Best of Autumn

This afternoon was as good as autumn gets in the middle of the day even without the spectacular colours that we can get in early morning. All seemed more muted but well blended.

The pastures have never seemed so full of fungi doubtless due to the wet summer now behind us and just before a promised cold snap. At times it is hard to avoid walking on them.



As usual up here it's the waxcaps that catch the attention with Meadow Waxcap being the most interesting in shape and variation even though one of the more common of them.















But there are many others not so easy for the novice to identify with certainty.














Coming down to explore the wilder parts not visited since early summer, a group of deer were enjoying the sun while sheltered from the brisk wind and partly hidden by trees. Two were hinds including this one shyly watching us, while the dominant stag, never far away, was lying unconcerned only his antlers betraying his presence.