Another non-rushed walk on a bank holiday Monday morning and my first week in some time where I’ve managed more than two walks. The weather was still quite nasty but I got out anyway. The leaves are almost all gone now but there is a bit of colour in some places
The main feature of this walk was an explosion of red mushrooms (Fly Agarics I think) down the bottom part of the forest. Suddenly they are all over the place and I can’t remember having noticed them before. These are the classic red toadstools and are highly poisonous.
This one below is a right little fairy scene.
The landscape around Ardagh is quite odd with a lot of glacial erratic boulders in the ground. You’ll quote often find a little stone sticking out of the ground that turns out to be a two tonne boulder. Anyway, these ended up being ploughed up in the forest so in parts of the forest you see these boulders everywhere.
I managed to get out after breakfast for my first weekend walk for what seems ages. The wet weather is continuing and I managed to get myself a right soaking. Still, the dogs and I appreciated getting out of the house for a turn.
We are down to the last couple of weeks of having any leaves left on tree. The big ash tree in the garden has been stripped bare by now but a lot of the other ash trees are still fine. These look quite colourful.
The festival of mushrooms continues in the forest. I though this one looked rather good. I’ll try to get a few of the more exotic ones the next time I get out
Just out for a quick lunchtime ramble on a miserable late autumn day. There really wasn’t a lot to report for this one. Just a quick scramble round the forest in fairly nasty weather for a bit of exercise. I always find it’s a lot quicker if it’s a foul day.
I got out for a loop of the forest after breakfast this morning as it was too fabulous a morning to miss. Mostly the mist had burned off but you could still see it hanging on in the distance. There was a fabulous blue sky but it was still quite chilly after a touch of frost overnight.
It is still unbelievably dry up the forest. Not a lot of new stuff to report except for the holly berries which are very close to being properly ripe about a month earlier than normal. I don’t expect to be getting much berried holly for Christmas
Anyway, it was nice to get out for a quick walk at the start of a busy day. I have been slacking somewhat of late.
This was another quick lunchtime lap on my own so not a lot to report really. Then fine weather is still holding after a brief spell of stormy weather over the weekend.
A bit grey outside but not really too bad considering the time of year.
I am absolutely exactly on schedule now with the first walk of the last quarter of the year. Again, I’m on a lunchtime rush so not a lot of note to report. There has been a little rain over the past few days but it is still very dry.
I didn’t do much with the camera due to general laziness – just this shot of a few slightly bedraggled mushrooms.
I need to try to get out for a slightly slower weekend walk in the next couple of weeks. Unfortunately I am taking advantage of the dry weather to do a bit of outdoor work so don’t have a lot of time for walking.
Walking forests and trails in the midlands of Ireland
