AutumnThe walk was led by Brian Ellis and Amanda Smith. The old mini-bus was used for a change and the driver was Robert who is back with the group after a few years away. He has an eagle eye when it comes to spotting small fungi! As with nearly all our fieldtrips of late the weather was a delight.Lots of blue sky, not too cold and not too windy. We meandered along the Oak trail, mainly looking at fungi. When I say meandered, it wasn't as fast as that! The group kept finding fungi for Joan and myself to ID. Eventually we had to say enough 'no more finding fungi' otherwise we would not have travelled more than 200 yards.
Wrinkled ClubThe steep woodland offered up some splendid views of the valley below. Birdlife was almost totally absent. Joan and Alice managed to find 4 species of fern and 5 flowering plants. Lunch was taken on top of a rocky hillside overlooking a stand of beeches far below. None of the group ventured to the bottom apart from Sir Galahad (Alan to his friends) who gallantly rescued the cup that Amanda had accidently? dropped. He gasped his way back to the top, then had to lie down!
The fungi found were mainly brackets and crusts; 
Sulphur TuftBirch Bracket/Polypore, Blushing Bracket, Turkeytail, Lumpy Bracket, Variable and Peeling Oysterlings and Coral Spot. Other fungi were: Candlesnuff, Sulphur Tuft, Common Earthballs, Crampballs aka King Arthur's Cakes, Milking Bonnet, Pleated Parasoll, Sheathed Woodtuft/Two toned Woodtuft, Wrinkled Club and an overgone Orange Birch Bolete. We didn't find any Russulas or Lactarias or other Boletes, possibly because it is now getting late in the fungi season.
We were accompanied by a student called Betony, who currently works in Mytholmroyd with Hugh Firman. She had various species list that she updated as we went round. The day ended with a pitstop at the Willow Tree Cafe in a nearby garden centre.
John Gavaghan