The Army Road, the Lake District. - and Mushrooms in September

A Taste of Denmark 

 

Smurfs are little blue people who live in magic mushrooms. Think about it.
--Unknown


The weather! I always mention the weather, but it is important! No rain that day. We have had so much rain lately, but we were lucky. First we went to "our" field in Gammel Ry, where we have been a hundred times! It is often an indicator for what is to be seen elsewhere. There were many mushrooms in all three places we visited on this one of the first days of  September, but I have only selected a few mushroom-pictures. 

Common Centaury

Lonely White Butterfly

Wart Biter (click to enlarge)

Nature's Lace

Common centaury (Marktusindgylden) was named after the centaur Chiron, famous for his skill in medical herbs. Other names among many are Bitter clover, Christ's ladder, Feverwort, Rose pink and Thousand guilder herb.

Vrads, cats in the window

Vrads, three horses

At Hærvejen

Karl Johan

Anthill

Hærvejen (Army Road) is a system of roads running up through Jutland, once mostly trade roads, but the name Hærvejen refers to their use for army transport. In the 1100s a Wendic army forced its way up through the peninsula on the army road. The Jutlanders built dikes and fortifications and some are still seen along the road.  As a trade road the road system was known by the name Oxen road. The oxen were lead on the road down to the destination in countries south of the border and slaughtered there. Meat was one of the most important Danish products, and it was swapped with exotic products from the South. Settlements were gradually established in connection to the trade road., and they developed into important centres, like the town Viborg and the royal centre Jelling. The Oxen road is estimated to be about 4000 years old. The written sources begin in the Middle Ages. Today the road is mostly used by tourists, bikers and hikers.

eaten by squirrel or woodpecker?

The mushroom hunters say that this year is a fantastic year for mushroom-picking, it is 30 years since it was that good. The moist climate this summer has made perfect conditions for the mushrooms out there in the forest.  I like to go mushroom-hunting with a camera, but I don't pluck them - only if we find some Karl Johan mushrooms. They are easy to recognize, they look like a upper part of a bun.They are better than chanterelles IMO. And  they make a good mushroom soup. Karl Johan is the Scandinavian name;  Latin: Boletus edilus, in English commonly known as penny bun, porcino or cep. Widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere across Europe, Asia, and North america, it does not occur naturally in the Southern Hemisphere, although it has been introduced to southern Africa, Australia and New Zealand.The western North American species commonly known as the California king bolete (Boletus edulis var. grandedulis) is a large, darker-coloured variant that was first formally identified in 2007.
The mushroom with the red hat is a Russula emetica, called the Sickener. It causes vomiting and diarrhea when consumed. Known from woodlands in Europe, Asia, North  Africa and North America. Can be very common. A study in England and southern Scotland found that the Red Squirrel is known to forage for, store and eat the Sickener.

Hampen lake

The Sickener

Lobelia, stig bachmann nielsen,Naturplan Foto 

Sympetrum

puffball mushrooms

Hampen lake in the lake district of Mid Jutland  is a so-called Lobelia-lake, a calcareous and nutrient-poor freshwater lake with clear water where plants are able to grow on the bottom. Lobelia-lakes are rare in Denmark, caused by pollution with plant nutrients. These lakes are found in heaths, dunes and forests, especially in Jutland,  like Madum lake in Rold forest.  Hampen lake is actually two lakes, a big and a small lake. The big one is a deep dødishul (a kettle hole from Ice Age), the small one is a low inlet with a bathing place. Lobelia: English names include Lobelia, Asthma Weed, Indian Tobacco, Pukeweed, and Vomitwort.

A view to the lake.

photo Mid Jutland September 2011: grethe bachmann
photo Lobelia: stig bachmann nielsen, Naturplan Foto