Maidenhair Fern

This is we believe the only place in Arnside/Silverdale where this grows. It is fussy about its location. Generally it is found on limestone rocks by the sea. It also likes a place where water drips down the cliff face. A couple of winters ago this meant it had a curtain of icicles in front of it for some weeks.

It also suffers from salt water which drenches it at high tides and in gales. This has led us to believe a number of times in early Spring that we have lost it. But it is a tough little plant and it bounces back when the better weather arrives.

The book says it grows in the Southwest and South Wales so we must be near its northern limit in the southern Lake District.