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Just a heads up to anyone out on a loop in the Surrey Hills ATM.
I was out last Saturday on a pedal and must have brushed up against something nasty.
I didn't notice until the following day a rather angry looking selection of dark purple blotches.
Next day it all turned a little minging to be honest, large selection of blisters that just kept on growing.
General consensus was probably Giant Hog Weed.
I have been cycling these hills for years with no problem, so I reckon it's a combination of being unlucky and this mad growing season we have had.
Can't tell you exactly where I picked this up as I didn't notice it at the time... Maybe Ranmore.
If you do encounter this rash wash with cool water and soap, then take an antihistamine sooner rather than later. If you can catch it before you get the huge blisters healing time is a great deal shorter.
If you don't wear glasses get some as it apparently is really not clever if you get it in your eyes.
Chances are you won't be unlucky but it's always good to be pre warned.
🙂
Good heads-up.
The bad news is you may be left with significant scarring. Maybe someone will be along to advise how to minimise this.
Good Lord is it back? I thought it was a '70s phenomenon.
It never went away.
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/bites-and-stings/Pages/Plant-dangers-garden-countryside.aspx
Most types of hogweed can cause it, and its sunlight that catylises the sap to cause the blister.
Avoid at all costs. If you know you clipped some, wash the area with water straightaway.
Horrible stuff, I had really bad blisters on my arm from just brushing past some of this stuff a few years back.
It was probably seeking revenge.
Yep outside of forearm here, starts at glove line then looks like flicks of sap running up arm.
Oh. I thought this was going to be a thread about a new fat bike or something.
They seem immune to all our herbicidal battering.
There is some growing slap bang in the middle of a Bridleway near me. It used to just grow about ten metres from the path but has spread in the last few years. It is now just about impossible to pass without brushing against it.
I'm just wondering who , if anyone, has the responsibility for clearing this froma right of way. I'm reluctant to whack it with a stick for fear of stray juice.
Strike by night - they are defenceless.
They need the sun to photosensitize their venom.
Blimey. I walk through the stuff almost everyday, legs and arms brushing through it... no reaction from me.
Does all Giant Hogweed cause the same allergic reactions?
@ Rusty Spanner
You are a sad Genesis fan and I claim my £5 😀
I'm just wondering who , if anyone, has the responsibility for clearing this froma right of way. I'm reluctant to whack it with a stick for fear of stray juice.
Environment Agency might be of help.
Blimey. I walk through the stuff almost everyday, legs and arms brushing through it... no reaction from me.Does all Giant Hogweed cause the same allergic reactions?
Are you sure it's Giant Hogweed?
Back in the day of open back mitts I had a horseshoe of blisters on the back of my hands.
Looked like satan had visited.
When I first started work for the Environment Agency I got some on my arm that caused some blistering. For about 3 years after that the area use to get itchy and some times flame up in the summer but its okay now just got a tiny scar where the worst blister was.
It's not the hogweed that causes the blisters itself, the nectar/ poison is uv reactive. Once brushed onto the skin and then you come in contact with sunshine, that's when it blisters
Few friends of mine have had some realllly nasty cases this year (all from strimming) scarring all over neck, arms etc. Weird it seems to be a bit of a year for it, I honestly never saw such injuries before, or so many reported.
2014. Year Of The Hogweed. Official.
I only found out what my blisters were caused by as a train driver I knew had been warned about the weed trackside and seen the pictures.
Another blimey here. We used to have one in the garden when I was a kid - dad was rather fond of it. He warned us never to go near it but every now and again the football may have wandered that way which led to some daring crawling and stick usage.
fruitbat - Member
@ Rusty SpannerYou are a sad Genesis fan and I claim my £5
"Mighty Hogweed is avenged". Another one here.
🙂
Can't hang about round here all night, me supper's ready.
Ouch.
I blame the fashionable county gentlemen with their cultivated wild gardens.
I can't understand how anyone could brush against it, its ****ing HUGE. Should have seen it a mile off.
It's running riot in Scotland, not just rivers but along roads / railway lines. Was suprised to see some genius had flailed a load of it on the edge of a housing estate / cycle path in the middle of Glasgow.
I can't understand how anyone could brush against it, its **** HUGE. Should have seen it a mile off.
It takes about 4 years to grow to full height.
Fair point, live and learn eh?
Had hog weed induced blistering years ago after bashung my knee on some on a ride.
I seem to remember the area of skin being prone to blistering in subsequent summers for a couple of years. Factor 40 sun cream worked to prevent this from happening.
Most dissapointing thread ever!
Thought it was about a new Giant 650b trail masher!
I was getting excited!
I just google image searched 'giant hogweed rash' [img] 
[/img]
The bad news is you may be left with significant scarring.
It's OK, chicks dig scars.
Thought this might have been a new model in Giant's 2015 range 🙂
Get in touch with your local rights of way officer. They will treat it seriously and it I found them to be very good at tackling hogweed. As others have said it leave the area very sensitive and you will probably have to keep it covered from direct sunlight for a few years.
Lastly do not phone the Environment Agency as they will not be able to do anything about it unless it is on land that they own. They don't look after any of the rights of way, but do promote the tackling of issues of non native species.
Thought I'd better find out what it looks like.[img] 
[/img]
I genuinely had no idea it was so nasty!
Don't go outdoors it's far too dangerous....!
[url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-28681473 ]Dalby forest snake bite![/url]
is there a similar looking plant around? Cos I'm sure I've seen plenty of that there plant zippykona has posted, no blisters/burns here thoAre you sure it's Giant Hogweed?
to get one snake bite maybe regarded as a misfortune, to get three...Dalby forest snake bite!
The pictures in this thread are a bit pants. It looks very similar to Cow Parsley which is all over the place and although a blight in the country doesn't burn like Hogweed.
Anyone got any advice for identifying the stuff and differentiating from Cow Parsley?
Cow Parsley that's what I was thinking of, how high does that grow tho? Seen some pretty high plants that look similar, the leaves on the hogweed pics look very familiar too.
You may have guessed I'm not much of a botanist
Dalby forest snake bite!
He picked it up!