ12927400).
Glynhir Recording Week (Residential)
Carmarthenshire 27th May – 3rd June 2024general training
The week-long annual Carmarthenshire Recording and Monitoring Meeting will include visits to sites around the county. The meeting will cater for both experienced and less proficient botanists and will provide an opportunity for the informal development of identification skills. Arrangements will be flexible, some days the group may stay as one body, other days smaller groups will visit different sites to monitor rare or scarce species or update grid squares not visited recently. Day outings will be tailored to individual needs to cover all fitness abilities.
Glynhir Mansion is located about 2 km east of Llandybie on the western flank of Mynydd Du (the Black Mountain) at SN640151. The River Llwchwr runs through the estate and at one point plunges over a 10 m waterfall into a humid, rocky gorge where Dryopteris aemula (Hay-scented Buckler-fern), Hymenophyllum tunbrigense (Tunbridge Filmy-fern) and Asplenium trichomanes subsp. trichomanes (Maidenhair Spleenwort) are among the ferns growing on the cliffs. There will be ample opportunity in the timetable to visit the site. Large parkland trees provide the setting to the mansion, including Tilia cordata (Small-leaved Lime), and there remains much scope for further discoveries to be made in the vicinity.
The cost of the week from lunchtime on 27 May to breakfast on 3 June, including bed, breakfast, packed lunches and evening meals, will be approximately £600 and will be limited to about 15 participants. Accommodation for part of the week will be charged pro rata. A limited number of en suite rooms are available on a first-come first-served basis. Participants not requiring accommodation will also be welcome on a day to day basis. A 35% deposit will be required by Glynhir on booking.
Initial bookings, preferably by the end of January, to Kath and Richard Pryce
There is further information on the Carmarthenshire webpage.
Isle of Wight 1st – 2nd June 2024general beginners
The Isle of Wight has a diverse and spectacular flora that includes an impressive assemblage of scarce and rare native plants as well as interesting aliens. During this weekend meeting we hope to see an exciting range of the Island’s flora across different habitats.
Our first day will focus on the west side of the Island, where we will explore the flora of unimproved chalk downland and chalk costal cliffs around Freshwater Bay. The meeting is timed to enable us to see many of the Island’s specialities associated with these habitats such as Gentianella anglica subsp. anglica (Early Gentian), Lobularia maritima (Sweet Alison), Matthiola incana (Hoary Stock), Orobanche picridis (Oxtongue Broomrape) and Pilosella peleteriana subsp. peleteriana (Shaggy Mouse-ear-hawkweed). The second day will concentrate on sites in the east of the Island. We intend to visit the rich dune grassland of St Helen’s Duver where, if the season is conducive, we shall see a rich array of Trifolium species including Trifolium suffocatum (Suffocated Clover) and a good selection of dune grasses. In addition, we will explore the coastal cliff top grasslands around Sandown that are home to specialities such as Phelipanche purpurea (Yarrow Broomrape) and Silene nutans (Nottingham Catchfly). There may be opportunities to see other rarities for which the Island’s flora is famous, such as Melampyrum arvense (Field Cow-wheat) and Fumaria reuteri (Martin’s Ramping-fumitory). However, please note, we will be too early in the season to visit the site for Clinopodium menthifolium (Wood Calamint).
Meet on Saturday in the (free) National Trust carpark on Afton Down, east of Freshwater (SZ351856) at 11:00am.
Booking is essential and numbers are limited to 20. Participants will need to organise their own accommodation but there is plenty of accommodation available on the Island, although early booking is probably worthwhile. Red Funnel, who sail from Southampton, do car ferry/accommodation deals. Car sharing should be possible and is encouraged where parking is limited.
Joan’s Hill Farm Plantlife Nature Reserve, Checkley,
Herefordshire 8th June 2024recording general
Joint with Plantlife
At Joan’s Hill Farm there are around 40 acres of neutral hay meadow to explore, as well as traditional orchards and a small area of broadleaved woodland. Species of note include Silaum silaus (Pepper-saxifrage), Genista tinctoria (Dyer’s Greenweed) and Orchids Anacamptis morio (Green-winged), Dactylorhiza fuchsii (Common Spotted) and Platanthera chlorantha (Greater Butterfly). We will also look out for Dactylorhiza maculata (Heath Spotted-orchid) and the hybrid Dactylorhiza x transiens. A single spike of Dactylorhiza praetermissa (Southern Marsh-orchid) appeared for the first time in 2022 and we hope to re-find it. This meeting is suitable for beginners and more experienced botanists. Please bring a packed lunch. Numbers may be limited.
Meet at 11:00am at Forestry England’s Haugh Woods Car Park (SO59233657) where it is free to park. From the car park, there is a 1 km walk on forest tracks to reach the reserve.
Jonathan Stone is Nature Reserves Manager for Plantlife - contact him to book and for further information.
Sedges at Tarn Moor and Orton
Westmorland 8th June 2024training specialised
Tarn Moor is a rich botanical site on the Orton limestones of Westmorland and is a mosaic of base-rich and acidic areas. More than 25 different species of Carex have been recorded here with Carex capillaris (Hair Sedge), C. diandra (Lesser Tussock-sedge), C. dioica (Dioecious Sedge), C. elata (Tufted Sedge) and C. hostiana (Tawny Sedge) probably the pick of the bunch. There are also numerous non-Carex sedges and records for 3 Carex hybrids, two of which we should certainly see. Many other attractive species, including Primula farinosa (Bird’s-eye Primrose) and a fine array of orchids, are frequent and should be at their best in early June. If time allows we will also look at some drier limestone grassland near the village of Orton where C. ornithopoda (Bird‘s-foot Sedge) grows.
All sedge enthusiasts are welcome, whether experienced or not, but numbers will be limited to 15 to minimise damage to fragile habitats. This is a repeat of the overbooked 2023 meeting and priority will be given to those who could not be accommodated last time.
This will be a full day meeting so please bring a packed lunch. The distance covered will not be great, 5 or 6 kilometres, but parts will be very wet so wellies or waterproof boots are essential. Although Tarn Moor can be idyllic at this time of year please come prepared for less clement conditions. There are no facilities at Tarn Moor but later in the day we will visit Orton which has a shop, cafes and toilets.
SHARPP recording along the Banffshire coast, Portgordon to Portsoy
Banffshire 8th – 9th June 2024recording general
Everyone is very welcome for a weekend of botanical recording in and around the coastal towns of Banffshire, looking for notable Scottish plants not seen since 2000 (SHARPP). With over thirty species of interest, there will be treasures to refind for all experience levels, ranging from mulleins and mints to pondweeds and rushes. Eyebrights optional! We will explore a variety of habitats, from beaches to coastal grassland and fringes of arable fields. There will also be opportunities to update inventories in monads not visited for the past ten years. Please note descents to beaches can be steep; easier terrain options will be available (but inland).
Poaceae walk on Northeast Yorkshire’s coastal path
North-east Yorkshire 15th June 2024training specialised
The aim of this botany walk will be to identify as many different species of grasses (Poaceae) as possible, taking advantage of the variety of habitats encountered on the way. This is an ideal day to practice knowledge of grass identification and observe a variety of floral and vegetative characters.
The walk will follow the coastal path on rights of way and there will be full consideration of the conservation value of the habitats visited. Last year we observed nearly 50 taxa of Poaceae, including a range of common grasses, seaside species and rarer taxa such as Koeleria macrantha (Crested Hair-grass), Bromopsis inermis (Hungarian Brome), and Anisantha madritensis (Compact Brome).
All grass enthusiasts welcome, however complete beginners at grass identification should expect a steep learning curve. Numbers limited to 20. All participants come at their own risk. The distance is about 3.5 miles but expect to walk more including some steep coastal slopes. Meeting 10:00am on Marske-by-the-Sea main square by the roundabout (Marske-by-the-Sea TS11 7LD, NZ63472228) with a chance to use the public toilets, shops and cafes, for a prompt departure at 10:15am. Please bring packed lunch and drinking water as we will not be arriving into Saltburn-by-the-Sea until later in the afternoon. Saltburn has public toilets, shops, etc. as well as trains and bus services to get you back to Marske.
Wildflower Identification Workshop, Ulster Folk Museum, Cultra
Co. Down 15th June 2024training
This workshop is aimed at complete newcomers to wildflower identification and those who would like to learn a simple but highly effective method of identifying wildflowers. The Find the Family First method makes using identification guides easier and more enjoyable.
The Finding the Family First (FFF) method is designed to help you become familiar with the floral and vegetative characteristics of 20 of the most common wildflower families. Then, most importantly, how these characteristics differ between plant families. The workshops will be a mix of classroom and fieldwork. During both you will be working in small groups, guided by an expert tutor. The morning classroom session will be followed by an afternoon of fieldwork using the principles you have learnt to identify plant families.
All course materials, plus teas, coffees and biscuits, are included in the fee for the workshop: £40 (50% discount for BSBI members and full-time students). Places are limited and booking is essential.
Please bring a packed lunch, or if you prefer, it is possible to buy lunch at the Ballycultra Tearoom.
Location: Ulster Folk Museum, BT18 0EU.
Training Field Meeting, Tentsmuir
Fife & Kinross 16th June 2024general training
Primarily this is to see dune succession and the related flora which occurs as the dunes change from the beach to the land. Also, to see the unique Great Slack and how it is formed, an area stretching behind the dunes which is freshwater in winter and dry in summer. This meeting is ideal for beginners using the Pocket Wildflower Guides to Wildflowers and to Grasses and to improvers as there is a rich dune and saltmarsh flora. There are also some very rare and scarce species to be seen for some more detailed identification. There is no difficult terrain, just sand dunes and grassland. Entry to carpark is £2. There are good toilets, picnic benches and a snack shack.
Grasslands
Co. Limerick 16th June 2024general training
This grasslands-focused event will explore some of the variety of flora that occurs in Limerick's grasslands. On the day, there will be an opportunity for training to focus on the identification of specific plant groups such as Carex spp. (Sedges) and grasses, for example, as well as general plant recording. Bring notebooks, any keys you may have, and a hand lens. There will be a limited supply of these available on the day also. Throughout the day, there will be discussions on grassland ecology, and management from grassland ecologists.
Appropriate footwear and clothing should be worn to cover any eventualities of difficult terrain and weather.
Meeting point to be arranged. The location is to be decided, but is expected to be held approximately 30 minutes from Limerick city.
Tiree
Mid Ebudes 18th – 23rd June 2024recording general
The purpose of this meeting is to record an NPMS square, visit different habitats on the island, record SHARPP species, and enjoy the island, especially on midsummer's eve. The group is staying at the self-catering Millhouse hostel, which has room for 10-12 people, but is already fully booked. Additional people can join the meeting, but they will need to arrange their own accommodation. We will eat at the hostel on some evenings, but the organiser is hoping to arrange some evening meals at local cafes and fish & chip van one night! There may be an opportunity to share travel on the ferry to reduce costs.
Please note, hostel accommodation for this meeting is now fully booked.
North Norfolk coast
East Norfolk, West Norfolk 21st – 22nd June 2024general beginners
On the morning of day one we will visit Sheringham & Beeston Regis Commons SSSI. The site is a mosaic of calcareous mire, bog, and heath, together with some woodland, scrub, grassland, small streams and a pond, which between them provide a very diverse flora which is occasionally joined by garden escapes from the adjacent housing. Over 350 vascular plant species have been recorded here; perhaps the most notable of these are Blysmus compressus (Flat-sedge), Carex dioica (Dioecious Sedge), Drosera anglica (Great Sundew), Dryopteris cristata (Crested Buckler-fern), Eleocharis quinqueflora (Few-flowered Spike-rush), Gymnadenia densiflora (Marsh Fragrant-orchid), Isolepis cernua (Slender Club-rush), Parnassia palustris (Grass-of-Parnassus), Pinguicula vulgaris (Common Butterwort), Schoenus nigricans (Black Bog-rush), Solidago virgurea (Goldenrod) and Thelypteris palustris (Marsh Fern).
The terrain is generally easy on the main footpaths, elsewhere it can be a little more challenging and can be very wet in places, so stout waterproof footwear or welly boots are recommended.
In the afternoon we will visit to the nearby cliffs (about 900 m away). Beeston Cliffs are designated as a SSSI for both biological and geological reasons. We will focus on the calcareous cliff-top grassland, both here and on the adjacent cliffs at Sheringham. Particularly notable species recorded here include Phelipanche purpurea (Yarrow Broomrape) and Silene conica (Sand Catchfly). Other species we could see that may be of interest include Allium vineale (Wild Onion), Cerastium arvense (Field Mouse-ear), Lepidium latifolium (Dittander), Lupinus arboreus (Tree Lupin), Orobanche elatior (Knapweed Broomrape), Trifolium glomeratum (Clustered Clover) and Trifolium scabrum (Rough Clover).
The terrain is generally easy but the path over Beeston Bump is relatively steep and please note that the cliffs are eroding and it is dangerous to go too close to the edge. A short walk through the town (c.800 m) will bring us back to the morning meeting point.
On day two we will visit some of the coastal parts of Holkham NNR by kind permission of the Holkham Estate. We will look at the sand dunes including the pine woodland which was planted on the dunes in the late 19th century. These comprise an intact sequence of dune communities from fore-dunes through to yellow and grey dunes and ultimately fixed dune grassland, including dune slacks supporting Laphangium luteoalbum (Jersey Cudweed) (an ‘old’ site for the plant before its expansion into urban areas) and Centaurium pulchellum (Lesser Centaury). The western end of the site also features saltmarsh, and a range of Salicornia (Glasswort) species, along with Limonium bellidifolium (Matted Sea-lavender), several of the Limonium binervosum (Rock Sea-lavender) aggregate, Frankenia laevis (Sea-heath) and Suaeda vera (Shrubby Sea-blite). Species recorded in the pinewoods which may be of interest include Goodyera repens (Creeping Lady's-tresses) (which may have been introduced with the pines) and Hypopitys monotropa (Yellow Bird's-nest). Depending upon livestock movements and presence/absence of breeding waders, it may also be possible to visit the fresh-marsh behind the dunes to see Carex divisa (Divided Sedge) and Ranunculus baudotii (Brackish Water-crowfoot).
The terrain is generally easy, but will involve a walk of about 1 km on level ground before reaching the main saltmarsh area, and a further 1 km before reaching the dune grassland (the woodland area would involve a c.8 km round trip) We will time visiting the saltmarsh to low tides on the day, which are likely to coincide with our return trip to the car park. Stout waterproof footwear (or something that you don’t mind getting muddy) is recommended.
Botanists of all skill levels are welcome, from beginners to specialists.
Meet at 10.30 each day.
Syon Park
Middlesex 22nd June 2024recording general beginners
Joint with the London Natural History Society
This is a return visit to cover the remaining areas of this large site that we were unable to see last year. Syon Park has the last remaining extensive stretch of semi-natural and un-embanked landscape adjoining the Thames in Greater London. We aim to record the flora in this important landscape and rediscover, hopefully, some lost treasures such as Sium latifolium (Greater Water-parsnip), Cyperus longus (Galingale), Mentha pulegium (Pennyroyal) and Persicaria mitis (Tasteless Water-pepper). Please note, the terrain is unlikely to be easy going and may be flooded depending upon the tide. If this the case, we will focus on exploring other areas of the park. This meeting is suitable for beginners and for more experienced botanists. Please bring a packed lunch.
Meet at 11:00am in front of All Saint's Church, Church Street, Isleworth (TQ16787605) on the Thames Path route.
Start to Identify Grasses Workshop, SWT Classroom, Falls of Clyde, New Lanark
Lanarkshire 22nd June 2024training
This workshop aims to introduce identification of common grasses to beginners and improvers who already have a basic grasp of plant ID. There will be a mix of classroom study and fieldwork, much of it in small groups with expert tutors. The programme will be based on Start to Identify Grasses by Faith Anstey, a copy of which will be included in the cost of the workshop: £40 (50% discount for BSBI members and full-time students). Places are limited, booking essential.
Lough Talt
Co. Sligo 22nd – 23rd June 2024general
We will explore the Lough Talt area where several uncommon species occur in lakeside fen and on the slopes of Crummus mountain. Target species will include Marsh and Butterfly Orchids, Eriophorum latifolium (Broad-leaved Cottongrass) and some aquatics. It will be flat walking across marshy ground in places. Please bring a packed lunch and appropriate gear.
Meet on both days at 10:30am to start at 11:00am at the parking area at the south east end of Lough Talt G402145 (signed off the Ballina to Tubercurry road R294).
CANCELLED Rubus weekend, Okehampton
North Devon 29th – 30th June 2024recording training specialised
Joint with the Devonshire Association's Botany Section
Saturday will be spent investigating the Belstone/Sticklepath area on the Dartmoor fringe, which includes a variety of bramble-friendly habitats and should provide an introduction to brambles for those botanists wishing to expand their knowledge of Rubus species. Sunday will be spent exploring other localities in the vicinity to improve coverage of this critical group, for which there are very few recent records.
We are sorry to inform you that Rob Randall, who was due to lead this event, very sadly died this spring, so the event has had to be cancelled.
Progress in Bramble Identification
Dumfriesshire 29th – 30th June 2024training specialised
This meeting offers an opportunity to develop skills in bramble identification for anyone who has started to explore this neglected group. A brief indoor session on Saturday morning will show us specimens of some species we are likely to encounter and characters helpful for their identification. We will then try out our skills in places nearby. On Sunday we will quickly refresh the id characters and visit other areas to extend the range of brambles seen and contribute to a better understanding of the groups presence in Dumfriesshire. Angus Hannah, Bramble Referee for Scotland will lead the sessions.
Filmy ferns and old Oak woods, Slieve Aughty Mountains
Co. Clare, South-east Galway 29th – 30th June 2024general
This will be a two day event. We will be exploring some sites in the Slieve Aughty Mountains and will be looking for new records or re-locating old records of filmy ferns and other species by following clues in old geological maps. Along the way we will look at fens with Eriophorum gracile (Slender Cottongrass), rock outcrops with filmy ferns and old Oak woods.
Meeting location to be arranged.
Booking is essential as participant numbers will be limited to 10.
Wales Annual Meeting
Glamorganshire 5th – 7th July 2024general
The 2024 Wales Annual Meeting exhibition and AGM will be based at Swansea University, Bay campus, South Wales, SA1 8EN.
The theme will be brown field and coal spoil habitats, otherwise known as open mosaic habitat on previously developed land. Or perhaps in the old days and less generously – ‘wasteland’. Some of the most diverse habitat, currently, and not just for flowering plants – invertebrate and fungi diversity is often high at many sites.
A preliminary programme is available here. Further details will be sent to participants prior to the event.
Booking and online payment are possible via the Wales Annual Meeting & AGM webpage, with an (extended) deadline of 20th May.
Hawkweed hunt - Fionn Gleann and Clach Leathad, Glen Coe
Argyllshire 6th – 7th July 2024specialised
The aim of this meeting is to look for the Fionn Gleann hawkweed Hieracium basicrinum, a rare species of mountain ledges and screes. It has only ever been recorded in 1889, 1897 and 1953 from Fionn Gleann and Clach Leathad in the mountains above Glen Coe and no precise locations are known. Hieracium basicrinum is a relatively distinct hawkweed in having toothed, spotted leaves and thus no specialist knowledge is required (identification guidance will be given!). Whilst the meeting will focus on H. basicrinum, other hawkweeds and mountain species will also be recorded. We will access the mountains via the chairlift in Glencoe Mountain Resort on both days (c.£15/trip), and the terrain will be challenging with cliffs, screes, steep ground and possibly wading the River Etive. As the practicality of survey is very dependent on weather, we will take a cautious approach for safe access in the mountains, perhaps even abandoning the high ground for the safer areas near the chair lift. Even if we do not find H. basicrinum we should see a good range of other species.
North Connemara coast
West Galway 6th July 2024general
This field meeting will explore areas of coastal habitat in the Glassilaun/Lettergesh areas of north Connemara. The main habitats occurring are sand dune, coastal heath and acid grassland which combine to produce a species-rich flora. Among the more unusual plant species which have been recorded from the area in the past include Erica erigena (Irish Heath), Anacamptis morio (Green-winged Orchid) and Botrychium lunaria (Moonwort)
Meeting point & location to be arranged. Booking essential.
Plant Families Wildflower Walk, Kincardine O'Neil, Aboyne
South Aberdeenshire 6th July 2024training beginners
This Wildflower Walk is a structured field meeting suitable for anyone from complete beginners upwards. We will be walking alongside the River Dee, looking at the plants we come across and learning how to identify them by 'finding the family first'. A copy of the booklet explaining the strategy we use – Pocket Guide to Wildflower Families by Faith Anstey – will be provided to use on the walk and will be available to buy on the day.
Places are limited, booking essential.
Priddy Mineries and Stockhill, Mendip Hills
North Somerset 7th July 2024general beginners
In contrast to the meeting on Mendip in 2022, which focused on species-rich limestone grassland, this will be a visit to acidic habitats largely on Old Red Sandstone, which outcrops at the highest points of the Mendip Hills. This is also an area of centuries of lead mining and smelting industries, the complex geology and disturbance resulting in a mosaic of habitats.
At Priddy Mineries we will see species typical of Calaminarian Grassland: Sabulina [Minuartia] verna (Spring Sandwort), Noccaea caerulescens (Alpine Penny-cress), Silene uniflora (Sea Campion) and the diminutive fern Botrychium lunaria (Moonwort). Mire and heath communities include Eriophorum angustifolium and E. vaginatum (Cottongrasses), Juncus squarrosus (Heath Rush), Carex paniculata (Greater Tussock-sedge), Narthecium ossifragum (Bog Asphodel) and Trichophorum germanicum (Common Deer-grass). Typha angustifolia (Lesser Bullrush) and Carex rostrata (Bottle Sedge) grow by the pool. Limestone outcrops and grassland support calcicoles such as Polygala vulgaris (Milkwort) and Arabis hirsuta (Hairy Rock-cress). The remains of stonework support a variety of ferns, including Cystopteris fragilis (Brittle Bladder-fern). Four Asplenium spp. (Spleenworts) grow on one wall!
Stockhill is a large Forest England plantation, also on “gruffy” ground. The wide rides have a diverse flora and there is an abundance of ferns, with 26 taxa recorded across the two sites. We will see several of the Dryopteris affinis group (Scaly Male-ferns), found here on visits by members of the British Pteridological Society.
Beginners welcome. Please bring a packed lunch, wear appropriate footwear for rough ground and bring waterproofs and sun cream.
This meeting is fully booked
Trent Country Park
Middlesex 13th July 2024recording general
Joint with the London Natural History Society.
Trent Country Park is part of the former, much larger, Enfield Chase. The site has extensive areas of woodland, grassland and some aquatic habitats but has been poorly recorded in recent years. As well as general recording, we will also be aiming to refind regional rarities such as Campanula rotundifolia (Harebell), Dactylorhiza praetermissa (Southern Marsh-orchid), Dryopteris carthusiana (Narrow Buckler-fern) and Hypericum humifusum (Trailing St John's-wort). The site also has a number of veteran Malus sylvestris (Crab Apple), a regionally scarce but often over-recorded plant, that need verifying. This meeting is suitable for beginners and for more experienced botanists. Please bring a packed lunch.
Meet at 11:0am outside the entrance of Cockfosters Underground station on Cockfosters Road, Cockfosters (TQ28099637).
Craig y Nos and Craig y Rhiwarth
Breconshire 13th July 2024recording general
Recording and general meeting to explore the scree, limestone outcrops and (for the less adventurous) other nearby habitats around Craig y Rhiwarth and Allt Rhongyr. A great range of possible species, including Antennaria dioica (Mountain Everlasting), Carex montana (Soft-leaved Sedge), Sorbus leptophylla (Thin-leaved Whitebeam), Geranium robertianum subsp. celticum (Herb-Robert), Botrychium lunaria (Moonwort) and many more.
Sedges & Rushes
Dumfriesshire 13th July 2024training
This workshop aims to introduce identification of common sedges and rushes to beginners and improvers who already have a basic grasp of plant ID. There will be a mix of classroom study and fieldwork, much of it in small groups with expert tutors. The programme will be based on the booklet Start to Identify Sedges & Rushes, a copy of which will be included in the cost of the workshop: £40 (50% discount for BSBI members and full-time students). Places are limited, booking essential.
Annaghmore Lough Fen
Co. Laois, Offaly 13th July 2024general
*Please be aware this event has been cancelled as there are cattle on site.* Alternative arrangements are in place; please contact Mark McCorry for further details. Existing bookers have been contacted.
This trip will explore Annaghmore Fen, which is divided between Cos. Laois and Offaly. This site is one of the largest fens in Cos. Laois and Offaly and many typical fen species have been recorded at this site. Other habitats include some Birch woodland, wet woodland and raised bog. We will explore part of the wetland area in both counties.
Meet at Clonalslee (N320211). The terrain will be rough and wet in parts. Dress for the weather. Bring a packed lunch.
Arable weeds
Roxburghshire 14th July 2024training
Wild Flower Society Meeting
Co. Clare, West Galway 17th – 20th July 2024general
The Wild Flower Society (WFS) are planning visit to Cos. Galway and Clare in July. They would like to invite members of the BSBI to attend. Contact WFS for more info.
Ystrad Fflur and Llyn Gynon
Cardiganshire 20th July 2024recording general
Recording and general meeting to explore the Afon Mwyro valley mires, where there is Cirsium dissectum (Meadow Thistle) and Wahlenbergia hederacea (Ivy-leaved Bellflower) etc. For more energetic members of the party, Llyn Gynon has Luronium natans (Floating Water-plantain), Nitella gracilis (Slender Stonewort) and historical Pilularia globulifera (Pillwort) etc.
Grasses, Sedges and Rushes, Ben Lawers
Mid Perthshire 20th July 2024training
Joint with National Trust for Scotland and Perthshire Society of Natural Science
This meeting will provide field training in the identification of grasses, sedges and rushes and repeats by popular request the training event held for several consecutive years at Ben Lawers. Copies of the booklets Start to Identify Grasses and Start to Identify Sedges & Rushes are recommended and will be available for purchase on the day. The meeting is open to all members of BSBI, NTS, PSNS and anyone else interested, whatever level they are at. After some revision on what to look for, we will split into those who want to go on up the hill (perhaps those with more experience of grasses etc.) and those preferring to stay on lower ground (and/or perhaps needing more ID guidance). Places are limited, booking essential.
Ballyhoge
Co. Wexford 20th July 2024general
A walk along the River Slaney to look at aquatic species such as Callitriche truncata (Short-leaved Water-starwort) and Ruppia maritima var. brevirostris (Beaked Tasselweed), and a variety of Potamogeton spp. (Pondweeds). There is a marsh to explore which has a good mixture of species including Oenanthe fistulosa (Tubular Water-dropwort) if the area hasn’t been grazed. There will also be areas of woodland and semi-natural grassland to look at. Fairly easy walking, but can be muddy in places.
Meet at 11:00am in the Ballyhoge church car park (S982 294).
Alchemilla weekend, Glenshee ski centre
East Perthshire 20th – 21st July 2024specialised
This two-day meeting will be a great opportunity to get familiar with a number of Alchemilla (Lady’s-mantle) species which will hopefully include A. glomerulans, A. wichurae and the recently described A. sciura, along with various flavours of A. filicaulis and some other more widespread taxa. Day 1 will focus on various sites either side of the road down from the ski centre at Glenshee. Subject to the necessary permissions from the landowner, day 2 will be spent on the Fealar estate where we know there are good populations of extremely typical A. wichurae. The meeting will involve some walking over rough terrain. There will also be an opportunity to get specimens identified (ideally over tea and cake in the ski centre café). Places are limited and booking is essential. Participants will need to arrange their own accommodation.
Kilclooney, Comeragh Mountains
Co. Waterford 23rd July 2024general
A joint meeting with the Wild Flower Society
The aim of the meeting is to show Minuartia recurva (Recurved Sandwort) found in 2006 new for Co. Waterford. While there we will do a population count of the Sandwort. This is a harsh walk; a good level of fitness is required. Strong footwear is a must. This is a joint meeting with the Wild Flower Society.
Meeting point will be the forest car park at 11:00am on the side of the R676, the Lemybrien to Carrick-on-Siur road (S341 102).
CANCELLED! Plant Families Workshop, Fort William
West Inverness-shire 27th July 2024training
Apologies, this meeting has been cancelled.
The Plant Families workshops are suitable for anyone who can tell a buttercup from a daisy but wants to learn more about plant identification within a structured framework. There will be a mix of classwork, small groups with expert tutors, and fieldwork, following the principle of 'finding the family first'. This is a tried and tested way of getting to grips with ID instead of just playing 'snap' with a field guide or wading through incomprehensible keys.
A copy of the booklet on which the course is based – Pocket Guide to Wildflower Families by Faith Anstey – will be included in the charge for the workshop: £40 (50% discount for BSBI members and full-time students). Places are limited, booking essential.
Join us for the free field meeting for beginners/improvers at Fort William the following day (28th July - link below) and put your learning into practice!
Carrigtwohill
East Cork 27th July 2024general beginners
We will focus on urban plants and explore various habitats and areas around Carrigtwohill. Please bring suitable clothing and footwear for all weather conditions, sun protection, a packed lunch and hand lens and ID book if you have them.
Meet at 10:00am at the train station carpark in Carrigtwohill (W81897380).
Field Meeting, Fort William
West Inverness-shire 28th July 2024training
This meeting is particularly aimed at beginners/improvers and would be an ideal follow-up for anyone who attended the Plant Families Workshop on Saturday. Beginners will be helped to identify the commonest species using the Pocket Guide to Wildflower Families – and hopefully some of the more unusual ones too. A copy of the booklet explaining the principle of ‘finding the family first’ will be provided to use on the walk and will be available to buy on the day. Places are limited, booking essential.
Campsie Fells above Queenzieburn
Stirlingshire 3rd August 2024recording
Much of the Campsie Fells has been poorly recorded in recent years, despite supporting a range of interesting upland habitats and species. This meeting will explore the south slopes of the Campsies above Queenzieburn, taking in a range of habitats including narrow stream gorges, outcrops and waterbodies, and aims to record across a number of previously unexplored monads. There are small areas of limestone bedrock here, potentially holding interesting calcareous species, and old records of unusual plants such as Sedum villosum (Hairy Stonecrop) and Cryptogramma crispa (Parsley Fern) suggest the area may repay further investigation.
This area has some access tracks, but much of the day will be spent on rough, untracked ground, exposed to the elements. Parking will be available nearby, with the meeting location to be confirmed depending on the number of attendees. Everyone from beginners to experts are welcome to join us, but places are limited so booking is essential.
Identifying Composites, Kirkhill Community Centre, Inverness
East Inverness-shire 10th August 2024training
This workshop is one of the series of ID workshops for beginners and improvers. There will be a mix of classroom training and hands-on study in small groups, including fieldwork. The course will be structured around the booklet Start to identify Composite Flowers which is based – as are all these workshops – on the concept of homing in to ID via a dedicated flowchart, rather than by exhaustive keys, and by using field characters that avoid the need for microscopic examination. The booklet will be included in the cost of the workshop. £40 (50% discount for BSBI members and full-time students). Places are limited, booking essential.
Legnaboe and Killard Point NNR
Co. Down 10th – 11th August 2024general
An opportunity to examine the flora of Killard Point NNR including the recently discovered colony of Spiranthes spiralis (Autumn Lady’s-tresses) at its only site in Northern Ireland and record along the coast at Legnaboe including a visit to the colony of Limonium procerum subsp. procerum (Tall Sea-lavender).
Meeting point to be arranged.
Plants of the Upper Lough Erne Basin
Fermanagh 10th August 2024general
This visit will look at the plants along the shore of Upper Lough Erne towards the Old Castle and the Bridge to Inisherk until lunch-time, after which we will visit Derrymacrow Lough which is also on the Crom Estate. We hope to see Cicuta virosa (Cowbane), Lathyrus palustris (Marsh Pea), Leucojum aestivum (Summer Snowflake), Thalictrum flavum (Common Meadow-rue), Thelypteris palustris (Marsh Fern), Ophioglossum vulgsatum (Adder’s Tongue) and a selection of interesting sedges.
This trip is suitable for improvers and more experienced botanists and is free to attend.
Meet at 10.00am at Crom Visitors’ Centre GR H370239 (Google Maps link). There are toilets and a café at the visitors’ centre
Wear suitable shoes and bring a packed lunch
It is hoped to be finished by 4.00pm.
If you are a National Trust member please show your card at the entrance. If you are not a member, say that you are part of the BSBI group and you will not be charged the entrance fee.
Ferns for Complete & Utter Beginners Workshop, Three Villages Hall, Arrochar
Dunbartonshire 17th August 2024training
This workshop aims to introduce the identification of some common ferns and is for complete and utter beginners in fern identification. Ferns are often thought of as difficult, so participants will gain some foundational knowledge which may then be confidently built upon through outings, field meetings and workshops elsewhere. Introductory work in the classroom with experienced tutors will be followed by fieldwork along the wooded shore of Loch Lomond. The programme will be tailored carefully, assuming no previous knowledge. All course materials will be provided and included in the cost of the workshop: £40 (50% discount for BSBI members and full-time students). Places are limited, booking essential.
Carrowmore, Doonbeg
Co. Clare 17th August 2024recording general
This meeting will explore the southern part of Carrowmore coastal dune complex. Habitats we will record in will include strandline vegetation, mobile & fixed dunes, and dune slacks. There hasn't been any recent recording in this site, and a couple of monads at the south end of the dunes have no records at all, so it should be interesting to see what's there. There are old records of locally rare species including Anacamptis pyramidalis (Pyramidal Orchid), Ophioglossum vulgatum (Adder's-tongue) and interestingly Viola lutea (Mountain Pansy).
Meet at 11:00am at public car park at south end of Doughmore Beach (Q984670)
Booking is essential as numbers will be limited.
Yiewsley and Cowley Peachey
Middlesex 24th August 2024recording general beginners
Joint with the London Natural History Society
The LNHS visited this area in 2018 and made several significant records of aquatic plants for the county, particularly Potamogeton spp. (Pondweeds); we will be aiming to re-record some of these species as well as explore of parts of this complex area of waterways with the aim of finding other regionally scare wetland and aquatic plants such as Hydrocharis morsus-ranae (Frog-bit), Cardamine amara (Large Bitter-cress) and Thalictrum flavum (Common Meadow-rue). This meeting is suitable for beginners and for more experienced botanists. Please bring a packed lunch.
Meet at 11:00am outside West Drayton Overground station, Station Approach, West Drayton (TQ06108013).
Chobham Common NNR
Surrey 25th August 2024recording general
Joint with Surrey Botanical Society and Surrey Wildlife Trust (SWT).
Join us on a walk around part of Chobham Common lowland heathland that is managed by Surrey Wildlife Trust (SWT). We will be checking on Surrey rare species such as Gentiana pneumonanthe (Marsh Gentian) and other heathland specialist plants, whilst meeting new people and having a lovely day out. All standards of botanists are welcome, including beginners.
Meet and park in the SWT Staple Hill car park at SU97356487. Please arrive by 10:15am for a 10:30am start. Terrain will be mostly flat with some slopes, it may be damp underfoot so wellies would be useful or stout shoes. Remember to bring your own lunch. Numbers will be limited. Please book your place by contacting Isobel via email. On the day she can be contacted on 07811 440892.
This meeting is fully booked
Plant Identification for Habitat Surveys, Dumyat
West Perthshire 31st August 2024training
This meeting aims to introduce participants to the main indicator species which assist in habitat classifications, touching on several Phase 1 habitats and NVC plant communities. The workshop is not suitable for complete beginners but is more aimed at those who have some basic or intermediate plant identification skills who are also interested in understanding the relationships between plant species and the habitats in which they grow. (Please note this is not a training course on Phase 1 habitat or NVC surveys but rather a workshop to assist participants in identifying key plant species in different habitats).
The meeting is open to all members of BSBI and Botanical Society of Scotland (BSS) or anyone else who may have an interest (priority will be given to BSBI and BSS members in the first instance). It is likely that the workshop will involve some rough walking over the open hill in places. Come prepared for a day in the hills! Places are limited, booking essential. £40 (50% discount for BSS and BSBI members and full-time students).
Please note this meeting is now fully booked.
Castle Cauldwell
Fermanagh 6th September 2024general beginners
We will walk around the shore of Lower Lough Erne which was exposed when the level of the lake was lowered on the 1800s and which is now wooded and has been colonised by interesting plants.
We hope to see the endemic Irish Whitebeam Sorbus hibernica, native Yew trees Taxus baccata, Spindle Euonymus europaea, Guelder Rose Viburnum opulus and the only known specimen in Ireland of the hybrid willow, Salix x friesiana. We should find some spikes of the rare Yellow Bird's-nest Monotropa hypopitys, a few Bird's-nest Orchids Neottia nidus-avis which will be past their best, and see the rare Mackay’s Horsetail Equisetum x trachyodon.
If time permits, we will also visit Lough Scolban, a few kilometers to the NW of Castle Cauldwell, to look for aquatic plants.
This field trip is suitable for beginner to experienced botanists and is limited to ten people.
Meet at the car park in Castle Cauldwell Forest (GR H016603) at 10.30am. We should finish between 3.30 and 4.00.
Bring packed lunches, wear suitable footwear and be prepared for wet weather. There are no toilets at the site.
Correl Glen/Lough Navar Forest
Fermanagh 7th September 2024general
This field trip will visit the Correl Glen, one of the best temperate rain forests in the North of Ireland where we will see both Tunbridge and Wilson’s Filmy-ferns Hymenophyllum tunbrigense and H. wilsonii, Hay-scented Buckler-fern Dryopteris aemula and oak trees covered in mosses and Polypody ferns. We will then visit some north facing sandstone scarps in Lough Navar Forest where we will see Shade Horsetail Equisetum pratense, One-sided Wintergreen Orthilia secunda, Green Spleenwort Asplenium viride, Brittle Bladder-fern Cystopteris fragilis and Blue Moor-grass Sesleria caerulea, a speciality of western Ireland and the Yorkshire Dales. We should also come across Cowberry Vaccinium vitis-idaea and Lesser Twayblade Neottia/Listera cordata.
This field trip is suitable for improver and experienced botanists who are relatively fit and agile and, due to the sensitive nature of the habitat, is limited to ten people.
Meet at the car park at the entrance to Lough Navar Forest Park (GR H074547) at 10.30. We should finish by 4.00.
Bring packed lunches and be prepared for wet weather, steep slopes and very rough ground.
There are no toilets at the site.
Aquatic Plant ID field outing
Northern Ireland 13th October 2024training
Join Aquatic Plant expert Nick Stewart for a day in the field learning how to collect and identify aquatic plants, and/or improve your existing aquatic plant ID skills!
This event is suitable for all skill levels, from beginner to experienced botanist. You will need to bring a packed lunch and suitable footwear and clothing.
Scottish Botanists’ Conference, Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh
Midlothian 2nd November 2024general
All current information for the conference can be found on the Scottish Botanists' Conference page. All are welcome; there will be a wide range of talks, including on conservation initiatives for threatened species such as Small Cow-wheat and One-flowered Wintergreen, a year in the life of a mountain botanist, a look at invasive species in Scotland including Rhododendron and Giant Hogweed, and annual updates from the BSBI and Botanical Society of Scotland.
Getting started with Plant and Leaf Anatomy
5th November 2024training beginners
Getting started with Plant and Leaf Anatomy
Jen Farrar, BSBI Northern Ireland Botanical Skills Officer
In this webinar we will be looking at and describing the structures found in the non-flowering, vegetative parts of plants.
The webinar will focus on the most important aspects of a plant's anatomy when it comes to describing a plant and help to build confidence when using a key.
Topics covered will include the leaf arrangement; determining where the secondary bud is positioned in relation to the leaf stem and how this informs our understanding of the leaf structure; leaf structure; describing the shape of a leaf blade; describing the edge, base and tip of a leaf blade; bark characteristics, bud shape.
Timing
The webinar will begin at 7:00pm. You will only be able to view the video and audio of the speaker and panellists but a Q&A feature will be live throughout for questions, which we will try to get through in the course of the evening.
This webinar is made possible thanks to DAERA-funding for our Botanical Skills Project in Northern Ireland.
Getting started with Flower Anatomy
12th November 2024training beginners
Getting started with Flower Anatomy
Jen Farrar, BSBI Northern Ireland Botanical Skills Officer
In this webinar we will be looking at and describing the structures found in the parts of a plant involved in flowering and reproduction.
The webinar will focus on the most important parts of a flower and flowering stems when describing the flowering parts of a plant and help to build confidence when using a key.
Topics covered will include basic flower structure; basic structure of female reproductive organs; basic structure of male reproductive organs; symmetry; fused and unfused organs with a focus on the female reproductive organs; the position of the ovaries; flower stems; flower arrangement types; novel organs such as the epicalyx and the reduction in floral organs with examples.
Timing
The webinar will begin at 7:00pm. You will only be able to view the video and audio of the speaker and panellists but a Q&A feature will be live throughout for questions, which we will try to get through in the course of the evening
This webinar is made possible thanks to DAERA-funding for our Botanical Skills Project in Northern Ireland.
Lepidoptera and Plants - generalists and specialists making it in the plant world
19th November 2024general
Lepidoptera and Plants – generalists and specialists making it in the plant world
Rose Cremin, Butterfly Conservation’s Conservation Manager in Northern Ireland.
Butterfly Conservation is the UK charity leading on the conservation of butterflies, moths and our environment. The organisation has staff based across the UK’s four countries and works to support European and International Lepidoptera conservation. Butterfly Conservation has had a presence in Northern Ireland for over twenty years. The focus of our work can be distilled down to the conservation of priority species, working across landscapes and connecting people to nature. We achieve this in a number of ways including through research and science, policy, conservation and engagement/raising awareness.
In practice, in conserving and protecting our threatened and wider countryside species, we need to be able to identify the habitat types where they are found and oftentimes, their specific foodplants. Conservation of threatened species requires us to conserve these habitats/plants which should benefit both plant and animal! Butterfly Conservation look forward to explaining more about our important work to BSBI members and sharing some of our common goals.
Timing
The webinar will begin at 7:00pm. You will only be able to view the video and audio of the speaker and panellists but a Q&A feature will be live throughout for questions, which we will try to get through in the course of the evening.
This webinar is made possible thanks to DAERA-funding for our Botanical Skills Project in Northern Ireland.
British & Irish Botanical Conference 2024
23rd November 2024general
We return to the Natural History Museum, London, for our main indoor event of the year! A day of talks, exhibits, posters, a behind-the-scenes tour of the world-famous herbarium, a chance to catch up with botanical friends old and new.... Here's the provisional programme.
This meeting is fully booked
Getting started with Plant Keys
26th November 2024training beginners
Getting started with Plant Keys
Jen Farrar, BSBI Northern Ireland Botanical Skills Officer
In this webinar we will be working through how to use a key to identify a plant to species.
The webinar will focus on building confidence to begin using keys to identify a plant. Using commonly available plants and flowers we will work through a key step by step together. Step one: How to identify the plant family. Step two: How to use a family key to identify the plant genus. Step three: How to use a genus key to identify a plant to species.
The webinar will also cover Useful equipment to have when using a key; How to use a hand lens to look at key characteristics described in a key; Where things might go wrong when using a key and how to solve problems and Finding the key which works best for you.
Timing
The webinar will begin at 7:00pm. You will only be able to view the video and audio of the speaker and panellists but a Q&A feature will be live throughout for questions, which we will try to get through in the course of the evening.
This webinar is made possible thanks to DAERA-funding for our Botanical Skills Project in Northern Ireland.
Dryopteris in Northern Ireland (and further afield)
3rd December 2024training specialised
Dryopteris in Northern Ireland (and further afield)
Alison Evans, Associate Tutor at Edge Hill University
Identification of the male ferns and buckler ferns is not always easy. We will start with diagnostic pointers for the range of Dryopteris species recorded in Northern Ireland, then focus in more detail on the male ferns. We can then consider taxa that occur in other parts of the UK and Ireland, and may be waiting to be recorded in Northern Ireland!
Timing
The webinar will begin at 7:00pm. You will only be able to view the video and audio of the speaker and panellists but a Q&A feature will be live throughout for questions, which we will try to get through in the course of the evening.
This webinar is made possible thanks to DAERA-funding for our Botanical Skills Project in Northern Ireland.
An Introduction to the Horsetails (Equisetum spp.) of Fermanagh, Ireland, and the UK
10th December 2024training beginners
An Introduction to the Horsetails (Equisetum spp.) of Fermanagh, Ireland, and the UK
Robert Northridge; Vice-county Recorder for Fermanagh for over 40 years and joint author, with Ralph Forbes, of the Flora of Fermanagh.
More than half the world's horsetails grow in Robert's home county of Fermanagh and, by extension, Ireland and the UK. His presentation will show all the Irish species together with several of the hybrids, as well as pictures of key features which are useful in identification.
Timing
The webinar will begin at 7:00pm. You will only be able to view the video and audio of the speaker and panellists but a Q&A feature will be live throughout for questions, which we will try to get through in the course of the evening.
This webinar is made possible thanks to DAERA-funding for our Botanical Skills Project in Northern Ireland.
New Year Plant Hunt 2025
29th December 2024 – 1st January 2025recording general
Join thousands of fellow plant-hunters across Britain and Ireland in our annual quest to find out which wild or naturalised plants are able to bloom in midwinter. Your data are helping us learn more about how our plants are responding to a changing climate. The New Year Plant Hunt is also a great way to shake off the winter blues and get outdoors with friends, family, solo or joining a group hunt.
Grasses, Sedges and Rushes for Absolute Beginners
14th January 2025training beginners
Grasses, Sedges and Rushes for Absolute Beginners
Jen Farrar, BSBI Northern Ireland Botanical Skills Officer
In this webinar we will be looking at the vegetative and flower characteristics of grasses, sedges and rushes.
The webinar will focus on clearly showing how the leaf and stem, flower and flowering stem characteristics vary across the three groups and how to tell them apart.
The groups will then be studied individually and in more depth the leaf and stem and flower characteristics of each that are important when identifying a plant to genus and species.
Timing
The webinar will begin at 7:00pm. You will only be able to view the video and audio of the speaker and panellists but a Q&A feature will be live throughout for questions, which we will try to get through in the course of the evening.
This webinar is made possible thanks to DAERA-funding for our Botanical Skills Project in Northern Ireland.
Grasses and grassland habitats
21st January 2025training beginners
Grasses and grassland habitats
Dr Maria Long works for the Scientific Advice and Research Directorate of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), an executive agency of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in Ireland.
Maria will introduce some of the main grassland types found in Ireland, and will talk us through some tips and tricks for identification of some key species. This talk will be aimed at beginners and improvers.
Timing
The webinar will begin at 7:00pm. You will only be able to view the video and audio of the speaker and panellists but a Q&A feature will be live throughout for questions, which we will try to get through in the course of the evening.
This webinar is made possible thanks to DAERA-funding for our Botanical Skills Project in Northern Ireland.
Getting Started with Cotoneasters
28th January 2025
Getting Started with Cotoneasters
James Common is a BSBI Joint Vice-County Recorder for North Northumberland (VC68) and works as Senior Naturalist with the Natural History Society of Northumbria (NHSN).
Alien cotoneasters are an increasingly prominent part of the UK's flora, with over 100 species now recorded in a naturalised state across Britain and Ireland. Despite this, they are poorly studied, largely on account of difficulties in telling these diverse, variable but increasingly common shrubs apart. James Common, BSBI Joint Vice-County Recorder for North Northumberland (VC68) has now spend two years attempting to record the species growing wild in North East England. In this introductory talk, he will explore the identification of 10-15 of the species likely to be encountered across Ireland, and share tips and resources designed to inspire botanists to take their first steps in getting to grips with these difficult yet fascinating plants.
Timing
The webinar will begin at 7:00pm. You will only be able to view the video and audio of the speaker and panellists but a Q&A feature will be live throughout for questions, which we will try to get through in the course of the evening.
This webinar is made possible thanks to DAERA-funding for our Botanical Skills Project in Northern Ireland.
Rubus (Brambles) in Northern Ireland
4th February 2025training specialised
Rubus (Brambles) in Northern Ireland
David Earl, VCR for Lancashire and BSBI Referee for Rubus in Northern England and North Wales
This talk will cover some of the more widespread species of Rubus that occur in Northern Ireland and will include images of the features that aid identification
Timing
The webinar will begin at 7:00pm. You will only be able to view the video and audio of the speaker and panellists but a Q&A feature will be live throughout for questions, which we will try to get through in the course of the evening.
This webinar is made possible thanks to DAERA-funding for our Botanical Skills Project in Northern Ireland.
Sedges for Beginners
Westmorland 12th June 2025training beginners
This day course is mainly aimed at sedge beginners but due to the richness of the site it will also suit intermediate sedge enthusiasts. We will start with the features of sedges most useful at identifying them. Work with a range of sedge specimens indoors and then move out onto site in the afternoon. Numbers will be limited to 14.
This will be a full day meeting so please bring a packed lunch. The distance covered will not be great, but parts will be very wet so waterproof boots or wellies are essential. Although Tarn Moor can be idyllic at this time of year, please come prepared for less clement conditions. The indoor meeting has toilets and facilities to make tea and coffee. There are no facilities at Tarn Moor.
For full information and to book, visit the event page.
Wales Annual Meeting, Exhibition and AGM
Denbighshire 29th – 31st July 2025general
The 2025 Wales Annual Meeting & AGM will be held in Denbighshire from 29-31 July. The venue will be the Rhyd-y-Creuau FSC Centre, on the banks of Afon Conwy opposite Betws-y-Coed. Accommodation is in single or twin occupancy rooms which are either en-suite or with easily accessible bathroom facilities. The field centre is located on the A470 between Betws y Coed and Llanrwst. The nearest railway station is at Betws y Coed on the Conwy Valley Line which connects with the North Wales main line at Llandudno Junction. The station is 1.5 – 2km flat walk from the Centre.
More information, including information on the programme and exhibition, is available on the event page.
- All our annual conferences are open to everyone, wherever you are based, and you don't need to be a BSBI member to attend but you will need to book in advance.
- Unless otherwise stated, our non-residential field meetings are free to attend and you don't usually need to be a BSBI member, although if there are more applicants than spaces available, we reserve the right to prioritise our members.
- For field meetings, you will need to book in advance and/ or contact the organiser to find out where to assemble: please don't just turn up at a field meeting where pre-booking is required.
- For general enquiries about field meetings contact the Field Meetings Secretary, Jonathan Shanklin.
Information for those attending field meetings
- Guidance for participants at field meetings (2024);
- Safety in the field;
- BSBI Code of Conduct 2017 for picking, collecting, photographing and enjoying wild plants;
- BSBI's Safeguarding Policies: for adults; and for children and young people;
- BSBI's Privacy Policy.
Local meetings
For more info about botany meetings in your area, organised by local groups and County Recorders, check our Local Botany page and click through to your county page or contact your County Recorder.
Country Field Secretaries
- England: Mary Dean
- Ireland: Mark McCorry
- Scotland: Beccy Middleton
- Wales: Andy Jones
Information for leaders of field meetings
Please click on these links to go direct to dedicated webpages for national and country events such as the British & Irish Botanical Conference, our Annual General Meeting, the BSBI Recorders' Conference, the Annual Summer Meeting, the Scottish Botanists' Conference, Irish and Scottish spring Conferences and the Welsh AGM; and don't forget our New Year Plant Hunt.
We only hold the information requested in order to administer the event advertised. We will treat your information as confidential, hold it securely and will never pass it on to third parties. Your information will be deleted within 6 months of the event taking place. The lawful basis for processing this data is defined under GDPR regulations as contractual.
You can request to see the data we hold on you at any time and we will remove you from our systems and discontinue contact at your request: just email enquiries@bsbi.org and mark your email 'Unsubscribe'.
Field meetings and indoor events remain subject to Government guidance on Covid-19 prevention measures specific to England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Currently there are no coronavirus (Covid-19) restrictions in the UK or Republic of Ireland, but this could change. However, if you have Covid-19, 'flu or other infectious disease, you should try to stay at home. More information about Covid-19 is available here (for the UK) and here for the Republic of Ireland.