Pilgrim path

Weak sunshine, but sunshine nevertheless, lured me out to follow the ancient pilgrims' path along the valley of the Nevern (Nyfer). Just over this stile are some of the small steps hollowed out of the bedrock centuries ago - I tried to photograph them but was not satisfied with the result. They lead up from the river on the trail south towards St David's, the destination of those spiritual travellers.

Walking in the opposite direction I was unexpectedly rewarded when I found this  Hen of the Woods not a bird, although it has the appearance of a bundle of ruffled feathers,  but a mushroom, Grifola frondosa, also known by its Japanese name of maitake or dancing mushroom, apparently
"so named because in ancient times people who found maitake could exchange it for its weight in silver, leading to their dancing in celebration. Maitake is recognized by its small, overlapping tongues of fan-shaped caps, usually fused together at the base of a host tree stump." (It's also the source of an anti-cancer drug.)

So our little anti-pilgrimage was amply rewarded. A portion of the hen's 'feathers' were cooked with butter, oil and garlic as part of our supper of smoked haddock fishcakes, horse radish mayonnaise and, to follow, a steamed syrup sponge.
Those weary old pilgrims would surely dance the whole trail for that lot.