Very few gentians, or anything else for that matter on Cronkley or on Widdybank/ Cow Green at the moment - it seems to have been a late spring. On Widdybank Fell, however, there were two gentians in flower yesterday, but another dozen to twenty with flower spikes which, given a bit of warm sunshine and no grazing should be flowering nicely in a few days. Unfortunately, these are off the path in an area where peeps aren't supposed to go.
We did see some daisies (!) and some Scottish asphodels, though at high levels.
The Cronkley gentians might be hiding in the exclosures on the sugar limestone (fenced off area right on the top) which will be difficult to see, cos they're only little things and its a big exclosure. You need to get your eye in to start seeing them... We don't believe that the sheep and wabbits have scoffed them all.....
On another note, however, I noticed today that Barnard Castle main street now has a noisy population of swifts. (or were they swallows?) - and the bluebells, primroses and ransoms are flowering nicely in the woods..... It must be summer...