One Sunday last November 2014, we set off in my VW Camper Van with the intention of visiting Stanage Edge in the Derbyshire Peak District to look for fungi in the woods below this huge Ledge.
Events turned out rather differently however. Only 20 minutes after setting out my fan belt flew off. This meant a call out to Green Flag, various fan belts tried for size and about 2 hours later after the problem was solved it was too late to make the trip and the light was poor too. I decided to stay closer to home and make the best of a bad day and visit Shipley Country Park which is lovely anyway and has good mixed woods.
There was not much to see and the light was fading fast but I decided to take a look under some yew and conifer trees adjacent to the remains of the Old Shipley Hall. Amongst leaf litter I spotted a huge group of tall club like fungi. Fascinating! So difficult to photograph too, as they resembled tall needles!
It seems, that if what I saw is Macrotyphula juncea, it has only ever been recorded twice in the county of Derbyshire. So a thrilling end to a disappointing and frustrating start to the day.
Here is the technical detail of Slender Club.
3-10 cm tall. 0.5-2mm wide. Sharp firstly and then blunt at maturity. Pale ochraceous and quite rigid but not brittle. Sour smell. Solitary or in huge groups in leaf litter in broad-leaved woods. Autumn. Seen occasionally but due to being difficult to find and see is probably an overlooked fungi.
Thanks to RE for his patience during the wait on the roadside for Green Flag, and for keeping me calm whilst driving and being towed 6 miles along a dual carriageway to get the new fan belt.
This full sized and more detailed photograph(s) can be seen on Browse 5 www.fungiworld.co.uk
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