Hermitage of Braid

We braved the wind today and wandered round the Hermitage of Braid. The river was flowing fast and the water was high. This didn't stop the dippers though, we saw a couple flying around and one stopped to sing for us (dippers sing all year).

Lots of the trees in the Hermitage are lime trees (lindens), which are easy to recognise in the winter, because of their skirts of branches round the base of the trunk. This can be found sometimes in other species to a lesser extent but is very typical of line trees.

The Hermitage is always rich in fungi and today was no exception,

purple jelly fungus 

oyster fungus 

not sure about these, but i think they're velvet shank fungus

We also visited the new Lodge Coffee Shop which has just opened at the Braid Road entrance to the Hermitage.

They do excellent coffee and a delicious almond and apricot tart. They also have a perfect location - there's nowhere else so convenient for a coffee after a long walk round the Hermitage. They even have a dog friendly serving hatch for all the people who walk their dogs here.