Map available at: www.friendsoftherfieldheath.org.uk/maps
Why not venture out for a walk to Therfield Heath in Royston, to see the Pasque Flowers?
Pulsatilla Vulgaris is the rather uninspiring name for this bright purple and yellow flower. It’s more commonly known as Pasque Flower and, rather more excitingly, as Dane’s Blood.
The Pasque Flower is now incredibly rare in the UK and can only be found thriving at five sites across the UK, with Therfield Heath containing one of the most impressive colonies with up to 60,000 plants.
They bloom from late March, and you can find them on the well drained chalky soil of Church Hill on Therfield Heath. Its name means “like Paschal” or “of Easter” and legend tells that it springs from the blood of dead Vikings! This fable may well have developed as it grows in the undisturbed soil of ancient barrows – like the ones that can be found on Therfield’s rolling heath land. This site is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, a Local Nature reserve and one of the largest colonies of this rare plant.
This hardy plant, with distinctive purple flower and golden stamen, loves sun-soaked, well-drained, chalk or limestone grassland, and doesn’t deal well with disturbance. WWII saw much local land ploughed to provide food (including many parts of Therfield Heath); however Church Hill, the site of the most impressive pasque flower blooms, was too steep to plough. So, throughout the War, it remained undisturbed. Please visit and take photos but otherwise leave it.. undisturbed.
A suggested viewing route has been set out on Church Hill, which can be accessed on foot via Fox Covert/Jubilee Woods off Therfield Road, to help visitors enjoy this magnificent site without damaging the flowers. Please try to keep to the marked paths (and help four-legged friends do so too), and remember not to pick wildflowers on the site.
Thank you for helping protect this special place.
Parking is available in a small lay-by opposite the entrance gate or at Therfield Heath Car Park, Baldock Road, Royston SG8 9NT
