Home Forums PUBLIC DISCUSSION BOARD FORAY REPORT , NEWTON WOODS /CHILLINGHAM SEPT 2017

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    • #2907
      John
      Keymaster

      FORAY REPORT , NEWTON WOODS

      Eight forayers started from Great Ayton , our group this time included Mid-Yorks group member Mal Greaves , the mycena expert . A drying wind on the western slopes at Cliff Ridge Wood meant there was little up . Slightly more fungi was found on the climb up to our excellently chosen lunch spot in Newton Woods with a magnificent view of Roseberry Topping . A choice had to be made of which route to go back , fortunately we chose the one through a field with an abundance of wax caps , 5 or 6 varieties, several differing club fungi and some other grassland species . Jill was handed a group of quercus petrae acorn cups one of which had strange orange powder in it . Her excellent research skills showed it as a possible Red Data list rust species with only 5 or 6 UK records from Wales , cronartium quercuum ( = uredo quercus ) .

      We had views of Captain Cook’s boyhood home and his memorial on top of Easby Moor on our descent . In the village where we parked there was a shop with an odd name , Worthy Pe(a)rson . Jill went in as did Tom but Alan and I weren’t allowed , we had to settle for the Royal Oak Hotel and a pint and a pot of Earl Grey tea !

      Mike C

    • #2914
      John
      Keymaster

      POP UP FORAY REPORT , CHILLINGHAM , SAT 9th SEPT

      Our foray had been on/off many times since Sally first proposed it last year . After not getting permission from Sir Humphry to foray inside the castle grounds , although she did have a personal invitation , we proposed a walk around the Chillingham Estate on the permissive paths there . It went ahead with 10 more Northerly members , with the exception of Rhona and John who happened to be camping nearby . It also included new recruit Sheila Lillie , who has a good knowledge of fungi being taught by Roy Watling .

      A successful foray ensued with only a brief shower and excellent views of the surrounding hills etc. plus close ups of the famous Chillingham Wild Cattle that have lived there for over 700 years and are the sole survivors of ancient cattle that once roamed the forests of Britain .

      Members , unusually , all went upslope from the initial FP through the woods , thus confusing Keith and Sheila who continued along the bottom and thinking we were ahead tried to catch up and thus ended further and further away from the main group . Frantic phone calls and grid references eventually restored calm .

      Some old trees provided interesting finds , including Dog Stinkhorn , many russulas and tricholomas and a possible seafaring cortinarius . There were further discussions about kuehneromyces mutabilis / galerina marginata continued from Hareshaw Linn ! Lunch for some was on large hay bales , afterwards we proceeded upwards through pines etc. and along forest tracks . Dom found his usual Ear Pick fungus and Snaketongue Truffleclub amongst the pines and along the path the Common Bird’s Nest fungus was observed as was the pure White Domecap , lyophyllum connatum .

      Excitingly we saw a herd of deer leaping across the fields and Sally found a young adder in the middle of the path which she lifted to the side . Unfortunately she soon realised it had probably been stood on , there were 3 hefty forayers marching ahead of us , she thought it’s neck was broken . Even the sun brought no life to it so she took it home for son Joe to see . Incidentally in March , around the same spot , there was a dead piglet lying on the track , no farms nearby , all very spooky…….

      There was a short cut back which went near the Chillingham Wild Cattle . I was prepared to venture on it , but everyone else thought better of it , could it have been the numerous graphic signs of a person being gored with blood dripping that deterred them

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