View from Garway Hill

Our second visit to Garway Hill coincided with blue sky and moderate winds on an October morning. The views as we walked through the bracken and sheep-cropped turf were great and only slightly subdued by the fast disappearing morning mist. Sugar Loaf and The Skirrid were in view for a while and I photographed the latter as we climbed towards the summit. Our upward trajectory was slowed as we repeatedly paused to watch about twenty ravens, above the top of the hill, rolling, tumbling, even flying briefly upside down, for all the world looking like they were simply enjoying the October morning just like ourselves.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2

On Garway Hill

Garway Hill is a mere 366 metres in height. However, its height relative to the surrounding landscape is such that it gives far better and more distant views than might be imagined. On our first walk to this lowly summit we went on a day of promised sun that never materialised. Distant prospects were on offer but seen through low cloud and haze. Closer views made for better photographs. This shot shows Kentchurch Court, a country house of medieval origins with eighteenth century and later additions, some the work of John Nash, sitting in its deer park. The varied planting makes for a colourful autumn display.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Sony DSC-RX100

Fungi

There are about 15,000 types of wild fungi in the UK and my identification skills extend to no more than a dozen or so. Fortunately I can, with 100% certainty, identify field mushrooms and we have for decades collected these and eaten them. On a recent walk on Garway Hill, Herefordshire, an upland of bracken and grass that is closely cropped by sheep and ponies, we came upon these examples. The only red (and white) fungus I know is fly agaric, and these are not they, as they say.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Sony DSC-RX100