Some short sets from mid-to-late February

BeamishTram

Tram at the Beamish open-air museum just north-west of Chester-le-Street.  The museum has recently created a “pass” entrance, valid for a year, which is ideal for repeat visits from locals – the site is rather too large for one visit.  This first set of pictures is from the Town area [54 53 22 N, 1 39 38 W], which is set in 1913.

BeamishGarage2 BeamishGarage

The garage, complete with (literal) show room.

BeamishCottage

Kitchen from a house in Ravensworth Terrace – housing for professionals, “relocated” from Gateshead.  Look carefully in the mirror and you can spot the picture taker!

BeamishHorsey

Office of a “jobmaster” in the stables area.

BeamishMasonsLodge

The slightly creepy hall of the Masonic Lodge.

WhittonHoof WhittonFungus

A couple of interesting fungi pictures spotted at the Low Barns nature reserve [54 40 40 N, 1 45 7 W] just outside the charming village of Witton-le-Wear.  (L) the unmistakeable Hoof fungus (Fomes fomentarius) – also known as the tinder fungus.  (R) Possibly the (inedible) Soft Slipper fungus (Crepidotus mollis), but possibly the (edible) oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) given that this was February.

DurhamBotanicsTrees3

DurhamBotanicsTrees2 DurhamBotanicsTrees

Pictures from Durham University’s Botanic Garden.

DurhamBotanicsConk DurhamBotanicsConk2

A dead tree being digested by Ganoderma applanatum, which apparently and rather oddly can be put to use a drawing medium, hence the alternative name the “Artist’s conk”.

DurhamVelvetShank DurhamVelvetShank2

Most likely to be the supposedly edible (but not terribly appealing) Velvet Shank fungus (Flammulina velutipes), spotted on a fallen tree on the river banks.

MiscJelly feb11

Probably a purple jelly fungus, spotted from canal banks near Bradford (early Feb).

Beamish Town and Durham Botanical Gardens