On Wednesday 27 September I joined Joel and Denise, Tilly and a friend, Marie-France, and Jean-Jacques to walk 9 kilometres from Rond du Chene, the hunting lodge in the middle of the Forest of La Guerche, down to Leugny on the Creuse River, and back up again by a different route. Walking the Creuse Valley always involves some properly steep bits, so this was real exercise. With photo and drinks breaks it took us 2 and a half hours.
Entering the forest along one of the many rides that radiate from the Rond du Chene hunting lodge.
Taking a shortcut along an unmaintained track that has become overgrown with Purple Moor Grass Molinia caerulea (Fr. Molinie bleue).
This orange blob on a dead pine tree will is a young polypore fungus I think.
I think this big white slug munched fungus on a pine stump is Scaly Sawgill Neolentinus lepideus (Fr. Lentin squamuleux), a species notorious for attacking railway sleepers and causing train accidents.
European Holly Ilex aquifolium (Fr. Houx commun).
Ash-black Slug Limax cinereoniger (Fr. Grande Limace).
Red Slug Arion rufus (Fr. Grande loche).
The fluffy seedheads of Travellers' Joy Clematis vitalba (Fr. Clématite des haies).
A Turkish Snail Helix lucorum (Fr. Escargot turc) being pursued by a Glow-worm Lampyris noctiluca (Fr. lampyre) larva in the streets of Leugny. Glow-worm larvae predate snails, but I think this one might have literally bit off more than it can chew. Turkish Snails are large -- up to 60 mm across the shell.
The River Creuse at Leugny. Although the water is crystal clear here at the moment, the current is swift enough that there are signs warning you that swimming is dangerous. There was once a river port, mainly for shallow draft river boats carrying cargo.
The church and neighbouring fortified manor house in Leugny.
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