LLANYMYNECH ROCKS

Slaves, silver and dynamite

The magnificent cliffs of Llanymynech, formed some 340 million years ago near the equator in a shallow sea, have lured people to plunder its rocks and their hidden wealth for thousands of years.

People first dug into the rocks for copper at Llanymynech with tools carved from deer antlers and bones some 2500 years ago. Then came the Romans. They turned mining into a monstrous industry, imprisoning slaves in underground caverns. Workers were forced to hack their way deep into the rocks along narrow, dangerous passages, seldom seeing the light of day.

Rumours of silver at Llanymynech led to an ill-fated attempt to develop the mines in the 12th century to raise a £100,000 ransom for the release of King Richard I, captured in the Crusades. The venture was a disaster, plunging its investors further into debt.

Limestone quarrying for rock that could be burnt to produce quicklime for agriculture and mortar for buildings began in medieval times. Llanymynech limestone was especially prized for its magnesium content, which made it perfect for dairy pastures. The construction of the canal and later the railway boosted production hugely in the 19th century, feeding demand for lime from the iron foundries of Ironbridge and Staffordshire and also enabling agricultural lime to be transported far and wide.

Quarrying ceased soon after the First World War. Since then nature has made the place its own, gradually covering the bare ground with a mosaic of plants that attract an extraordinary variety of butterflies, moths and other insects.

Exploring without having your brains pulped

As you enter the reserve you find yourself in jungly woodland, ash trees swathed in hanging creepers, honeysuckle and wild clematis; shiny hart's tongue ferns tumbling from the banks. Side paths wind through numerous dips and hollows, old spoil heaps of loose rocks now fastened with twisting tree roots.

When you approach the quarries large signs warn of the dangers of falling rocks, more signs next to old buildings instruct you to keep out. Don't be put off! Stay on the main paths, keep your distance from the quarry face and you can explore the nature reserve safely.

Towering above you, the cliffs have an awesome presence. Jackdaws and peregrine falcons, speediest and most daring of fliers, nest on ledges high in the cliff face. Swifts that have flown without cease since they fledged finally fold their wings and touch down to raise their own broods in crevices between the rocks.

Follow the path up through the reserve and you cross a stile into Wales and join Offa's Dyke footpath. From here you can see miles across the Shropshire plain to the Breidden hills and Long Mountain, with the River Vyrnwy meandering below. This part of the nature reserve is looked after by the Montgomery Wildlife Trust.

Mosaic of flowers

Limestone is the secret of life for many plants, which is the reason why Llanymynech Rocks is home to more than 340 different species. Grass does not flourish on the thin soils of the old quarry floor, which gives other less forceful plants a chance. Spring brings primroses, cowslips and violets and the first orchids - early purples. By mid-June greater butterfly, bee, pyramidal and common spotted orchids are out and the hillsides turning yellow with rock rose then blue with small scabious. Four-foot yellow spikes of great mullein rise from grey furry rosettes of leaves. Marjoram and thyme give late summer scent, growing alongside yellow-wort and wild carrot, also known as 'bird's nest', because of its intricate flower heads. Autumn ladies tresses and autumn gentian follow.

A rabble of butterflies

Pearl-bordered fritillary caterpillars eat the violets and dingy skippers feast on bird's-foot-trefoil. This is a fantastic place for butterflies with uncommon species such as brown argus, grizzled skipper and grayling along with more abundant types like common blue and small copper. It's also marvellous for moths; moth-trapping sessions can turn up a huge variety - or absolutely nothing if it rains.

Scaly, dry and slimy creatures

The main quarry is a suntrap, ideal for basking lizards. Slow-worms, frogs, toads and newts live here too, the rocks provide perfect weather-proof hibernating places.

Devil's guts

In autumn the trees and ground are swathed in soft, downy seedheads of wild clematis known to those who love it as traveller's joy and to others as devil's guts. This hugely successful creeper, which arrived via the canals, keeps the Wildlife Trust volunteers very busy. Every year thousands of clematis plants have to be pulled up to prevent the open ground and its flowers from being smothered. A flock of sheep has also been doing an excellent job eating them up.

Volunteers also strive to control the spread of trees and scrub so that sunny glades stay open, giving flowers and butterflies the living space they need.