Inspired by ongoing efforts to record the urban flora of Newcastle and North Tyneside, I wanted to make some of what has been discovered so far accessible to those interested in exploring the city for themselves. Cue a new series!
These blogs will explore some of the best botanical walks the conurbation has to offer – perfect for planning your next outing in the urban jungle. Here, we’ll explore Scotswood Road and Elswick Riverside.
This level 3.5-mile circular walk takes in what were once the industrial heartlands of Newcastle and travels through several key urban habitats. Your walk will begin at the Skinnerburn Road car park (cubs.camp.effort) from which you will set out West along the Hadrian’s Wall Path on the Northern bank of the Tyne. You will follow this for roughly 1.5 miles and for the first portion of your journey, much of the botanical interest will derive from the narrow band of scrub that fringes the river. Formed through the gradual colonisation of tidal defences and riverbank this habitat holds one of the richest neophyte assemblages in the city.
Almost immediately upon starting out (remind.dirt.entire) a look at this scrub community will reveal an assortment of bird-sown cotoneaster species. Late Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster lacteus) and Willow-leaved Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster salicifolius) are most obvious, but here too are Waterer’s Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster x watereri) and Wall Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster horizontalis). Among these, you should also note Chinese Barberry (Berberis julianae) at one of its only outposts in the city and interestingly, Stinking Hellebore (Helleborus foetidus) which, presumably having escaped nearby amenity planting, forms a unique understorey beneath the alien shrubs. Here too, closer inspection will reveal Spurge-laurel (Daphne laureola) and Wood Spurge (Euphorbia amygdaloides subsp. robbiae). A variety of self-sown alien trees also feature including Italian Alder (Alnus cordata), Swedish Whitebeam (Sorbus intermedia) and Common Whitebeam (Sorbus aria).
As you walk the riverside path, be sure to cast your eyes downward, through the scrub, to the walls and exposed mud closest to the Tyne. All along this stretch it is possible to observe relic saltmarsh flora consisting of Sea Aster (Tripolium pannonicum), Sea Plantain (Plantago maritima), Buck’s-horn Plantain (Plantago coronopus) and Common Saltmarsh-grass (Puccinellia maritima). Common Scurvygrass (Cochlearia officinalis) occurs much more scantly, and one of the highlights of the walk, Wild Celery (Apium graveolens) can be seen emerging from gaps in the riverside stonework.
Beyond these, the rest of until approximately rides.jets.solo will be spend admiring the scrub and tracksides. Low-growing plants to look out for along the way include Narrow-leaved Ragwort (Senecio inaequidens), Wood Sage (Teucrium scorodonia), False Brome (Brachypodium sylvaticum), Perennial Wall-rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia) and Cut-leaved Dead-nettle (Lamium hybridum). In the scrub, you will note an almost overwhelming variety of cotoneasters including, in addition to those mentioned already, Bearberry Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster dammeri), Hjelmvist’s Cotoneaser (Cotoneaster hjelmqvistii), Bullate Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster rehderi), Hollyberry Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster bullatus), Himalayan Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster simonsii) and Franchet’s Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster franchetii) – all of which make this a good place to look closer at this tricky group of plants. At placed.slower.wisdom, be sure to look out for Broad-leaved Whitebeam (Sorbus latifolia) growing on the banks where it is presumably bird-sown from planted populations in County Durham.
At rides.jets.solo keep a watchful eye for Broad-leaved Helleborine (Epipactis helleborine) growing on the margins of the mown amenity grassland here and at belong.global.span for Glabrous Whitlowgrass (Erophila glabrescens) amid the pavements. Otherwise, the next point of interest comes at puns.noise.oddly where the path slopes upward towards William Armstrong Drive. Here, you will spot the city’s only example of Fig (Ficus carica) overhanging the river, perhaps even adorned with fruit. With a bit of careful meandering here, you can further explore the small area of bank here with the aim of finding two scarce natives: Downy Birch (Betula pubescens) and Spindle (Euonymus europaeus). Exploration of the little inlet here should turn-up more Wild Celery alongside Spear-leaved Orache (Atriplex prostrata) and Danish Scurvygrass (Cochlearia danica) on the tidal mud. You should also add another cotoneaster to your rapidly increasing tally with Small-leaved Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster microphyllus).
From here, continue up Willam Armstrong Road until it merges with Scotswood Road. Cross the road and you will be presented with a long-neglected area of roadside shrubbery at orders.mint.plant. Most of the shrubs here are planted and are of little interest, but what grows beneath them is far more interesting. In summer, open areas and messy marginal zones here hold a thriving population of Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera) growing alongside Yellow-wort (Blackstonia perfoliata) and Musk-mallow (Malva moschata).
A little further west, a larger expanse of grassland at the junction of the B1305 is worth exploring and holds many of the species associated with Tyneside’s re-seeded industrial plots. Expect Lady’s-bedstraw (Galium verum), Hedge Bedstraw (Galium album) and their hybrid Galium x pomeranicum; Chalk Knapweed (Centaurea debeauxii), Quaking-grass (Briza media), Yellow Oat-grass (Trisetum flavescens), Viper’s-bugloss (Echium vulgare), Small Scabious (Scabiosa columbaria), Field Scabious (Knautia arvensis), Greater Knapweed (Centaurea scabiosa) and Wild Marjoram (Origanum vulgare).
(Blackstonia perfoliata)
(Malva moschata)
(Ophrys apifera)
From here, all that remains is to travel back East on Scotswood Road. At cares.scare.shaky and slick.plant.glee, grassland areas hold more of the same calcareous species explored earlier, while roadsides and waste ground plots hold an interesting assortment of weeds. Along your way, look out for Eastern Rocket (Sisymbrium orientale), Great Lettuce (Lactuca virosa), Long-headed Poppy (Papaver dubium), Large-flowered Evening-primrose (Oenothera glazioviana), Squirreltail Fescue (Vulpia bromoides), and Water Bent (Polypogon viridis).
To return to the car park, turn off Scotswood Road down Dunn Street. Along the way, look out for Stern’s Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster sternianus) in the rail side scrub and yet more Cut-leaved Dead-nettle in any areas of disturbed ground. A final point of interest is the diverse willowherb community that develops atop any area of waste or derelict ground. Expect an abundance of Short-fruited Willowherb (Epilobium obscurum), Great Willowherb (Epilobium hirsutum), Hoary Willowherb (Epilobium parviflorum), Broad-leaved Willowherb (Epilobium montanum), American Willowherb (Epilobium ciliatum) and Square-stalked Willowherb (Epilobium tetragonum). It is worth looking for hybrids too – the hybrid between Great x Hoary Willowherb (Epilobium x subhirsutum) has been recorded nearby.
Other interesting plants to look for along the way…
Lesser Sea-spurrey (Spergularia marina), Darwin’s Barberry (Berberis darwinii), Swedish Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster x x suecicus), Hybrid Couch (Elymus x laxus), Reflexed Saltmarsh-grass (Puccinellia distans) and Wild Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa).
