Thursday, 27 November 2014

A late autumn walk…

We regularly try to get out for a walk to enjoy the countryside around our village and are fortunate that within 50m of our house we are on a public footpath, which leads into the fields. Saturday started grey and murky, but by mid afternoon the skies had cleared and there was just enough time for a five mile walk before we settled to watch the Wales v New Zealand All Blacks autumn international match. As rugby officianados will know it was a case of ‘so near, and yet so far’!

What did we see?

Sheep, which links well with both Wales and New Zealand.

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Houses nestling into the hillside.

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Reflections …

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Unfortunately the site of these photographs is all along the proposed route of HS2.

Some fungi…

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Linking with Susan's post yesterday I wondered whether this is an Ivory Funnel mushroom as this seemed to be the closest to the identification in my guide. Later, reading Colin and Elizabeth's blog, by coincidence they had posted about what they originally thought to be the deadly poisonous Ivory Funnel, but later identified as a Snowy Waxcap – their photographs are much better. The habitat was as described in my guide; pasture land, on the edge of open woodland. I’m sure someone will point me in the right direction!

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Lichen…

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An interesting post box…

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No doubt these same fields would have looked very different on March 19th 1643, as the Royalists and the Parliamentarians fought the battle of Hopton Heath.  Although a small battle by Civil War standards, the Battle of Hopton Heath is considered so important it is one of only forty-two in English Heritage's register of major national battlefields. It was a bloody battle too. Although only five hundred men out of roughly two and a half thousand on the field died, they were slaughtered in a matter of hours. You can find out more about the battle here.

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9 comments:

  1. Looks like it could be the same fungi as we have: Snowy Waxcap. Great reflection picture, not much wind then. C

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    1. I think so too.There were only a few where we walked but you've loads in your garden. The reflection was just there... ;o)

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  2. Looks like the same as C&E's fungus to me too. They prefer acid soil, mine prefer calcareous.

    Simon suggested I phone you at a crucial moment in the match and talk to you for at least 10 minutes, btw :-)

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    1. I think so too. The guide has loads of photographs but is still a bit of trial and error at first.

      A phone call might have lessened the agony of watching the last 15 minutes! ;o(. One day...

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  3. Great pictures...
    no wonder you love Salt and surrounds...
    agree too with the reflection comment by Colin

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    1. Just seen on BBC Sport....
      "Wales claim just the second win over South Africa in their history with a display of guts and cool control in Cardiff"....
      That'll've cheered you up, Gaynor...

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    2. It has, Tim. It has!! :0))))

      Chris and Sally are coming for dinner this evening, so with England also winning it should be a very good night.

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  4. Sounds like a lovely walk. I am impressed by the reflection photo...brilliant.

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    1. As is so often the case the reflection was just there. A case of being in the right place at the right time. X

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