Machrihanish to Southend

 

Section 6 of the Kintyre Way (Machrihanish to Southend) has probably the wildest feel to it. Walking on a grass track over the hills of Largiebaan and Ballygroggan, across the open moor of Amod hill. Due to the extreme weather conditions and lack of shelter not all plants and animals will be able to survive, only the hardy and tolerable ones will make it. These types of plants tend to be slow growing and low to the ground, only the brave will reach out to try and touch the sky. Because of these harsh conditions the plants has less competition will nettles and thistles meaning there is a greater diversity to be found. From a distance it can seem like an empty wilderness, lifeless, look a bit closer and you shall find a whole different world.

 

On my travels round Largiebaan and Ballygroggan I came across some beautiful looking flowers. The Heath Spotted Orchid, a plant that is easily seen among the grasses and heathers, with its full head of small flowers looks like cotton candy. The ‘Spotted’ part is to do with the leaves, they have distinctive purple spots on the upper side. Its flowers are quite delicate, and look as if they come from the amazon rainforest, ready to engulf anything that dares take its nectar.

 

Bog Asphodel, its name giving away the habitat in which it lives, with its yellow star like flower heads clumped together at the top of a tall thin stem it is one of my favourite plants.   

 

 

As well as these two plants a whole list was found including 3 species of Heather, round-leaf sundew, blaeberry (with ripe berries), cotton grass and tormentil.