Learning to look more closely

As will be clear, I enjoy walking and the sense of moving at a realistic pace through the landscape.  Often in the past the objective often has simply been to "go for a walk" for the sake of fresh air and a general appreciation of the lie of the land.  Photography is encouraging me to look both at the landscape and at the details rather more carefully, which become increasingly rewarding.  I have had a general interest in wild flowers for some time, but only now am I really appreciating them, along with the stirrings of wanting to find out more about lichen and fungi.  Birds are of great interest too, but being so mobile and quick, I have a fast growing regard and respect for people who photograph them.  As for insects, any pictures I get will have to be of particularly slow types or ones that don't mind getting close with the camera.   I am far from having the eye or the skill to catch fast moving subjects that are easily startled.

I suppose the reputation for fungi and lichens (also grasses and mosses) as being complicated and difficult has always put me off.  But so many fungi appeared last autumn that just cried out for a picture, and it always seems like a job less than half done to have a reasonable picture of something and not a clue what it is.  So there is a new found desire to try and start tackling the subjects.  At least there are plenty of on-line tools these days as well as books, and I am hoping to make some progress.

Some fungi and lichens are just so great to look at and attempt to photograph.  Their forms and colours are so varied.  It is also striking how the same group of fungi seen on walks a few days apart can look very different as they mature, which just adds to the complexity but also to the interest.

As far as wild flowers are concerned, new types are appearing in flower on almost a daily basis as the spring season unfolds.  But first there are some lichen pictures, all taken yesterday afternoon on a short walk locally.

The other three shots for this post were also taken yesterday, featuring plants and insects.   Plenty to see!  Must keep looking....

If, in future, my walking pace declines to a few hundred metres an hour and I start complain about those who are content to rush through the countryside at three miles an hour, then it probably started about here.  I can see that I am going to be torn between trying to accomplish a meaningful walk in terms of distance with the time to take in more of the detail along the way.

Two trips to Big Moor

The main walk on Saturday Apr 14th was 9.5 miles, starting by Ramsley Moor at the Shillito Wood car park on Fox Lane.  I crossed the access land on Leash Fen - just in time as the land is rapidly getting wetter after the many April showers this year.  Crossing the main road, I followed the lane for a short distance before taking a path that heads to a lengthy journey north along White Edge, cutting across to the B 6054 and then using the track across Big Moor past the drained reservoir and down the Bar Brook valley and back across Ramsley Moor to the car park.  It was most enjoyable, with a sense of wide open spaces, peace and quiet.  The walking was very fast and easy, making it little more than a half day walk.

On Wednesday Apr 18th I had the car and it was a wet day, and I decided to go back to the moorland again. It was not a real walk but developed into a couple of excursions out on to the moor.  The area was wonderfully atmospheric, and at long last there was sufficient rain to look as though it was making an impact on the unusually dry ground through the winter and much of the last couple of years.  One conclusion from the day, was, as I suspected, some little used but quite expensive traditional waterproofs were much less effective (especially the jacket which really has been very poor) than another set of cheaper ones I have have been using.  My camera gave up after a while, which tends to happen when rain really sets in.  Perhaps I'll have to look into waterproof options for this sort of day.

Saturday photos.

On Leash Fen

Lichen on rock, Leash Fen

Leash Fen was worth tackling while the ground was still reasonably dry, it must often be a nightmare underfoot.  Even so the tussocky grass and mossy areas meant that picking a way was slow and required care.  It may seem desolate and unappealing, but I was glad to have ventured across.  I have decided that I really am intrigued by lichens, but that they are extremely difficult to identify and understand.  I am feeling the same way about fungi, but at least there are some which can be identified by the beginner.

Leaving the lane west of the A621, I had an encounter with Highland cattle.  They were either side of the path and seemed surprised that I used the path right through the middle of the group.  As I approached one actually fell to the ground and scrambled to its feet with a startled look.  This really aroused the interest or concern of the others, and they were quite noisy and followed me for some distance to make sure I was not a threat.  Thankfully none of them made any really threatening approach, although they looked and sounded on the verge of being quite cross at the disturbance.

Highland cattle, keeping watch after my intrusion

Looking back to the A621 and corner of Leash Fen (upper left)

The path climbed gently to the line of White Edge, which is just above the surrounding plateau and moorland.  The edge is only significant because of the general gentleness of the plateau - in most hill country it would hardly register as a feature.  However it does provide particularly grand walking, and there were a few people enjoying the area even though there are much more popular walks nearby.

White Edge trig point and Big Moor

White Edge, looking south

Below White Edge - Stoke Flat

Walkers on White Edge, looking south

The above four pictures are between the Curbar gap lane and the westernmost point which the walkers were rounding.  The path changes direction from NNW to NNE, but continues to follow the line of the edge, with views towards Longshaw and Win Hill beyond.  Even in the dull weather the views looked good, even if not ideal for colourful photography.  Hopefully some of the atmosphere of the day is conveyed.

View from White Edge

Big Moor

Little stream exiting Big Moor

Northern section of White Edge, looking south

A couple of slightly larger rock formations can be seen right at the north end before the edge merges into the moorland at White Edge Moor.  By now the clouds were gathering and as I cut across to the B6054 a sleety shower set in, moderately heavy for about 20 minutes.  A couple ahead of me had to hang around waiting for their dog to return from some private extra exploration of the area - later they were seen behind, reunited.  The next objective was the crossing of Big Moor passing the old reservoir on Bar Brook.  It all looked quite wild and remote, even though never really very far from a main road.

From White Edge Moor towards the B6054

Big Moor, sleet

Breached Barbrook Reservoir

Beyond, a very good track leads down the side of the deepening Bar Brook valley in a series of wide curves.  It is much quicker and easier to keep to the track rather than attempt short cuts.  The shower eased and the walk was very enjoyable, passing a small reservoir with the valley beyond quite steep sided, hidden away as a fold in the moor.  Finally the track curves to meet the A621 and cross Ramsley Moor to the other former reservoir.

Bar Brook valley

Small reservoir, Bar Brook

Bar Brook draining Big Moor

View from Ramsley Moor to main road and lanes

Tuesday pictures

There are just a handful of shots before the camera gave up.  Early on I heard a cuckoo call for the first time this year, just  near the trees in the first picture.  I found some fungi that I have managed to identify!  (The fact that is was growing on birch, which I can at least recognise, was certainly a help).  I crossed Ramsley Moor and went up the Bar Brook valley to the small reservoir and explored some of the open moorland, just experiencing the place and the conditions.  Moorland like this really ought to be enjoyed on days like this as well as on sunny August days when the heather is out, or in crisp winter weather with frost and a sprinkling of snow.  Or maybe I really am weird.  A full cry of a curlew filled the air as I exited the moor, all the more evocative being the only one heard on the day.

Trees, Ramsley Moor - here I heard the cuckoo

Fungi ID - birch polypore, Piptoporus betulinus

Former Ramsley reservoir

Part of a stone circle above Bar Brook

Bar Brook valley track

Canada Goose at the small reservoir