The Stunning Fungi of Belvoir Castle

 We took a family trip to Belvoir Castle on a lovely crisp, if dull, autumn day to commemorate the 5th anniversary of my mum's death. We felt that was a nice way to mark it; a walk up to the castle and a mooch around the gardens there, followed by lunch down at the bistro in the rather pricey commercial village at the bottom of the hill. 

It is indeed a steep little drag up to the castle, along paths lined with fallen leaves and fallen sweet chestnuts, with the inevitable squirrels flittering about picking up various edibles to much on. 

The castle itself is a magnificent folly; a status symbol with no strategic purpose, but visible from far afield and boasting commanding views from the top. The gardens must look magnificent in spring and early summer, with their huge plots of roses, a babbling fountain and statues, but it what was visible on the day that took the attention. 

It was the numerous fungi poking out of the grass, and clinging onto to trees. In particular, the stunning oramge peel fungus, a species I've never seen before, was everywhere. How something that looks so delicate can force its way out of the ground is beyond me. 

Also present in one corner of the garden were big white fungi that looked like giant funnels. Feeding their photo into iNaturalist, it turns out that they are called "Giant funnels" so whoever classified them back in the day was obviously of a very literal mindset. 

I was particularly excited about seeing red kites up there; I've seen plenty while playing cricket at Belvoir cricket club in the past, but we only got to glimpse one off in the distance. But we had a lovely, and fitting, day regardless. 

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 05.11.24

Red Kite Cricket (Redux)

I think a  couple of years ago I may have written about playing cricket in the shadow of Belvoir Castle, at Belvoir Cricket Club's ground at Knipton, back when I was genuinely rubbish at cricket.

The red kites soared above the ground that day.

These great birds, most beautiful of all the British raptors and easily recognised with their forked tails, are not allowed in Nottinghamshire for some reason, and thus gather in large numbers just over the border in Leicestershire, trying to get visas to visit Worksop. I saw one within 5 seconds  of entering the country, and as soon as I arrived at the ground.

As you might imagine, a ground  overlooked by Belvoir Castle is bound to be one of the more scenic ones we play at, and even with the spectacle of mad people carrying trees during a tough mudder, soundtracked by the bleating of lambs, it's still a lovely place.

Sadly not a lovely day.

We won the toss and bowled, and did brilliantly to bowl Bingham 3s  out for 159. Not a single adult was involved in taking a wicket - no wickets, catches, or run outs - and most of them were done by 13 year olds in their second senior game EVER.

I deliberately dropped a catch to make sure that this run would continue. Ahem...

I actually bowled much better today, apart from steaming in too quick and bowling no balls, but couldn't get through to castle the stumps, and couldn't get an edge despite getting the ball to move off the seam.

None of us adults could and consequently we have all decided to retire.

I ate four teas knowing I wouldn't be batting any time soon after. But sadly, the rain ensured no many of us would, even though our new opening bat made it look very easy.

Really enjoyed it though, wickets or not. Oh yeah. Not!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 12.05.18

LBW Bowled Red Kite

Today was the first day of the new cricket season for me, an away game at a lovely ground behind Belvoir Castle. I was full of nerves last night, sitting in the pub unable to read my book on quantum mechanics for the whole terrible fear of it.

What if I was called upon to try and score the winning run, or take a steepling catch to ensure victory? Would my bowling be hostile?

As it happened, none of these issues would arrive.

The first thing I noticed at the ground, apart from the fact that unlike our main ground it wasn't a bog, thrilled me to the proverbial marrow. Above, a red kite was soaring in the strong wings, great long wings extended, steering with its forked tail.

"We get a lot of those" said an opposing player as we watched it.

You tend not to realise how big these birds are. You imagine their falcon-ish wingform, and think they will be the size of a peregrine, or something similar. They are not, they are huge, larger than a buzzard - of which there were also plenty keening around the ground - with a mastery of the air even their ragged brown cousins don't seem to have.

One of them got me out. I think.

We had done well to restrict the opposition to just under 200, with my bowling sadly not required due to our need to blood youngsters. I did hurl myself around the field, making only a thousand or so misfields, and the thermal vest kept the cold out if not the rain.

The problem was with our very inexperienced batting line up. We just didn't have an answer to two young quick bowlers who went through us like sabres. Nose bleeding at 8 in the line up, I was trapped at one end against a 14 year old kid I was making look like Wasim Akram. I just about fended him off for a few overs, glancing a nice 4 in the process, when the sight of another red kite low above the ground took my attention.

"I love your red kites" I said to the crouching pack of slip fielders, and prepared to face the next delivery. Big inswinger, couldn't get my feet moving, and my skipper gave me out LBW.

All out for 40. Oh dear oh dear.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 30.04.16