Sim's Lichen Walks - fun, free, informal

Upcoming walks:

Tuesday 11th March, Cow Wood, Nylands Woodland, National Trust, Handcross. (lichens of high weald ghyll woodland)

Saturday 12th April, RSPB Broadwater Warren, nr. Tunbridge Wells.

(lichens of lowland heath)

They will all start at 10.30 and end at 13.30 (with an optional extension to 16.00 for anyone who wants to do more lichening!)

The end times are when I will be finishing, you can always leave any time you want!

If you are interested in attending one of these walks or want to find out more about them please email me: simeon[dot]elliott[at]proton[dot]me.

I lead free introduction to Sussex lichens walks to develop people's enthusiasm for lichens. These walks are ideal for beginners.

Maximum: 8 people per walk

I am not a lichen expert but an amateur naturalist with great enthusiasm for lichens.

I am a retired teacher (special education). However, I volunteer with The Lost Woods of the Low Weald and Downs project leading introduction to lichen walks and with RSPB Pagham Harbour leading bird and liken walks. I am a member of the British Lichen Society, the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland and The British Bryological Society

The walks listed here are separate from the walks I lead for the Lost Woods project and the RSPB.

All walks start at 10.30 and finish at 13.30; with an optional extension to 16.00 for those who want to; in which case bring a packed lunch

All these walks are FREE and I get no income from them or funding for them.

I will point out the possible risks at the beginning of each walk; but you are responsible for managing risks and you are responsible for your own health and safety on these walks.

Summary of possible risks on walks (there is a full risk assessment below):

- trip and slip hazards (e.g. rocks, rabbit holes, slippery surfaces; steep routes); so please wear appropriate footwear and look out for trip and slip hazards

- weather hazards (e.g. sunburn, sun stroke, dehydration, when hot and sunny; hypothermia, when cold); so please wear sunscreen, sun hats and sunglasses; waterproof and warm clothing, appropriate for the season and weather)

- biological hazards (e.g. tick bites, insect stings) so you may want to bring a tick remover, and wear clothes which cover your legs and arms. Information on ticks and Lime disease: Lyme disease in East Sussex

Public Liability and Events Insurance. Hiscox Business Insurance (Charity/not-for-profit organisation) No. 15406708

Lichen Learning

This website (blog) contains may posts where I have recorded lichens with photos and names; to see these posts click: Lichens

My Facebook profile has a "follow" button where you can follow my public posts without being Facebook Friends. All my public posts are on nature and many are abut lichens. Click Sim Facebook Public Posts

I also post lichen photos on Instagram. Click Sim Instagram

I do pan species listing when I am out and about - you can see what I have seen on my iNaturalist page (you don't need to be signed up to iNaturalist to see my listings) (I record species for the National Biodiversity Network using iRecord). There are more lichens on my iNaturalist list than on my Facebook and Instagram accounts. Where I have used chemical test to identify species I put the results in the notes for each species. Click Sim iNaturalist

These websites are excellent for identification with great photos:

Dorset Lichen

Lichens Maritimes (in English)

The British Lichen Society has a very good Top 20 lichens website Click: Top 20 lichens

The standard field guide is: Dobson Lichens. An illustrated guide to the British and Irish species. You can purchase if from the British Lichen Society

The standard printed flora of British lichens is The Lichens of Great Britain and Ireland (LGBI2) edited by Clifford Smith, André Aptroot, Brian Coppins, Anthony Fletcher, Oliver Gilbert, Peter James & Pat Wolseley (2009, reprinted 2011), British Lichen Society. 1046 pp. This was the definitive laboratory identification guide with keys to 327 genera and 1873 species. This is now out of print

LGBI2 is being replaced by LGBI3 and this is being published online for free by the British Lichen Society; many chapters are already available click: LBGI3