Last chance to clear Himalayan balsam at your local crag this summer

It may look pretty with its broad, green leaves and bright pink flowers, but Himalayan balsam is, unfortunately, no friend of the climber or hill walker, as Land and Property Manager, Phill Hargreaves, has been finding out lately at Wilton 1 Quarry in Lancashire.

Why don't we like Himalayan balsam?

Himalayan balsam was introduced to the UK in the first half of the 19th century from the foothills of the Himalaya by Victorian botanists and exotic plant collectors. Away from its usual biological controls in India, Pakistan and Nepal, Himalayan balsam felt right at home here in the UK and began colonising riverbanks and wetlands with gusto.

That would have been fine if it hadn't then completely dominated habitats here, choking climbing crags, creating overgrown footpaths and outcompeting native vegetation.

Himalayan balsam blocks out light with its fast, early-season growth and dense canopy which restricts the growth of our native plants. Bees and other pollinators also make a beeline for the nectar-rich balsam flowers, preferring their blossoms to other flower; this further reduces plant, invertebrate and vertebrate species diversity, having a knock on effect throughout the food chain. Himalayan balsam is also a fan of a river bank, but its shallow roots don't stabilise the soil along the banks, leading to erosion and habitat degradation.

How (and when) do we solve a problem like Himalayan balsam?

So now we've established Himalayan balsam as the enemy, what can climbers and hill walkers do about it? Phill says, "We've had an invasion of Himalayan balsam at Wilton 1 Quarry; it gets in place and spreads like wildfire. The only way to get rid of it is to pull it out or cut it down over a two or three year period to stop it reappearing, which is what I've been doing at Wilton 1 this summer so it doesn't completely overgrow and block access to the crag.

"If you're out climbing or walking in the hills right now and you see this growing, please pull it out if you've got some time, or take a big knife and cut it back. The key is to chop it down right now, in the summer, in May, June and July if possible or early August, before the seed pods mature and explode, sending thousands of seeds and spreading the plant even further.

"The BMC would very much appreciate it if you could spend some time tackling this plant wherever you see it in our hills, mountains and crags. Thank you."

About Wilton 1 Quarry

Wilton 1 is an impressive grit / sandstone quarry up to 26 metres high near Bolton, Lancs. It was acquired by the BMC from North West Water at auction in 2008 when it became at risk of development for other purposes. Wilton 1 is the venue for the popular Wilton Fest, an annual climbing festival run local volunteers. It is actively managed by the BMC and convenient for the nearby Wilton Arms.

There is an ongoing programme to eradicate Japanese knotweed and Himalayan balsam there, and the latter has given Land and Property manager Phill Hargreaves a good workout over the last few weeks.