Severn Valley Country Park 8th August 2022 (SO 748 838) 

A perfect place to stop off on the way home from Buckinghamsfhire, and it is well worth it. I have decided to miss the viditor centre, the hill and the walk to the Violet Helleborines, and approach from Highley. Why is it that the last four times we have crossed Shropshire that the road we want is closed and we have to make lengthy convoluted detours? The highway engineers seem to be able to anticipate when and where we will be!
Anyway, this is the best show of these orchids at this site I have ever seen, with 48 spikes counted, including some going over now. There is even one that I hadn’t noticed at the time which has some Var. rosea looks about it, so shall be back for that in the future.
Why is this so site so much better than those in the Chilterns? We noticed on the drive north that when we set off the road verges were uniformly brown, then north of Banbury there were patches of green appearing, and then when past Birmingham the grass looked in good shape once more. Proximity to river Severn may also be a local factor here.

Coalbrookdale 8th August 2022 

Despite being not as good as some years, the Station Road site this year still knocks the socks off those south of the Midlands for Violwt Helleborines.

Great Orme 19th August 2022 (SH 77023 82312) 

We head off along the A55, first stop is Esgyrin, with its monument without a plaque or expanations of why it is there or what it marks. Last year there was a reasonable number of Autumn Lady`s-tresses here, but this year none. so then it is off to Llandudno and the path from the West Beach up the Orme. Never a great number of Autumn Lady`s-tresses here, but this year only two can be seen from the path. There may be more higher up, but that slope is quite steep and slippy; not worth chancing injury looking up there. I remember that the pitch-and-putt course on the slopes overlooking the town had a few Green-winged Orchids when we visited some years ago, but this site draws a blabk. Still, it is a chance to see the infamous Great Orme Kashmiri goats close up. There seems little point in following up these visits with one to the ALT site on Little Orme.

Gop Hill 31th August 2022 (SJ 08790 80005) 

Today`s searches start on Mymydd marion Hill, above Colwyn Bay. Both Green-winged and Early Purple Orchids grow here, so why not ALTS? However, despite going up the hill, around the top, and down by another path there is nothing to be found. So it is on to Gop Hill, always a good site. Not this year though. There is just a small scattering of Autumn Lady`s-tresses to be seen where in a good year there are thousands. I do not think it is grazing that is the problem despite evidence to the contrary (see photo), it just must be a poor year for there in North Wales. So that concludes the 2022 Orchid outings - a bit of an anti-climax. Must try some other sites on a good year perhaps.