It might be time to leave the flora in favour of the fascinating fauna of the trip.

The cows graze unattended, with a cow bell around their neck allowing for easier recognition when it’s time to round them up. The cattle spend the summer grazing the grasses and herbs of the alpine, before being herded back down the mountain in autumn.

Some of them took a great interest in botany, and followed along at the pace of the group, pausing politely to admire.

I did a very poor job of photographing our invertebrate friends, despite the efforts of the group to trap and ID them before releasing them.

And who could forget the fantastic scenery and the even better company of my fellow botanists!