One of the wonderful things about Christmas holidays is the chance to get up to Lancashire and embark on huge family walks. We had hoped for  murmurations and otters but the weather scuppered any chances.

Sarcoscypha Austriaca, Scarlet Elf cup fungi

No walk is wasted however and as we were forced to look footward the leaf litter revealed some incredible ‘Scarlet cup fungus’ or is is ‘Scarlet Elf cup’? A Sarcoscypha for sure (no microscope to check whether hairs were curly or straight as I think this is the way to tell the difference…)