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NORTH FACE SURVEY

Phase II: 2015

Report compiled by Lewis Pate Environmental Project Officer at Nevis Landscape Partnership

Jan 2016

The Nevis Partnership is a Charity registered in Scotland, No SCO33418

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Contents

Acknowedgements……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..3 Summary…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….4 Aims & Objectives……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….5 Project Background & Description…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………6,7,8 Training day……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………9,10 2015 Survey………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…11,12,13

Areas visited, teams and notable features……………………………………………………………………………..……………………14,15,16,17 Recommendations…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….18 Appendix I – Iain Strachan, Botanical Report………………………………………………………………………………………..……..19,20,21,22 Appendix II – MVE, Geological Report….……………………………………………………………………………. 23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31 Appendix III – Gordon Rothero, Notable Bryophytes…………………………………………………………………….32,33,34,35,36,37,38 Appendix IV – Gordon Rothero, Nationally Rare & Scarce Bryophytes (2014 Survey)…………………………………………39,40,41 Appendix V – Mike Pescod, Access & Safety Report……………………………………………………………………………………………………42 Appendix VI – Rare & Scarce Vascular Plant Species Not Previously Recorded on Ben Nevis (2014 Survey)………….43,44 Appendix VII – SNH Species ID Cards………………………………………………………………………………………………….………..45,46,47,48 Appendix VIII – North Face Survey Team Contact Details…………………………………………………………………………………………..49

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Acknowledgements The second ecological and geological survey of the north face of Ben Nevis took place between the 10th and 14th of August 2015. Building on the success from 2014, the Nevis Landscape Partnership in partnership with SNH continued with a comprehensive and logistically challenging survey of Britain’s highest mountain. Funding for the project was kindly provided by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). The challenges of the survey would not have been met without the professional input from the following people and organisations: Scottish Natural Heritage – Cathy Mayne Abacus Mountaineering - Mike Pescod and contracted guides Midland Valley Exploration – Roddy Muir, Jenny Ellis, Hugh Barron Rio Tinto Alcan - Landowner John Muir Trust – Ali Austin & Blair Fyffe Ian Strachan Gordon Rothero NLP Trainee Volunteer Ranger Team Ed Holt DMM - Dave Gary Scottish Mountaineering Club A major objective of the project has been to raise public awareness of our fascinating and fragile mountain environments and develop working partnerships between professional mountaineers and conservation bodies. Images are reproduced courtesy of the survey team, NLP staff and volunteers.

Round-leaved Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia)

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Summary

During August 2015, the Nevis Landscape Partnership, in collaboration with our working partners, continued to build on the success of the 2014 survey. We undertook a logistically challenging and multi-disciplinary survey of Britain’s highest mountain at 1343mt.

Ben Nevis first attracted botanists and geologists over 200 years ago, and continues to reveal some of its remaining secrets.

The project team, including geologists, botanists and professional mountaineers, NLP staff and volunteers, made significant discoveries, recording new geological features and arctic-alpine plant species.

Until 2014 many of the 600 metre cliffs, gullies and buttresses remained inaccessible to the scientific community. Aided by nearly 3,000 meters of rope and low-impact mountaineering techniques the team continued to safely record new data from previously unexplored areas and revisited challenging areas on the north face of Ben Nevis.

The project is developing a detailed dataset of geological and botanical features which will hopefully provide a guide for future projects elsewhere, to better understand the habitats that exist on Scotland’s mountains.

Effective partnership working between conservation bodies, professional mountain guides, botanists and geologists has developed to allow everyone involved to add value to their respective professional knowledge. This will improve the public’s understanding of our fragile mountain environments with better public engagement and knowledge sharing.

The NLP and its working partners will continue with one final survey in 2016.

Mike Pescod of Abacus Mountain Guides reviewing survey routes at the CIC hut.

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Primary Aims & Objectives

Aim Objective

Identify the botanical and geological features of previously inaccessible areas of the north face of Ben Nevis SSSi

Advise SNH, working partners and the general public of the distribution, location and current condition and of these features in detail.

Build relationships between professionals working in conservation and recreation

Improve knowledge base for professional climbers, guides, botanists, geologists and recreational users of the mountain

Deliver three technical surveys of 125ha of normally inaccessible habitat on the north face of Britain’s highest mountain

Develop survey skills and working practices as a blueprint for future surveys on similar terrain elsewhere

Produce a concise professional report with useful and accurate information

Inform interested parties of the work undertaken and improve “site condition monitoring”, hopefully bringing the unfavourable “vascular plant” feature into favourable condition

Gather geological data to build a three dimensional map of the Ben Nevis massif

Develop a detailed understanding of the processes that formed the mountain and promote this to a wider audience via the “Fieldmove” applications software

Promote an innovative and exciting project to as wide an audience as possible, raising the profile of Ben Nevis

Raise awareness of the conservation value of Ben Nevis SSSi and the pressures put upon it by climate change and recreational and commercial use

Descending lower section of Ledge Route

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Project Background

The Ben Nevis Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) is an extensive upland site of 9539ha centred on a massif which stretches for over 12 kilometres from Ben Nevis, eastwards to Stob Coire na Ceannain, and has an altitudinal range from 30m above sea level in Glen Nevis to 1344m on the summit.

It contains the following listed features:

(Ref: SNH Site Link, http://gateway.snh.gov.uk/sitelink/siteinfo.jsp?pa_code=192)

Last Visit Date Feature Category Feature Last assessed Condition

19/07/13 Coniferous woodland Native pinewood Unfavourable Recovering

21/09/15 Other invertebrates Fly assemblage Favourable Maintained

16/07/15 Butterflies Small mountain ringlet (Erebia epiphron)

Favourable Maintained

31/08/15 Bryophytes Bryophyte assemblage Favourable Maintained

31/05/15 Birds – assemblage of breeding birds

Breeding bird assemblage Favourable Maintained

30/09/15 Mosaic Upland assemblage Favourable Maintained

18/07/15 Igneous petrology Caledonian igneous Favourable Maintained

08/09/15 Vascular plants Vascular plant assemblage Unfavourable No Change

13/06/15 Broad-leaved, mixed and yew woodland

Upland oak woodland Favourable maintained

A large cushion of Gouty-moss (Oedipodium griffithianum) with sporophytes on Tower Ridge

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The range in altitude and geology gives rise to a diversity of habitats including native pine and oak woodlands, montane cliffs, semi-permanent snow beds, upland heaths and grasslands. A wide variety of vascular and lower plants are present. The altitude influences the flora and fauna of the site, further influencing the range of bird and invertebrate species present.

Ben Nevis and the associated peaks of Aonach Mor and Aonach Beag form a massif that has the highest land in the UK and contains only three peaks greater than 1200m out with the Cairngorms. The SSSI supports an assemblage of upland habitats which includes the only semi-permanent snow beds outside the Cairngorms, and the most extensive scree snow-beds in the UK.

The mountain provides unique habitats for rare arctic-alpine flora. The importance of this flora is reflected in the Ben Nevis SSSI feature for vascular plants, currently in “unfavourable” condition. Some of the key locations that are already known about are at risk from recreational activity but are also potentially further threatened by changing climate.

The geological features of the site are unlikely to fall into unfavourable condition, however the detailed geological mapping that MVE undertook in 2014/15 has developed our understanding of the processes that have shaped the mountain.

Image of the Move software interface from MVE, showing the distribution of the geological data collected during the 2015 survey of the North Face. The coloured

discs represent the 3D orientation of geological contacts, joints and faults that were measured using the Fieldmove Clino application. The data have been projected

onto a digital elevation model of the Lochaber area. Contours are taken from the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 dataset. View looking to the SW with the Halfway

Lochan on the right.

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A significantly greater area of the 125ha (see Map1 page 21) of the north face of Ben Nevis has now been accessed by botanists and geologists. Due to the sensitivity of the site and the guiding designations covering it (NSA, SSSI & SAC) no fixed anchors were placed in the rock.

Rather than employing heavy duty industrial access techniques (such as placing bolts in the rock) the survey team utilised climbing equipment which can be placed without damaging the site. Many of the sites being accessed were either damp, ‘flush’ areas or along geological contacts. These locations often coincide with large fractures in the rock and consequently are full of loose, wet rock. Climbers usually avoid such places for obvious reasons.

The team therefore used many of the usual guiding techniques and had to develop some new approaches. The experience learned from the 2014 survey made for a much more efficient and targeted approach this year.

The team of mountaineers also brought an extensive and detailed knowledge of the mountain to the scientific survey. Thousands of days guiding clients on the north face of Ben Nevis gave the geologists and botanists insight into the mountain’s topography as well taking them safely to previously unrecorded areas.

Ian Strachan training guides on species ID Susan Nicol assisting with PPE at the summit

Man and beast working in harmony Rope protectors and belay set-up for surveyors

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The Training Day

It was decided to reduce the “training week from 2014” to one day for the 2015 survey. This was to deliver the project within budget and, as many of the same team were involved from 2014, it was considered an appropriate timeframe to bring existing members up to speed. In addition it allowed NLP to maintain a comparable level of input from 2014 for the main survey week.

The day started at NLP offices at An Drochaid and everyone quickly set off to the CIC hut from the north face car park to work on practical sessions covering:

survey techniques and data collection – RM & JE from MVE

GPS, checks and calibration with maps and altimeter – MVE

geological processes, rock types, features and structures – MVE

montane habitats and indicator species – IS

identification of arctic-alpine species – IS

safety equipment and access logistics – MP

radios and communications – MP

rope systems and rigging – MP & team

Field Move Clino App - MVE

Training Day Team August 2015

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Rescue 8 & shunt set-up for surveyors

Fieldmove Clino App. On IPhone 6

Abseil practice on Organ Pipe Wall

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The Survey (10th – 14 August 2015)

During the survey week many new areas of the north face were surveyed and recorded for the first time finding many new colonies of nationally rare and scarce plant species: in particular saxifrages, grasses and mousears, with additional recording of mosses and liverworts by Gordon Rothero.

Besides the huge scale of the task and the challenge of multi-disciplinary surveying in extremely difficult terrain, the survey team had to contend with complex logistical challenges and the need to physically carry huge amounts of rope, safety equipment and survey items around the mountain each day. At the end of each day the team had to review any issues, gather data, and develop plans for the following day.

Every morning was arranged with a 7am meet at the North Face car park, and an 8:30 briefing at the CIC hut. Survey teams were finalised, with key sites identified and access routes determined to manage safety and communications. Each location was allocated specific team members with botanists and geologists allocated as required. The daily logistics were recorded on a rota board at the CIC hut for the communications manager.

Morning Planning Meeting at CIC Hut

Communications and radio checks were continued throughout the day with regular updates on team locations and most importantly managing the hazard of rock fall onto survey teams or the general public. Ed Holt managed the radio communications from the CIC hut during the week. Ed facilitated effective communication between team members and monitored public access to the main climbing routes with the aid of a telescope.

The survey was conducted with four teams of two mountaineers either working independently or with a geologist/botanist as a rope of three. Those teams working without expert guidance would carry out a sweep survey of technical terrain, noting indicator species and recording any finds on the field App.

To ensure accuracy of records, digital photos of species were taken (with GPS data recorded and checked) and then checked with the relevant expert back at the base camp at the end of each day. If an area proved of interest, a geologist or botanist would then be taken back to the key areas. This made the best use of resources and a maintained a balance between macro and micro scale surveying

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The 2015 survey had the added input of the NLP’s seven trainee volunteer rangers (TVR’s), who were deployed to strategic locations where they assisted the survey team in various ways. Belay points were monitored on the summit, 200m bags of rope were moved up and down ledge route and along the summit to specific locations and members of the public were informed of activity to avoid the danger of rock fall from the survey teams.

Iain Strachan training guides on species ID

Before entering terrain with a hazard of rock fall the teams would communicate with the base camp officer and other teams to ensure the public were not exposed to any risk. Signage around the area was also used, as were numerous communications during the preceding weeks to the survey on walkers and climbers forums, blogs and websites.

The project was promoted widely on Twitter and Facebook and articles were placed via the following websites and publications:

Mountain Weather Information Service Grough Magazine Press & Journal UK Climbing Mountaineering Council of Scotland SNH Nature of Scotland

Blair Fyffe JMT

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On the Tuesday Mark Steven from BBC Scotland Out Of Doors spent the day with the team and the project received a good level of reporting broadcast on Sat 19th Sept and repeated on Sun 20th. Positive feedback was received from several sources on this programme. It is planned to involve BBC Out Of Doors across additional NLP projects going forward.

Ian Strachan Summit Interview for BBC Out of Doors

Mara Media had two cameramen on the survey for the Wednesday and filmed for a series “The Highlands”. This is due for broadcast sometime in 2016 and centres on the connection between people and the landscape of northern Scotland.

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Mon 10th August

Tues 11th August

Team Area Visited Notable Species/Features

Recorded

Mike Pescod, Will Rowland, Ian

Strachan

Plateau above upper Cascades

Cascade

Large pop Highland Saxifrage,

also Alpine Meadow-grass,

Starwort Mouse-ear and Arctic

Mouse-ear. New UK altitudinal

records for all four, also for

Mountain Sorrel and Scurvy

Grass

Mike Pescod, Erika Forbes (TVR),

Cathel Hutchison (TVR), Phoebe

Webster (TVR)

Summit

Team Area Visited Notable Species/Features

Recorded (target spp. in bold)

Donald King, Dave Anderson, Ian

Strachan

Slingsby’s Chimney to base of

Oservatory Buttress from Coire Leis

traverse

Arctic Mouse-ear, Russet Sedge

and Alpine Saw-wort on traverse,

Alpine Lady-fern in Zero Gully

Al Halewood, Dave Buckett, Gordon

Rothero

Bowl above the Shroud from Ledge

Route to Boomer’s Requiem.

Also plateau edge Ledge Route to

Castle Ridge

Alpine Speedwell and Arctic

Mouse-ear above the Shroud,

Starwort Mouse-ear at top of

Arch Gully

Mike Pescod, Connor Holdsworth,

Dan Watson (NTS)

Minus Three Gully from Coire Leis

Traverse

Arctic Mouse-ear, Russet Sedge

and Three-flowered Rush on

traverse

Scott Kirkhope, Will Rowland, Roddy

Muir

Base Little Brenva Face Starwort Mouse-ear and

Sibbaldia

Jenny Ellis & Blair Fyffe North Trident Buttress base

Cathy Mayne & Cathel Hutchison

(TVR)

Base of Carn Dearg Buttress to Castle

Ridge

Large stands Russet Sedge, also

Alpine Lady-fern, Alpine Lady-f

ern

Lewis Pate, Erika Forbes (TVR), Chris

Scully (TVR), Allan Audsley (TVR)

Moving rope up Ledge Route to top

of Castle Ridge

Harris-Harris Brooker (TVR) Phoebe

Webster (TVR)

Signs to shoulder near Lochan Meall

an t’Suidhe

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Scott Kirkhope, Dave Anderson,

Gordon Rothero

East flank of Tower Ridge from crest of

ridge, descend via Coire Leis

Large stand (100+) Hare’s-foot

Sedge, also Sibbaldia and

Starwort Mouse-ear

Al Halewood, Connor Holdsworth,

Dan Watson (NTS)

Broad Gully, west flank Tower Ridge Highland Saxifrage, Alpine Lady-

fern, Sibbaldia and Mountain

Speedwell. Alpine Speedwell

and Sibbaldia in Coire Leis.

Dave Bucket, Ali Austin (JMT), Roddy

Muir

Tower Ridge Alpine Speedwell, Arctic Mouse-

ear, Alpine Meadow-grass and

Sibbaldia.

Donald King, Blair Fyffe, Jenny Ellis Castle Ridge

Harris Brooker (TVR), Allan Audsley

(TVR),

Half way lochan/traverse path - safety

Cathy Mayne, Chris Scully (TVR) Coire Leis Alpine Lady-fern, Russet Sedge,

Sibbaldia and Northern Buckler-

fern

Lewis Pate Ledge Route and summit with BBC

Scotland Mark Steven Out of Doors

Wed 12th August

Team Area Visited Notable Species/Features

Recorded

Al Halewood, Dave Anderson, Ian

Strachan

West of Tower Gully, East flank of

Tower Ridge from summit plateau

Sibbaldia, also Alpine Speedwell

on Ledge Route

Conner Holdsworth, Erika Forbes

(TVR), Gordon Rothero

Coire Leis lochan and abseil posts path Curved Woodrush (new for Ben

Nevis), also Alpine Meadow-

grass, Starwort Mouse-ear,

Arctic Mouse-ear, Alpine Lady-

fern & Russet Sedge.

Scott Kirkhope, Will Rowland, Jenny

Ellis

North Trident Buttress & base mud

rocks

Sibbaldia

Donald King, Dan Watson Under the Castle, Moat & Serpent Starwort Mouse-ear, Alpine

Lady-fern, also Juniper and

Mountain Speedwell

Dave Bucket & Roddy Muir First platform WE Buttress Arctic Mouse-ear

Mike Pescod & Blair Fyffe Castle Ridge – rope retrieval

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Cathy Mayne, Ali Austin, Lewis Pate

& TVR’s

Ledge Route Easy to summit – rock

site survey on summit

Rope to top of Castle Ridge

Starwort Mouse-ear, Alpine

Speedwell & Sibbaldia en route

Cathel Hutchison (TVR) and Phoebe

Webster (TVR)

Traverse path under Castle Ridge –

safety

Film Crew from Mara Media Tbc

Thurs 13th August

Team Area Visited Notable Species/Features

Recorded

Scott Kirkhope, Connor Holdsworth

& Ian Strachan

No. 3 Gully Buttress from top Large pops of Starwort Mouse-

ear and Highland Saxifrage, also

Arctic Mouse-ear

Al Halewood, Blair Fyffe & Gordon

Rothero

South Trident Buttress & No. 4 Gully Starwort Mouse-ear

Donald King & Cathy Mayne Long Climb to bottom of Basin – Orion

Face

Alpine Lady-fern

Dave Bucket, Dave Anderson &

Roddy Muir

Observatory Ridge – descend Ledge

Route

Mike Pescod, Ali Austin & Hugh

Barron (MVE)

Secondary Tower Ridge from Italian

Climb to Pinnacle Buttress, No. 3 & No.

4 Gully, descend down Ledge Route

Alpine Lady-fern, Sibbaldia.

(Drooping and Tufted Saxifrage

and other known scarce spp also

recorded at top of No 4.)

Will Rowland & Jim McIntosh (BSBI) Coire Leis Abseil Posts path and

Buttress east of Bob Run

Good stands of Curved

Woodrush, Arctic Mouse-ear,

Alpine Speedwell and Sibbaldia,

also Alpine Meadow-grass and

Russet Sedge.

Susan Nicol, Chris Scully (TVR), Harris

Brooker (TVR)

Coire na Ciste – removing rope

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Fri 14th August

Team Area Visited Notable Species/Features

Recorded

Mike Pescod, Dave Anderson &

Cathy Mayne

Raeburn’s Buttress Compression

Cracks – returned out of South Castle

Gully

Starwort & Arctic Mouse-ear,

Alpine Lady-fern, Alpine Saw-

wort, Northern Buckler-fern

Cerastium arcticum, Cerastium

cerastoides

Donald Kind & Roddy Muir Tbc

Allan Audsley (TVR) & Alex Hogarth

(TVR)

Descend to top car park from CIC with

rope

Dave Bucket, Blair Fyffe & Hugh

Barron

Ledge Route to west – descend down

No. 5 Gully Top Bowl

Starwort Mouse-ear, Sibbaldia

Scot Kirkhope, Gordon Rothero &

Conner Holdsworth

Slopes above Raeburn’s Buttress Starwort & Arctic Mouse-ear,

Sibbaldia, Highland Saxifrage

Al Halewood, Will Rowland & Ian

Strachan, Lewis Pate

Indicator Wall RH from summit top

70m and descend via Coire Leis

no target spp but new UK alt

record for Stiff Sedge

Susan Nicol & Chris Scully (TVR),

Harris Brooker (TVR) & Cathel

Hutchison (TVR)

Summit

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Recommendations for 2016:

Include at least one training day. This should be paid and will include carrying equipment to the CIC Hut, botany

and geology refreshers as well as further coaching for the experts.

Consider an additional “open” training day for NGO land staff from other conservation bodies (NTS/JMT/SNH)

this to be supported by additional paid work with input by the geologists, botanists and guides

Earlier training of TVR’s on rough ground access and site specific knowledge to reduce management and

labour-intensity. MP and NLP to assess ability prior to training day.

Additional independent transport for TVR’s to reduce NLP staff time

Using the same experts and guides as far as is practical.

Maintain the current ratio of surveyors/guides.

Ensure that media teams have their own guides and that they are aware of what they can achieve so as not to

disrupt the survey too much. Further define media parameters prior to any survey involvement to ensure

appropriate & relevant promotion of NLP and working partners.

Use logistical, ecological and geological knowledge of people such as staff from NTS, JMT and NLP – this worked

well on the 2015 survey.

Maintain an experienced and paid communications manager at the CIC hut.

Seek additional sponsored equipment such as waterproof jackets for survey team

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Appendix I

Ben Nevis North Face Survey, year 2, Aug 2015: botanical report

Ian Strachan, 17 Nov 2015

Introduction

The botanical survey in 2015 was again very successful, helped by having the same professional team of climbers

involved as last year. Botanists Ian Strachan and Gordon Rothero were joined for four days (including the training day)

by Dan Watson, NTS Ecologist for Ben Lawers and Glencoe, and for one day by Jim McIntosh, BSBI Scottish Officer.

Both are very experienced mountain botanists and made valuable contributions. Cathy Mayne (SNH), Alison Austin

(JMT) and other team members also contributed botanical skills. The climbers’ familiarity with the North Face was

invaluable, not only for access, but also for identifying potential survey areas which often proved to be of high botanical

interest, such as No 3 Gully buttress, Tower Ridge and the Upper Cascades.

The weather was mixed but did not really hinder survey, and Thursday was a particularly fine day. Late snow-lie limited

access in places, but more of an issue was the very late season, with some species well behind their usual flowering

period, making identification more difficult.

The focus of vascular plant recording was again on Nationally Rare (NR) and Nationally Scarce (NS) species, forming

part of the Ben Nevis SSSI vascular plant assemblage feature (Table 1). Other notable species were also recorded when

seen e.g. Alpine Saw-wort Saussurea alpina and Moss Campion Silene acaulis. We aimed to visit localities not reached

in 2014, notably Tower Ridge, the north side of Carn Dearg Buttress, Coire Leis, Castle Ridge north, Trident Buttress

and several other routes. A mixture of climbing, scrambling and abseiling was used, including short abseils from the

plateau for e.g. Upper Cascades and Indicator Wall (from the summit cairn!). Table X lists the teams and routes covered

each day, together with an indication of key finds (more details below).

On the training day, IS, DW and CM carried out brief ‘refresher’ identification work with the climbers. Laminated ID

cards were available as last year. Most records were made on iPhones using the Midland Valley Fieldmove app, which

had been adapted by the geologists working with the team to record both geological and botanical information. The

botanists also used GPS and notebooks (see next section). Notes were sometimes made of counts or

population/habitat extent, also associated photographs were taken and labelled. Climbing teams surveying without

an expert botanist took photographs to confirm plant identifications.

Data analysis

Finds were recorded in the field in two ways (a) using the Fieldmove app on iPhones, (b) with GPS and notebook. The

latter method was used by IS, DW and CM, although some of their finds were recorded on iPhones instead or as well.

Data from iPhones were downloaded at the end of each day. Notebook records were entered into XL by the recorders

after the survey.

For each survey day, every team that made any plant records has been given a code, from A1 to F4, with a letter for

the day and a number for the team. This was linked to each record for analysis purposes. IPhone data were collated

into a series of spreadsheets for each day/team. The data included a mixture of location records and images

(photographs). The photos were all examined and species identification checked. The botanical site and image records

were combined and sorted by time of day to match photos and locations where possible. The records were imported

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into GIS and the locations converted from lat/long to OS grid reference. The iPhone data was all collated into a single

spreadsheet together with the ‘notebook’ records (which were also imported into GIS) and each record given a unique

number.

Certain difficulties were encountered when ‘cleaning’ the data e.g. photo GRs were usually different from the

apparently corresponding ‘site’ GRs, sometimes very different. Some sites were clearly in the ‘wrong place’, probably

a consequence of the difficulties of using GPS on crags. Judgement had to be applied by examining record details and

locations against maps and air photos in GIS. Decisions made are recorded in the master spreadsheet. Similar problems

were encountered where iPhone and GPS/notebook records coincided. In a few cases the same stands had been

recorded by different teams e.g. in Coire Leis. As far as possible ‘duplicate’ records were identified and omitted from

the final analyses.

Separate layers for each target species were then created in GIS and examined to determine the number of new

‘populations’ in terms of Site Condition Monitoring i.e. stands, or clusters of stands, within a 40m radius. These were

compared with previous records, although this must be provisional in a few cases as the 2014 has still not been fully

collated into GIS.

Findings

Map 1 shows the distribution of all records for target species (i.e. Nationally Rare or Scarce vascular plants) made in

2015. Over 150 target species records were made, most being at new locations. Approximately 68 previously unknown

populations for 10 target species were identified, as detailed in Table 1. A wide range of records were also obtained

for other notable species which will be imported into the BSBI Distributional Database and will contribute to Atlas

2020.

Highlights include:

A large population of Curved Woodrush (Luzula arcuata) in upper Coire Leis, west of the abseil posts. Previously within the SSSI the only recent records were from Aonach Beag, where there is one very large population on the plateau and scattered individuals on slopes and gullies. There were old records from the Carn Mor Dearg side of Coire Leis which could not be refound in 2015. This new find therefore represents the first record for Ben Nevis itself and the second ‘qualifying’ population (>25 plants) for the SSSI. Curved Woodrush is classified as ‘Vulnerable’ in the Red Data List.

A large stand of Hare’s-foot Sedge (Carex lachenalii) with at least 100 flowering shoots on the east flank of Tower Ridge, c. 500m SE of the known (smaller) population in Coire na Ciste. Very small populations were recorded in 2005 on Aonach Mor and Aonach Beag (the latter could not be found in 2013). This is therefore the second ‘qualifying’ population (>25 plants) for the SSSI.

Large new populations of Highland Saxifrage on the north side of Carn Dearg (Raeburn’s Buttress) and in Coire na Ciste (No. 3 Gully Buttress and the Upper Cascades), and of Alpine Speedwell and Arctic Mouse-ear around upper Coire Leis.

More than 10 new populations for each of Alpine lady-fern, Starwort Mouse-ear and Sibbaldia.

New upper altitudinal limits for Britain & Ireland for several species, including Highland Saxifrage, Alpine Meadow-grass, Starwort Mouse-ear, Arctic Mouse-ear, Mountain Sorrel and Scurvy Grass (to be confirmed).

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Map 1. Locations of all records for target species made in August 2015 (red squares)

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Table 1. Nationally Rare (bold) and Nationally Scarce vascular plant species recorded from new localities on Ben

Nevis North Face, August 2015. * species not recorded previously from Ben Nevis.

Species

Common

name

2015 pops

(records) Detailed findings

Athyrium

distentifolium

Alpine

Lady-fern

15 (20)

12 new

New pops on N face of Castle Ridge, Raeburn’s Buttress, Tower

Ridge (2), Zero Gully, Orion Face, Coire Leis (6). Also several

known pops re-recorded.

Carex lachenalii Hare’s-foot

Sedge

1 (1)

new

New population on Tower Ridge E, largest known pop for SSSI

(>100 spikes) and a second SCM qualifying population.

Carex saxatilis Russet

Sedge

10 (21)

6 new

New populations on NE Buttress (1) and Coire Leis (5), also known

pops refound/counted below Carn Dearg Buttress (4).

Cerastium

cerastoides

Starwort

Mouse-ear

18 (30)

16 new

New pops on Castle Ridge N Face, Raeburn’s Buttress (2),

Waterfall Gully, Carn Dearg plateau (3), above Trident Buttress,

No3 Gully Buttress, Upper Cascades, Tower Ridge, Little Brenva

Face, Coire Leis (4?). Also several known sites relocated

Cerastium

nigrescens

Arctic

Mouse-ear

11 (15)

8 new

New pops on Raeburn’s Buttress (2), Carn Dearg N Wall, No 3

Gully Buttress (2), Raeburn’s Easy Route, NE Buttress, Upper Coire

Leis (large pop). Also two 2014 sites recorded.

Luzula arcuata* Curved

Woodrush*

1 (8)

new

Large population in upper Coire Leis, first definite record for Ben

Nevis and second qualifying pop for SSSI.

Poa alpina Alpine

Meadow-

grass

5 (8)

3 new

Small stands found at several new locations – Raeburn’s Easy

Route, Douglas Gap, Upper Coire Leis. Also two 2014 sites.

Saxifraga

rivularis

Highland

Saxifrage

7 (11)

6 new

Large new pops on Raeburn’s Buttress, No 3 Gully Buttress (2) and

Upper Cascades, also new pops on Raeburn’s Easy Route and

Tower Ridge W. One 2014 site rerecorded.

Sibbaldia

procumbens

Sibbaldia 18 (23)

11 new

New pops on Raeburn’s Buttress, Waterfall Gully, Tower Ridge E

(2), Tower Gully (2), Little Brenva Face (2), upper Coire Leis & rim

(3). Several 2014 pops also rerecorded.

Veronica alpina Alpine

Speedwell

5 (9)

4 new

2 large new populations found near S end of Little Brenva Face

and in upper Coire Leis, also new sites on Carn Dearg North Wall

and Ledge Route.

Note. Poa flexuosa (Wavy Meadow-grass), Saxifraga cernua (Drooping Saxifrage) and Saxifraga cespitosa (Tufted

Saxifrage) were also recorded, but at known sites only.

23

Appendix II

Summary of Geology for Year 2

Midland Valley Team – Roddy Muir (Monday – Friday)

Jenny Ellis (Monday-Wednesday)

Hugh Anderson (Thursday-Friday)

Geological Survey – primary objectives

Use Midland Valley’s Fieldmove Clino application for smartphones to map out the distribution of the

different rock types in the Allt a ’Mhuilinn and on the North Face;

Collect data on the spatial orientation of geological contacts, faults and joints;

Improve our understanding of how the Ben Nevis area has evolved through geological time;

Construct a 3D model of the Ben Nevis area in Midland Valley’s Move software that can be shared with the

wider community for teaching and research.

Training Day – Friday 7th August

During the training day we provided a brief overview of our findings from last year’s survey and reviewed the target

areas for the 2015 survey. We also gave a refresher session on the Fieldmove Clino application and how it should be

used for collecting and recording geological and botanical data.

Midland Valley provided five iPhones for the climbing teams and at the end of each day the data was downloaded and

saved before recharging the phones for the following day. We were very impressed with the quality of the data

gathered by the climbing teams during the survey. All of the climbers have made a significant effort to understand

what features the geologists are looking for, and their valuable feedback helped to identify areas that needed to be

investigated in more detail during the survey week. With assistance from Ali Austin from the John Muir Trust we were

able to cover twice as much ground compared with the previous year, and weather permitting, we will be able to visit

the last remaining priority areas during the 2016 survey.

Over the past year, one of us (RM) has also been mapping the outer contact between the Ben Nevis Igneous Complex

and the Dalradian country rocks. Work will continue on mapping the wider Ben Nevis area over the next 12 months in

order to provide sufficient data to build a realistic 3D model of the whole mountain.

24

Monday 10th August

The contact between the Inner Granite and the Volcanic Pile was traced from the base of the NE Buttress, round the

lower slopes of Little Brenva Face and on up to the crest of the CMD Arête. Snow patches at the head of Coire Leis

made access difficult in places, but the climbers were able to assist RM in reaching all of the relevant rock outcrops.

We have now collected structural data from all exposures of the contact between the Inner Granite and the Volcanic

Pile and we can begin to construct the 3D geometry of this surface in Move.

A preliminary examination of the sedimentary rocks within the Volcanic Pile at the base of North Trident Buttress was

also carried out.

Contact between the Inner Granite (pale pink rock on left of both images) and the Volcanic Pile. Little Brenva Face

Tuesday 11th August

Geological contacts and structural data were mapped in detail during ascents of Tower Ridge and Castle Ridge. In the

gully on the east side of the Douglas Boulder a vertical sheet of andesite approx. 10m wide was observed cutting the

breccias of the Coire na Ciste Formation. This sheet might represent a feeder dyke for the Summit Andesites. RM will

return to this area to map out the sheet in more detail before next year’s survey.

Contact between andesite sheet (grey) and the Coire na Ciste Formation breccias – gully on the east side of the

Douglas Boulder. Image on the RHS shows unweathered andesite with feldspar crystals.

Tower Ridge - Previously unrecorded, fine grained sedimentary rocks similar to those cropping out at the base of North

Trident Buttress were also observed high up on Tower Ridge. The other important discovery on Tower Ridge was the

presence of amygdales within the Summit Andesite Formation. Amygdales are gas bubbles (vesicles) in an igneous

rock that have been filled with a secondary mineral – in this case calcite. The amygdales within the andesite show a

25

preferred alignment which reflects movement of magma within a lava flow or sill prior to cooling and solidification of

the magma.

Band of fine grained sediments on Tower Ridge – running left to right across the image (orange arrow), just below

the first protection.

Approaching Tower Gap Amygdales in the Summit Andesite (to the left of the Krab)

Castle Ridge – Cloud cover hampered some of the investigations on Castle Ridge, but it was still possible to locate the

base of the Summit Andesites overlying the volcanic breccias. A sheet of igneous material (approx. 5m wide) that may

represent a feeder for the Andesites was also observed. Further investigation of Castle Ridge will be required during

next year’s survey.

26

Feeder dyke (yellow) on the approach to Castle Ridge

27

Wednesday 12th August

NE Buttress - The orientation of a prominent rhyolite sheet cutting the volcanic breccias on the first platform of NE

Buttress was measured and recorded. Further mapping of the sedimentary rocks forming the lower slopes of Little

Brenva Face has enabled the orientation of the original sedimentary bedding to be determined. Numerous way-up

structures, including small sand volcanoes and water escape structures have been observed and recorded. Previously

unrecorded granite sheet cutting the sedimentary rocks. Further detailed mapping of the different sedimentary units

(fine grained mudstone and coarse conglomerates) making up the Little Brenva Face will be undertaken during next

year’s survey.

Laminated Mudstone – Little Brenva Face

Coarse Conglomerate – Little Brenva Face

Granite Sheet (below red rucsac) cutting sediments – Little Brenva

Face

North Trident Buttress – the vertical and lateral extent of fine grained sediments overlying the coarse breccias of the

Coire na Ciste Formation was investigated and recorded. Further work will be required next year to look at the internal

structure of the sediments which contain numerous examples of water escape structures. Internal slumping of the

sediments has also been observed.

28

Fine Grained Sediments(Blue Arrow) – North Trident Buttress. Yellow Arrow = No.5 Gully.

A distinctive andesitic unit with angular fragments of rhyolite crops out in No.5 Gully. A similar unit can be found on

the path 50m upstream from the CIC hut and at the NW margin of the Volcanic Pile beneath Tower Ridge. Detailed

mapping of this unit and the fault rocks in No.5 Gully will be carried out before next year’s survey.

No. 5 Gully and distinctive andesite unit with angular fragments of rhyolite

29

Thursday 13th August

Observatory Ridge – consists mainly of volcanic breccia with the contact between the overlying Summit Andesites

occurring close to the top of the ridge. Previously unrecorded sheet of granite cutting the volcanic breccia just above

the halfway point.

Observatory Ridge (centre) flanked by the Northeast Buttress to the left and Tower Ridge to the right

Granite sheet (left) cutting volcanic breccia (Observatory Ridge)

Summit – investigated brown weathering igneous rock cropping out between the head of No.4 and No.5 gully. This

unit forms a distinctive scree field on the summit plateau. Appears to from a separate intrusion fed from below by one

or more feeder dykes – further detailed mapping required.

Friday 14th August

30

Top of Ledge Route and No.5 Gully Bowl – measured and recorded joint sets in the Summit Andesite and examined

one of the feeder dykes for the brown weathering igneous rock on the Summit Plateau.

Distinctive brown weathering igneous rock and feeder dyke in No.5 Gully Bowl.

Photogrammetry

In addition to gathering information on the orientation of geological features, we have also been capturing 3D images

of various rock outcrops to help build the 3D model of the Ben Nevis area. Using digital photographs from smartphones

and more advanced cameras, the images are uploaded to a software package that stitches the 2D images together to

create full 3D images in Move. An example of one of the 3D images is shown below and we hope to be able to generate

a similar model for the whole of the North Face.

3D image (left) of a large outcrop of the Inner Granite – created from 2D photographs (right)

31

Summary of Geological Data

Image of the Move software interface showing the distribution of the geological data collected during the 2015 survey

of the North Face. The coloured discs represent the 3D orientation of geological contacts, joints and faults that were

measured using the FieldMove Clino application. The data have been projected onto a digital elevation model of the

Lochaber area. Contours are taken from the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 dataset. View looking to the SW with the

Halfway Lochan on the right.

32

Appendix III

BEN NEVIS NORTH FACE SURVEY

The notable bryophytes – Gordon Rothero

The main thrust of this survey has been the search for interesting vascular plants and observations of bryophyte

species and communities have been ‘cherry-picked’ during this work. Fortunately the sites that are of interest for

vascular plants are usually good for bryophytes as well but there are some habitats with few vascular plants that have

interesting bryophytes, especially where the snow lies very late into the summer. This is a short account of the more

important bryophyte communities and species; for a much fuller account of the bryophytes on the Ben Nevis SSSI see

Rothero 2005 and 2013. Nomenclature follows Hill et al, 2008.

Where snow lies late into the summer, so-called snowbed communities are widespread on Ben Nevis and the

nationally scarce, chionophilous mosses like Northern Haircap (Polytrichastrum sexangulare, Starke's Fork-moss

(Kiaeria starkei, Sickle-leaved Fork-moss (Kiaeria falcata), Snow Fork-moss (Kiaeria glaciale), Helmet-moss

(Conostomum tetragonum) and Ludwig's Thread-moss (Pohlia ludwigii) are all locally frequent on the more stable

patches of finer gravels in the gullies and along the cornice line. In the latter habitat Kiaeria falcata can form very

large stands (Photo 1) but mostly these species occur in a bryophyte turf of more common species.

33

Photo 1. A very large stand of Kiaeria falcata just above the top of No. 3 Gully.

There are also important snow-bed liverworts in this habitat including good populations of Alpine Ruffwort (Moerckia

blyttii), Snow Threadwort (Pleurocladula albescens) (Photo 2), Speckled Rustwort (Marsupella sphacelata) and

particularly, Alpine Jagged Notchwort (Lophozia opacifolia). Where the gravels are a bit drier, especially up on the

plateau rim there are scattered stands of Snow Rustwort (Marsupella brevissima), Scarce Silverwort (Anthelia

juratzkana), Book Flapwort (Nardia breidleri) and the nationally rare species Compact Rustwort (Marsupella

condensata) and Pointed Frostwort (Gymnomitrion apiculatum. One other very rare species, Boeck's Rustwort

(Marsupella boeckii), was recorded from wet rocks in this habitat on Ben Nevis, (the old name for the species was

Marsupella nevicensis). I have looked hard for this species in the appropriate habitat during this survey but without

success; it has not been seen on the Ben since 1939.

Photo 2 Pleurocladula albescens in the bryophyte turf in Coire na Ciste

Springs and flushes are also important habitats for bryophytes on the north face as they are for flowering plants,

indeed it is the distinctive pale green colour of the larger patches of the moss Mountain Thread-moss (Pohlia

wahlenbergii var. glacialis) that has often indicated likely target areas for our survey. Other prominent species here

are Pohlia ludwigii and and the much more common Fountain Apple-moss (Philonotis fontana) but mixed with it can

be the nationally scarce Spiral Apple-moss (Philonotis seriata). This mix of the common and the rare is the same with

the liverworts in the springs, the common Water Earwort (Scapania undulata) is usually accompanied by the montane

34

Marsh Earwort (Scapania uliginosa) and occasionally by the much rarer Floppy Earwort (Scapania paludosa), but they

are quite tricky to separate.

A common moss in the springs and flushes is Claw Brook-moss (Hygrohypnum ochraceum) but in a number of places

this is accompanied by the rare Soft Brook-moss (Hygrohypnum molle). This moss has been known for over 100 years

from the springs at the top of the Red Burn but this survey has produced several new sites; it is now known from No.

5 Gully in at least two places, at the new Hare’s-foot sedge site on the east side of Tower Ridge (Photo 3) and in two

places near the lochan at the head of Coire Leis. In Coire Leis it grows with the rare moss Muehlenbeck's Thread-moss

(Bryum muehlenbeckii) which also occurs in the burn lower down in the coire, and probably elsewhere on the site.

Wet crevices associated with the springs but also on wet crags often have the common Dotted Thyme-moss

(Rhizomnium punctatum) but occasionally there are patches of the larger, montane species Large-leaf Thyme-moss

(Rhizomnium magnifolium).

Photo 3. The habitat for Hygrohypnum molle with Hygrohypnum ochraceum at the Hare’s-foot sedge site on the E

side of Tower Ridge. 2015.

35

Photo 4 Andreaea nivalis in Coire Leis

Much of the north face is composed of crags of hard acid rocks and these have a limited bryophyte flora and the same

is true of the areas of scree which are usually too mobile for anything other than the most common species. Prominent

here are species of Fringe-moss(Racomitrium) like Bristly Fringe-moss(Racomitrium heterostichum), Slender Fringe-

moss (Racomitrium sudeticum), Woolly Fringe-moss (Racomitrium lanuginosum) and Green Mountain Fringe-moss

(Racomitrium fasciculare) but there are also occasional stands of the much less common Macoun's Fringe-moss

(Racomitrium macounii subsp. alpinum). The granite mosses, species of Andreaea are also very common; Alpine Rock-

moss (Andreaea alpina) is particularly frequent on both solid rock and on gravel, Changeable Rock-moss (Andreaea

mutabilis) occurs in some of the burns and the nationally rare Snow Rock-moss (Andreaea nivalis) is locally abundant

where there is fairly regular irrigation in areas where the snow lies late (Photo 4). On drier rocks in the areas of latest

snow lie there are some shiny, black patches of the very rare Blytt's Rock-moss (Andreaea blyttii), often encrusted with

lichen.

Other uncommon plants that are quite frequent species on the crags include Arctic Fork-moss (Arctoa fulvella), Alpine

Ditrichum (Ditrichum zonatum), Alpine Rustwort (Marsupella alpina) and, where the rock face is often irrigated, the

rosy-red threads of Stabler's Rustwort (Marsupellea stableri). One other species to mention here is the nationally

scarce moss Gouty-moss (Oedipodium griffithianum) which occurs in sheltered crevices over much of the north face;

it is frequent on Tower Ridge, for instance, sometimes in big cushions that look like patches of little lettuces (Photo 5).

36

Photo 5. A large cushion of Oedipodium griffithianum with sporophytes on Tower Ridge

More base-rich rocks are harder to find and are usually associated with more broken ground, as at the top of No. 4

Gully, and are often associated with stands of the more interesting flowering plants. Occasionally there are calcicole

mosses here like Frizzled Crisp-moss (Tortella tortuosa) and Fine Distichium (Distichium capillaceum) but in general

the species are less demanding. Mougeot's Yoke-moss (Amphidium mougeotii) is quite common and its much rarer

sister species Lapland Yoke-moss (Amphidium lapponicum) occurs in a few places, particularly in the broken ground at

the head of Coire Leis with both Curved woodrush (Luzula arcuata) and Arctic mouse-ear (Cerastium nigrescens). At

the top of No 4 gully there is a good stand of Patent Leskea (Pseudoleskea patens) and this species also occurs on the

broken crags in the basin to the west of Ledge Route where it occurs with Mueller's Silk-moss (Isopterygiopsis

muelleriana).

The more stable areas of scree below the north face are also an important habitat for bryophytes. In the lower screes

there is a patchy development of the internationally important liverwort-rich, oceanic-montane heath community.

The common species here are Taylor's Flapwort (Mylia taylori), Western Earwort (Scapania gracilis), Lesser Whipwort

(Bazzania tricrenata), White Earwort (Diplophyllum albicans), Red Bog-moss (Sphagnum capillifolium) and Woolly

fringe-moss (Racomitrium lanuginosum) and the globally rare and disjunct liverwort Donn's Notchwort

(Anastrophyllum donnianum) is locally frequent. The other characteristic species of this community at this altitude,

Cloud Earwort (Scapania nimbosa) and Birds-foot Earwort (Scapania ornithopodioides) are surprisingly uncommon

given their frequency elsewhere on the Ben Nevis SSSI. Though some of these big liverworts are reasonably common

in the north-west of Scotland, most are very rare in Europe and some have their only European sites here.

37

Photo 6. Anastrophyllum donnianum amongst broken crags on the west side of Ledge Route

38

Photo 7. A large patch of Sciuro-hypnum glaciale with Alpine Lady-fern on the east side of Tower Ridge.

Other rare species are associated with crevices in the scree, usually where there is some build up of litter from the

Alpine Lady fern; the most frequent of these are Snow Feather-moss (Sciuro-hypnum glaciale) and Reflexed Feather-

moss (Sciuro-hypnum reflexum), often occurring with Shaded Wood-moss (Hylocomiastrum umbratum) and Downy

Plait-moss (Hypnum callichroum). Both occur with the fern in Coire Leis and Coire na Ciste and Sciuro-hypnum glaciale

has other stands in broken ground on the side of Tower Ridge, at the top of No. 4 Gully and on the west side of Ledge

Route and certainly elsewhere. Other notable species that occur in the interstices of the scree are Muhlenbeck's

Feather-moss (Herzogiella striatella), Greater Pawwort (Barbilophozia lycopodioides), Obtuse Notchwort (Lophozia

obtusa) and Alpine Earwort (Diplophyllum taxifolium).

References

Hill, M.O., Blackstock, T.H., Long, D.G., & Rothero, G.P. 2008. A checklist and census catalogue of British and Irish

bryophytes. Cardiff: The British Bryological Society.

Hill, M.O. and Preston, C.D. 1998. The geographical relationships of British and Irish bryophytes. Journal of Bryology

20: 127-226.

Hodgetts, N.G. 2011. A revised Red List of bryophytes in Britain. Field Bryology 103: 40-49.

Preston, C.D. 2010. A revised list of nationally rare bryophytes. Field Bryology 100: 32-40.

Preston, C.D. 2006. A revised list of nationally scarce bryophytes. Field Bryology 90: 22-29.

Rothero, G. 2005. Ben Nevis SSSI: site condition dossier for bryophytes. Unpublished report for SNH.

Rothero G. P., 2013. Third cycle Site Condition Monitoring report for bryological interest: Ben Nevis SSSI. Scottish

Natural Heritage Commissioned Report

39

Appendix IV

Nationally rare and nationally scarce bryophytes

recorded from the north face of Ben Nevis

Nationally rare species ( taxa) are underlined. All species included in the list have been seen on the site since 1985

except Marsupella boeckii and almost all have been seen during the current survey. Taken from lists of nationally

rare and scarce by Preston (2006 and 2010).

Mosses (28 taxa)

Amphidium lapponicum

Andreaea blyttii

Andreaea mutabilis

Andreaea nivalis

Arctoa fulvella

Bryum muehlenbeckii

Conostomum tetragonum

Dicranodontium asperulum

Dicranodontium uncinatum

Dicranoweisia crispula

Ditrichum zonatum

Herzogiella striatella

Hygrohypnum molle

Isopterygiopsis muelleriana

Kiaeria falcata

Kiaeria glaciale

Kiaeria starkei

Oedipodium griffithianum

Philonotis seriata

Philonotis tomentella

Pohlia ludwigii

Pohlia wahlenbergii var glacialis

Polytrichastrum sexangulare

Pseudoleskea patens

Racomitrium macounii subsp. alpinum

Rhizomnium magnifolium

Sciuro-hypnum glaciale

Sciuro-hypnum reflexum

41

Liverworts (24 taxa)

Anastrophyllum donnianum

Anthelia juratzkana

Barbilophozia lycopodioides

Diplophyllum taxifolium

Gymnomitrion apiculatum

Haplomitrium hookeri

Harpanthus flotovianus

Lophozia obtusifolia

Lophozia opacifolia

Marsupella adusta

Marsupella alpina

Marsupella boeckii

Marsupella brevissima

Marsupella condensata

Marsupella sphacelata

Marsupella stableri

Moerckia blyttii

Nardia breidleri

Pleurocladula albescens

Scapania aequiloba

Scapania nimbosa

42

Appendix V

Access and safety report Aug 2015 - Mike Pescod, Abacus Mountain Guides:

The North Face Survey in 2015 was considerably bigger and wider ranging than in 2014. However, access and

safety of staff, volunteers and the public were managed successfully. More areas of the North Face were

visited this year than last year, more experts were taken to more places and more recreational walkers and

climbers were enjoying the mountain. However there were no injuries (other than two slight aggravations of

previous sprains) and the crags were left cleaner than before the survey started.

Each day started at 7am at North Face car park. The groups were known in advance so each expert could

speak with their guide to decide where to go and what approach to use as they walked in to the CIC Hut.

There was a whole team meeting at the CIC Hut so the impact of each group on each other and on members

of the public could be assessed. Another meeting took place at around 4pm each day to discuss findings,

decide on activity for the following day and to select groupings of guides, experts, volunteers and Trainee

Voluntary Rangers. Most days finished at about 6pm.

In 2014 there were two or three experts each day and a total team of about 14. This year we had five experts

most days (six on one day) and a total of around 24 people. Using the same team of guides and the same

experts allowed us to use a variety of rope techniques that relied on greater technical ability from the

experts. The training day was useful for coaching and assessing these skills which built on the experience of

last year. The rope techniques used this year allowed quicker access and surveying of new areas.

As examples, the North Face of Castle Ridge was rigged, surveyed and cleaned in a day and a half, something

that would have taken three days last year. Slingsby's Chimney and Minus Three Gully were each completed

in one day.

The involvement of Ali Austin and Blair Fyffe of JMT was welcome and useful. It would be great to have them

involved next year.

It should be noted that the weather was significantly better than last year with better visibility and drier

rock, both of which speed up the process of surveying.

Another factor in the improved efficiency of the work was the involvement of seven Trainee Voluntary

Rangers (TVRs) along with Lewis Pate or Susan Nicol supervising them. The TVRs were deployed to monitor

recreational walkers and climbers and to inform them of the survey activity. With activity taking place at

opposite ends of the North Face, at the summit and in the coires, it was very helpful having this number of

TVRs. They were also able to move large bags of rope into position for use by the guides making their job

quicker and easier.

On balance, the help from the TVRs outweighed the work required to look after them so they were a clear

asset to the survey. It would benefit them and the survey if they could receive training in simple scrambling

and navigation earlier in their programme so they might be able to work with greater independence on the

survey. I hope they were able to learn from the experts and guides during the survey.

As always, good communication is essential for safe management of a project of this scale, especially with a

bigger team, more activity and more recreational walkers and climbers. The role of CIC Hut manager taken

by Ed Holt is key to this. It is a difficult job keeping track of the location of so many groups and their threat to

safe access to climbs and walks. A very good knowledge of the topography of the North Face is essential as is

clear communication on the radio.

43

Appendix VI

Table 1. Nationally Rare (bold) and Nationally Scarce vascular plant species recorded from Ben Nevis North Face, August 2014. * species not recorded previously from North Face

Species name Common name August 2014 findings

Athyrium distentifolium Alpine

Lady-fern

Found at several new locations.

Carex lachenalii Hare’s-foot

Sedge

Known site at base of Trident Buttress

counted and wider area explored.

Carex saxatilis Russet Sedge Several new and large populations

found e.g. North-east Buttress,

Observatory Gully, Carn Dearg Buttress.

Cerastium nigrescens Arctic

Mouse-ear

Small stands found at several new

locations e.g. No 5 Gully, Little Brenva

Face, Hesperides ledge/Comb Buttress.

Cerastium cerastoides Starwort

Mouse-ear

Found at several new locations e.g No 5

Gully, Comb Gully Buttress.

Poa alpina Alpine

Meadow-grass

Found at several new locations

including exceptional population (000’s)

in upper part of No 5 Gully – possibly

largest population in UK?

Poa flexuosa Wavy

Meadow-grass

2 significant new populations found,

one ca 100m below existing stand in

Observatory Gully, another ca 1 km

away at top of gully on Trident Buttress

(new UK altitudinal record).

Saxifraga cernua Drooping

Saxifrage

Count made of known population at top

of No 4 Gully (not counted since 2002)

44

Species name Common name August 2014 findings

Saxifraga cespitosa Tufted

Saxifrage

Count made of known population at top

of No 4 Gully (not counted since 2002),

also 2 new locations found, including 11

plants on ledges in Comb Gully/

Buttress, and a single plant in No 2

Gully.

Saxifraga nivalis* Alpine Saxifrage 2 new populations found (first records

from Ben Nevis), including 11 plants on

ledges in Comb Gully/Buttress, and 2

plants on ledge in No 4 Gully.

Saxifraga rivularis Highland

Saxifrage

Presence confirmed and counts made in

Nos 2, 3 and 4 Gullies, large new

population in No 5 gully, also at several

other new sites.

Sibbaldia procumbens Sibbaldia Found at many new locations across the

North face, e.g. Comb Gully Buttress,

Little Brenva Face, Central Gully.

Veronica alpina Alpine

Speedwell

Found at several new locations

including exceptional population of

several hundred shoots on Hesperides

Ledge (Comb Buttress), also No 5 Gully,

Ledge Route, South Castle Gully.

45

Appendix VII

Examples of ID cards from SNH Cathy Mayne

Alpine or polar foxtail (Alopecurus borealis)

This distinctive grass has purplish or grey-green flowering heads in a tight cylindrical shape, 1.5 – 3 cm long. Leaf blades are flat and hairless. Beside streams and in flushes, on mud and rocks in the stream or on wet mossy and grassy slopes, often associated with late-lying snow.

Alpine Cat’s-tail (Phleum alpinum) Erect or ascending shoots from a curved base, this grass possesses a distinctive flowerhead, with a dense panicle (cluster) of individual spikelets 10-30 (50) long and 8,5-12mm wide. This panicle is broadly

cylindrical and does not narrow at the base. Leaves are 2.5-5mm wide, and are flat, without hairs.

46

Alpine saxifrage (Saxifraga nivalis) Basal rosette of leaves, not dissimilar to starry saxifrage but the pattern of teeth is very distinctive and the leaf shape is more elliptical than oblong. The leaves are also reddish-purple underneath. Flowers all together in a tight cluster at the end of the stem, with the red sepals upright around the 5 white, unspotted petals.

47

Similar species – Arctic mouse-ear. Petals less deeply notched and usually more bent over. Sparsely hairy or with at least some glandular hairs. Most hairs short and straight, yellowish, making the plant appear more green.

Alpine mouse-ear (Cerastium alpinum) Flower Low, mat-forming perennial, grayish-green, hairy. Vegetative stems creeping, flowering stems more upright. Leaves densely matted with long (>1mm), tapering, shaggy, white hairs, especially on underside. Lowest leaves oval or elliptical, upper more pointed. Bracts with white magins. Stems with 1 – 4 large white flowers (18-25mm) with petals usually deeply notched, nearly to base. Sepals half the length of petals. Both arctic and alpine

mouse-ears are quite variable

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Hare’s-foot sedge (Carex lachenalii) This rather inconspicuous sedge has stems to 20cm, bluntly 3-sided with fine lines or grooves. The leaves are shorter than the stems, 1-2mm broad, flat, dark green. The flower head is 2-4cm, red-brown with 2-5 spikes close together, the uppermost at the apex of a triangle completed by the next 2 spikes below. Wet slopes and ledges, especially in areas of late snow-lie.

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Appendix VIII : North Face Survey team contact list

9999Title Name Phone Email

NLP Programme Manager

Lizzie Cooper 07530 309 629 lizzie@nevispartnership.co.uk

NLP Environmental Projects

Lewis Pate 07787 550 469 lewis@nevispartnership.co.uk

NLP Communications

Freja MacDougall 07979 671 806 freja@nevispartnership.co.uk

Project Advisor Cathy Mayne 07789 007625 cathy.mayne@snh.gov.uk

Safety/Logistics Manager

Mike Pescod 07766 117 712 mike@abacusmoutainguides.com

Project Botanist Ian Strachan 07867 573 022 imstrachan55@gmail.com

Project Botanist Gordon Rothero 07879 853 527 gprothero@aol.com

Geo-mapping Manager

Roddy Muir 07454 225 466 roddy@mve.com

Geo-mapping Trainer

Jenny Ellis 07903 262 934 jenny@mve.com

Lead Surveyor Alan Halewood 07887 766 716 alan@climbwhenyoureready.com

Lead Surveyor Scott Kirkhope 07500 029 783 kirkhope_scott@hotmail.co.uk

Lead Surveyor Donald King 07810 747 504 dkclimbing@gmail.com

Assistant Surveyor

David Buckett 07815 688 608 davidbuckett@hotmail.com

Assistant Surveyor

Dave Anderson 07903 459 266 lochaber-guides@hotmail.co.uk

Assistant Surveyor

Will Rowland 07708 391 291 will.rowland@live.co.uk

Assistant Surveyor

Connor Holdsworth 07446 191 098 connorholdsworth@googlemail.com

JMT Surveyor Ali Austin 07766 811 949 alison.austin@jmt.org

JMT Surveyor Blair Fyffe 07870 308 606 blair.fyffe@jmt.org

Base Camp Officer

Ed Holt 07826 202 523 nozzerholt@tiscali.co.uk

TVR Team Chris Scully Erika Forbes Phoebe Webster Alex Hogarth Harris-Harris Brooker Cathel Hutchison Allan Audsley

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