Country diary: The holy fountain that’s neither holy nor a fountain

‘Nearly 450 species of liverworts, hornworts and mosses have been recorded on Exmoor.’ Photograph: Sara Hudston

At Agnes’ Fountain in the woods above Allerford, wetness oozes parsimoniously down a jumble of rocks, collecting into single drops that swell and fall with a quiet tick on to a shawl of saturated moss. The movement is so gentle that liverwort can spread its flat fingers on the stoneface without bruising. Nearly 450 species of liverworts, hornworts and mosses have been recorded on Exmoor, where high rainfall, abundant woodland and a cool climate provide ideal conditions.

Snakeskin liverwort grows on the damp rock of Agnes’ Fountain. Photograph: Sara Hudston