Fly Agaric toadstool
October 2024 - Fairies and fungi
As the early onset of autumn arrives, leaves on horse-chestnut trees are already starting to turn. This will have been hastened by the light frosts that we have already had in south east Scotland. I generally see the first, fresh fall of snow scattered along the tops of the Cairngorms at the end of September and, as I sit writing this up in Kingussie, this year has has been true to form.
The last month started off with a wonderful short-break in Port Appin. We stayed in a hotel on the west coast overlooking the Sgeir Bhuidhe lighthouse and the northern tip of the isle of Lismore. We enjoyed several local walks and found our way to the incredible ‘Fairy Bridge’ in Glen Creran which I had long hoped to visit and photograph one day. After chatting with a local resident, we learned that the bridge was built by neither pixies, goblins, trolls or fairies but… by the Victorians. It formed part of a well-used 19th century woodland walk which has now sadly been lost but the bridge fortunately remains.
We also walked around the impressive gorge at Sutherland’s Grove which was strangely devoid of water in spite of the wet summer. I think a return visit when in spate would make an exciting prospect. The photogenic Castle Stalker that sits on its own island in Loch Laich was also close-by and made one dream of by-gone days.
The arctic winds that blew in towards the end of the month gave migrating geese a tail-wind to start heading down from northern climates. The loch where I work suddenly swelled with geese numbers almost overnight and several hundred still remain. Meanwhile a wide variety of fungi has started to emerge in the woods and I managed a quick picture of a Fly agaric toadstool before slugs and snails began to devour it. This species is poisonous to humans and apparently infamous for its psychoactive and hallucinogenic properties!
I delivered a talk to North Berwick Photographic Society who gave me a very warm and friendly welcome. I arrived in the town early to squeeze in a quick picture or two of the Firth of Forth but a puncture soon scuppered such plans and it became a race against time to change the wheel. Fortunately I made it with ten minutes to spare but with filthy hands and trousers! Nevertheless the talk seemed to go down well and I was very grateful for their kind hospitality.
On Saturday 5th October, I’m assisting staff from the Water of Leith Conservation Trust with a photographic walk along a stretch of the river. It will be a gentle stroll simply to see what we can find and to think how we might then photograph it. An Antony Gormley statue (part of his ‘6 Times’ collection) and a weir are on the route which provide initial subjects to experiment with. Here’s hoping for a dry day.
October 2024 - Fairies and fungi
As the early onset of autumn arrives, leaves on horse-chestnut trees are already starting to turn. This will have been hastened by the light frosts that we have already had in south east Scotland. I generally see the first, fresh fall of snow scattered along the tops of the Cairngorms at the end of September and, as I sit writing this up in Kingussie, this year has has been true to form.
The last month started off with a wonderful short-break in Port Appin. We stayed in a hotel on the west coast overlooking the Sgeir Bhuidhe lighthouse and the northern tip of the isle of Lismore. We enjoyed several local walks and found our way to the incredible ‘Fairy Bridge’ in Glen Creran which I had long hoped to visit and photograph one day. After chatting with a local resident, we learned that the bridge was built by neither pixies, goblins, trolls or fairies but… by the Victorians. It formed part of a well-used 19th century woodland walk which has now sadly been lost but the bridge fortunately remains.
We also walked around the impressive gorge at Sutherland’s Grove which was strangely devoid of water in spite of the wet summer. I think a return visit when in spate would make an exciting prospect. The photogenic Castle Stalker that sits on its own island in Loch Laich was also close-by and made one dream of by-gone days.
The arctic winds that blew in towards the end of the month gave migrating geese a tail-wind to start heading down from northern climates. The loch where I work suddenly swelled with geese numbers almost overnight and several hundred still remain. Meanwhile a wide variety of fungi has started to emerge in the woods and I managed a quick picture of a Fly agaric toadstool before slugs and snails began to devour it. This species is poisonous to humans and apparently infamous for its psychoactive and hallucinogenic properties!
I delivered a talk to North Berwick Photographic Society who gave me a very warm and friendly welcome. I arrived in the town early to squeeze in a quick picture or two of the Firth of Forth but a puncture soon scuppered such plans and it became a race against time to change the wheel. Fortunately I made it with ten minutes to spare but with filthy hands and trousers! Nevertheless the talk seemed to go down well and I was very grateful for their kind hospitality.
On Saturday 5th October, I’m assisting staff from the Water of Leith Conservation Trust with a photographic walk along a stretch of the river. It will be a gentle stroll simply to see what we can find and to think how we might then photograph it. An Antony Gormley statue (part of his ‘6 Times’ collection) and a weir are on the route which provide initial subjects to experiment with. Here’s hoping for a dry day.
