Knapdale fungi and lichens

While looking for Beaver signs we enjoyed the temperate rainforest and it was good to see so many fungi beginning to appear too....not ideal conditions for photography though as it was raining, otherwise there would have been many more fungi pics. 

Lungwort.

Peltigera sp.

Usnea sp plus????

Yellow Stag's Horn Fungus.

Yellow Legs.

Possible Wrinkled Club? 

Helvella sp.

Chanterelles.

Angel's Wings.

Knapdale Beaver walk.

Today was due to be wet - it was, so we headed out to Knapdale and the Beaver Centre - a very nice and friendly information centre. We decided to loop round both Loch Barnluasgan and Loch Coille-Bharr, looking for Beaver signs, and we weren't disappointed. Both Lochs have good waymarked circular paths. 

Loch Barnluasgan.

Loch-side trees draped in Usnea lichens.

Our first signs of Beavers.

A Beaver slide ...there were quite a few down banks both onto and across the path.

Recent activity - lovely gnaw marks on the chippings. 

An older stump.

And more....

The Beaver dammed pool.

Loch Coille-Bharr.

A varied path.

And a glimmer of sunlight! 

Gigha

 With a slightly better forecast we headed off to Gigha, as foot passengers...

Waiting for the ferry and one of many rainbows.

Clearing skies....

Heading inland form the ferry, we turned to the right along the coast and  the sun came out allowing a brief field sketching stop...

Field sketch with rain splatters...

We then re-joined the road and headed out to do the Northern Loop footpath. 

The Giant's Tooth, also known as The Hanging Stone.

Looking across to Islay and McArthur's Head lighthouse. 

From the summit of Carn Ban looking across to the tombolo of the Twin Beaches.

From Carn Ban looking south.

The path was well way-marked...

With stepping stones and at the northern end, a boardwalk.

Calm waters and nice colours.

The 'new' Islay ferry.

The Paps of Jura finally made an appearance.

 

After the Northern Loop it was time to retrace our steps returning to the ferry terminal to find that the planned maintenance that had cancelled the two afternoon sailings at 12:30 and 2:30, had over run, cancelling the 3:30...which gave us time to spare while we waited for the 4:30...and a very nice coffee in the café. 

Lungwort lichen

Some more photos - mainly of Lungwort ...and other temperate rainforest species....from Crinan Woods.

Usnea sp plus others...

Mosses, lichens and ferns.

Trees dripping with Usneas.

Peltigera sp and ferns.

Crinan Woods

A good little walk, which well waymarked, led us from Crinan, through the temperate rainforest of Crinan Woods. What a superb place! 

As soon as we arrived we were struck by the sheer luxuriousness and vibrancy of the lichen flora - the Lungwort lichen (Lobaria pulmonaria) was stunning!

There were a few fungi - Fly Agaric and various Russula sp as well as a very soggy Cep. 

After climbing up through the woods there were 'views' along...

....and across Loch Crinan.

A meandering path took us over the top and back down ...

....to the Crinan Canal where the pleasant tow path walk took us back to Crinan itself. 

From the tow path across to Duntrune Castle.

The Crinan canal enters the sea.