Rock climber brings colour to the crags

Heather is the dominant plant in most heathland and moorland in Europe, and in some bog vegetation and acidic pine and oak woodland. It is often managed in nature reserves and grouse moors by sheep or cattle grazing, and also by light burning.

Heather is an important food source for sheep and deer, which can eat the tips of the plants when snow covers low growing vegetation. Willow grouse and red grouse feed on the young shoots and seeds of this plant.

Heather was an ingredient in gruit, a mixture of flavourings used in the brewing of beer during the Middle Ages before the use of hops.

Heather honey is a highly valued product, with many beehives being moved to moor or heathland areas in late summer. It has a characteristic strong taste and an unusual texture, being a jelly until stirred, when it becomes a syrup like other honey, but setting again to a jelly. This makes the extraction of the honey from the comb difficult, and it is therefore often sold as comb honey.

Not so common is white heather, a symbol of Scotland and often sold in sprigs to be worn on the lapel and believed to bring the wearer good luck.

Technical details: Nikon D2Xs, 12-24mm Nikkor, 250th sec @f9, iso 100, plus off camera flash. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.