The Duddon Mosses have been well visited this year as a local escape into nature from Covid19 and for that reason the bracken has not overwhelmed the paths. Now all is quiet as people walk elsewhere and only the birds were in residence as we walked the paths and boardwalk.
One of the joys of this time of year are the variety of fungi
such as these common earthballs nestling in the grass. I love this passage in my old (1978) Observer's Book of Mushrooms and Toadstools . "
This fungus is unwholesome and should not be eaten; nevertheless as it somewhat resembles the truffle (in looks, not taste) it is sometimes used by unscrupulous restaurants in conjunction with the real thing" and then it finishes off with the zinger "
but this happens mainly on the Continent as Truffles are little used in this country" . What were we eating in 1978 that may be thought of as continental? Woman and Home tells me it was cheese fondue and quiche lorraine. Heady days.
My fungi knowledge is scant but nevertheless I can admire their shapes, sizes and colours. This hat shape I think is a type of Cavalier
And a perfect round
From a distance this looked like a potato lying by the path. I think it might be a Parasitic Bolete (Boletus parasiticus) and is parasitic on Earthballs (seen in the first photo) although it is now conjectured that they simply consume dying earthballs. If my observation is correct it is an uncommon find.
Not looking in the best of health.
So lots of fungi but one I did not see was the instantly recognisable Fly Algaric which is very strange as usually there are a lot of them here. 2018 was an especially fruitful year as can be seen in my post at the time here
Leaving behind the paths we wandered across the boardwalk to admire
the Bog Asphodel whose other name is the Lancashire Asphodel and Lancashire is what this part of the country used to be until governmental edict turned it into Cumbria. The plant is in fruit
and they give wonderful colour to the green moss. As we took the path to leave through the
wood a Speckled Wood butterfly flew past to gently land and open its wings to take in the warmth of the sun
and a young oak glowed with autumn colour.
