This is a very rare alpine which grows in awkward places. All of the known specimens in the British Isles are in Snowdonia and most are on inaccessible ledges so you can only see them through binoculars or by abseiling from the mountain top. Access for these plants is not as bad as for some alpines but you do have to walk the length of the Llanberis valley or, if you can afford it take the train, then along a very narrow path which eventually disappears into a rock field and has plenty of opportunities to fall down the steep slope into Llyn Du'r Arddu.

A few plants aren't on ledges and do grow at photographable height but others are a little higher up. One year I even found one plant myself which no-one knew about near Cwm Idwal in the next valley but it had been eaten by the next year which is why most plants which flourish are where sheep can't safely graze. These photographs are from the cliffs of Clogwyn Coch on Snowdon itself.

The flower is nearly always in shade so the light levels are usually very poor for photography.

Opening Bud 2004	Habitat 2009	Normal view 2009	Side view 2002	Top view 2004	Wet Flower 2009	Whole Plant 2002

Snowdon, Clogwyn Coch cliffs, North Wales 2nd June 2004, 31st May 2002, 28th May 2009

Added on January 28th 2005, augmented 9th February 2007, updated 28th May 2009