Hutton Roof Crags was listed No. 193 of the original Rothschild Nature Reserves
And here is how it was listed on the original document:
"A piece of typical primeval Country = Limestone formation"
A locality for 'Lastrea rigida' (Rigid Buckler Fern) and 'Polygonatum odoratum' (Angular Solomon's Seal). Hutton Roof Crags those days was owned by Lady Henry Cavendish Bentinck of Underlay Hall, Kirkby Lonsdale (Earl of Lonsdale, Whitehaven Castle, Cumberland).
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Some later notes more recently added by Cumbria Wildlife Trust:
An area in Westmorland (now Cumbria) considered by the SPNR to be a "typical limestone formation" and of geological and botanical significance. It was the only limestone pavement site on Rothschild's list and the SPNR noted it as a location for specialist plants such as Angular Solomon's Seal and the Rigid Buckler Fern. Like other limestone pavement sites it has been damaged by some removal of stone but it is now protected as a nature reserve managed by Cumbria Wildlife Trust, and still contains some of the finest areas of limestone pavement in Britain. Today Hutton Roof Crags holds SSSI status.
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A feature of sub-montana which has always helped me with diagnosis is the mature fronds seem to have the slightest of a twist within them on the vertical. Another feature that helps me is the colour or shade of green which can have a sort of blue/green wash in contrast to other greens, but this is not always noticed straight away.
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2020 - Emergence
It was also lovely to find even more fronds in early development for the famous Dryopteris submontana (Rigid Buckler Fern). This fern is seen here at it's national home for the species. It is very local with some good populations, some growing from out of the limestone grykes. Here are some of todays photos:-
Dryopteris submontana (Rigid Buckler Fern)
The Photo shows earlier development with croziers and opening of same
Photo: Burton Fell, Hutton Roof Crags (CWT) on 18th April 2020
Dryopteris submontana (Rigid Buckler Fern)
The Photo shows earlier development with croziers and opening of same
Photo: Burton Fell, Hutton Roof Crags (CWT) on 18th April 2020
Dryopteris submontana (Rigid Buckler Fern)
The Photo shows earlier development with croziers and opening of same
Photo: Burton Fell, Hutton Roof Crags (CWT) on 18th April 2020
Dryopteris submontana (Rigid Buckler Fern)
The Photo shows earlier development with croziers and opening of same
but these are further on in development
Photo: Burton Fell, Hutton Roof Crags (CWT) on 18th April 2020
Dryopteris submontana (Rigid Buckler Fern)
The Photo shows earlier development with croziers and opening of same
Photo: Burton Fell, Hutton Roof Crags (CWT) on 18th April 2020
Emergence 2019
Dryopteris sub-montana (Rigid Buckler Fern) Click over to enlarge
Photo: Crag Farm side of Dalton Crags April 2019
Dryopteris sub-montana (Rigid Buckler Fern) Click over to enlarge
Photo: Crag Farm side of Dalton Crags April 2019
Dryopteris submontana (Rigid Buckler Fern) Click over to enlarge
Photo: Dalton Crags 20th April 2019
Dryopteris submontana (Rigid Buckler Fern) Click over to enlarge
Photo: Dalton Crags 20th April 2019
Dryopteris submontana (Rigid Buckler Fern) at top of photo and
Polygonatum odoratum (Angular Solomon's Seal) to bottom of photo.
Photo: 22nd May 2017
Dryopteris submontana (Rigid Buckler Fern) is a very important fern species to Hutton Roof. Hutton Roof is it's stronghold for the UK. Because of this particular species and jointly with the flora species called Polygonatum odoratum (Angular Solomon's Seal) Hutton Roof and it's limestone pavements received special importance many years ago when Hutton Roof was selected as No.193 of the "Rothchild reserves". This later helped to give it's status as a SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) which it still retains today.
Dryopteris submontana (Rigid Buckler Fern) Click over to enlarge
Photo: Hutton Roof 17th May 2018
(above) Fresh emergence and showing croziers
Dryopteris submontana (Rigid Buckler Fern) Click over to enlarge
Dryopteris submontana (Rigid Buckler Fern) Click over to enlarge
Photo: taken on 12th June 2013
Dryopteris submontana (Rigid Buckler Fern) Click over to enlarge
Photo: taken on 2nd June 2014
Dryopteris submontana (Rigid Buckler Fern) Click over to enlarge
Photo: taken on 2nd June 2014
This photo (above) in particular for me highlights what I was saying about the "twist" in the fronds on the vertical, you can see the twist which run totally in different directions throughout the group.
Dryopteris submontana (Rigid Buckler Fern) Click over to enlarge
Photo: taken on 1st June 2017
Dryopteris submontana (Rigid Buckler Fern) Click over to enlarge
Photo: 25th June 2012
sub-montana oddities
A collage photo showing a strange Dryopertis submontana which I found see below
Photo: taken on 2nd June 2014
Photo: taken on 2nd June 2014
This photo (above) in particular for me highlights what I was saying about the "twist" in the fronds on the vertical, you can see the twist which run totally in different directions throughout the group.
Photo: taken on 1st June 2017
Photo: 25th June 2012
sub-montana oddities
Dryopteris submontana (Rigid Buckler Fern) Click over to enlarge
This is a unusual frond of a 'submontana' - In the photos below
they show the difference to a nearby plant
Photo: taken on 12th June 2013 at the top of Lancelot Clark Storth
Dryopteris submontana (Rigid Buckler Fern) Click over to enlarge
This is a unusual frond of a 'submontana' - In this photos above
they show the difference to a nearby normal plant on the left side
Photo: taken on 12th June 2013 at the top of Lancelot Clark Storth
Dryopteris submontana (Rigid Buckler Fern) Click over to enlarge
This is a unusual frond of a 'submontana' (left side and above) - In this photo above
it shows the difference compared to a normal plant on the right
Photo: taken on 12th June 2013 at the top of Lancelot Clark Storth
Dryopteris submontana (Rigid Buckler Fern) Click over to enlarge
Photo: 25th June 2012 - Lancelot Clark Storth (CWT)
Another unusual submontana
Dryopteris submontana (Rigid Buckler Fern) Click over to enlarge
Photo: 25th June 2012 - Lancelot Clark Storth (CWT)
Another unusual submontana
Dryopteris submontana (Rigid Buckler Fern) Click over to enlarge
Photo: 25th June 2012 - Lancelot Clark Storth (CWT)
Another unusual submontana
Dryopteris submontana (Rigid Buckler Fern) Click over to enlarge
Photo: 25th June 2012 - Lancelot Clark Storth (CWT)
Another unusual submontana
Dryopteris sub-montana (Rigid Buckler Fern) Click over to enlarge
Photo: Holme Park Fell, Farleton, Hutton Roof on 3rd June 2019
Dryopteris sub-montana (Rigid Buckler Fern) Click over to enlarge
Photo: Holme Park Fell, Farleton, Hutton Roof on 3rd June 2019
Photo: 25th June 2012 - Lancelot Clark Storth (CWT)
Another unusual submontana
Photo: 25th June 2012 - Lancelot Clark Storth (CWT)
Another unusual submontana
Photo: 25th June 2012 - Lancelot Clark Storth (CWT)
Another unusual submontana
Photo: 25th June 2012 - Lancelot Clark Storth (CWT)
Another unusual submontana
Photo: Holme Park Fell, Farleton, Hutton Roof on 3rd June 2019
Photo: Holme Park Fell, Farleton, Hutton Roof on 3rd June 2019
Dryopteris sub-montana (Rigid Buckler Fern) Click over to enlarge
Photo: Holme Park Fell, Farleton, Hutton Roof on 3rd June 2019