Discover Dartmoor’s Rainforests: The Bovey Valley — Focus on lichens

We drop down into the wooded valley and remain in the woodlands for most of the day, crossing the river at Foxworthy and back over it at the old clam bridge (there’s a new bridge beside it for the less brave).

Our focus will be to an extent on lichens: extraordinary composite organisms with a vital role in colonising and nutrient cycling. The range of growth forms is astonishing, from the showy beard lichens like String-of Sausages to the flat crusts which, when viewed through a hand lens, reveal fruiting bodies like barnacles, jam tarts and writing.