Fabulous Fungi

It was forecast that this year's weather pattern, damp with a long hot dry summer, would produce a bumper crop of fungi and how right they were.  I have never seen as many fruiting at the same time and they lined faint paths that run through Angerton Moss, a peatland habitat.

One that is always easy to recognise, Fly Agaric, but these were the biggest I've ever seen they must have measured 8 inches across and looking them up in the fungus guide it says they can grow from 6-20cm so these

must be at their maximum size.

Here is one in decay looking like a mound of couscous,  a small and shiny new one can be seen peeping though under the grass on the left

There were hundreds of these, Collybia cirrhata, which grow out of dead black fungi. They varied in size from little specks to these and also varied in

numbers growing together. Other fungi grew among the grass but I could not identify them

apart from being intrigued by their curious shape, small

and large.

Some looked familiar, this possibly is a species of mycena.

I couldn't resist taking a picture of these crab apples in the water just because they could be like my blog name - a raft of apples (although the title is taken from a poem)

Apples, like the fungi, are having a good year in 2018 although crab apples and the fungi I have photographed are not recommended for eating.   In praise of the crab apple I did once make a rather tasty white wine from them but its tastiness faded with age. Not a wine for laying down in ones imaginary cellar.

Adder on the Move

I was sorry to disturb this adder as I approached it - neither of us had seen each other until the last moment. It lay curled taking in the September sunshine on the warm road and moved very quickly

heading into the undergrowth.  As it turned out it was a serendipitous encounter

Zetor 7711 Turbo Tractor

for moments later a racing cyclist crested the brow of the hill, zoomed past the parked tractor and sped downhill - whoosh he past in moments.
Happily because of our meeting the adder did not end up under the bike wheels but quietly heading for a destination unknown.    

Summer in Willeskop Nature Reserve

Hollandse IJselpad Sign

A little bit of watery delight in the Green Heart of the Netherlands Willeskop Nature Reserve invites one in.

We gazed across the lake at the hundreds of water birds while a pair of hen harriers wheel overhead.

The path leads us through trees and dozens of red admiral butterflies most hiding in plain sight as they merge with the tree bark.

Past wild flowers the bright light of high summer making a large white butterfly almost transparent.

Greylag Goose

The lake comes into view again

If you live in a land flat as a pancake then build your own viewpoint. A tower to take in the polder landscape

Irresistible to visit

Yes you can see for miles and miles

Wave to the dog walkers.

Return to earth and cross over to the other side of the lake

We were fascinated by the integrated step stile on the gates.

Enjoy the shade of the trees

Try to pass by a pair of swans taking their ease on the path with their lone chick, one swan hisses a scary warning. I would guess they have lost all their other offspring so of course highly protective of their only child. Eventually they take to the water and we continue on our way.

Go over a bridge

and yes another one

This is a one way bridge for the farmer to gain access to his fields.

These cows were mooing to their compatriots two lines of water away

Who were calling back, probably wishing there were cow bridges.

The polder windmill at rest no raging torrents to move.

Our enjoyable nature walk now comes to an end.

Blue Tailed Damselfly

A blissful time in the polder landscape.

Willeskop Nature Reserve footpaths 

Tour of Britain Stage 6 Roll Out in Barrow

Tour of Britain Posters

Sweeping the streets on Thursday getting ready for the Tour of Britain.

The statue in Schneider Square has been decorated in readiness.

Henry Schneider dressed in green. Is he impressed?

Friday arrives and this police man was kept busy directing three lanes of traffic,  his piercing whistle was almost as loud as his shout at dozing motorists to get them moving.  Nearly time for him to move off as the helicopter appears overhead and the other bike marshals power down Roose Road.

  Here comes the main event.

Katusha Alpecin, Dimension Data and Direct Energie

This was the point I realised I hadn't put a sports mode on my camera - so slow, ergh, unlike the whizz of racing bikes heading for the coast road and the racing.

Direct Energie and the other team cars roll on past and we move off the windy corner.