Sphaerophoraceae

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A lichen - Bunodophoron melanocarpum - geograph.org.uk - 1420704.jpg
(c) Lairich Rig, CC BY-SA 2.0
A lichen - Bunodophoron melanocarpum The branches of this lichen are flattened, with a palmate (hand-like) form; note their arrangement in tiers at the lower-right corner of the image.

Shown here is part of a specimen that was 15cm across. It is "common in north-west Scotland, rarer elsewhere, usually amongst mosses on acid rocks (especially in woodlands)" [F.S.Dobson, "Lichens – An Illustrated Guide to the British and Irish Species"]. Distribution map: http://data.nbn.org.uk/gridMap/gridMap.jsp?allDs=1&srchSpKey=NHMSYS0001476375

In this case, it was growing on a tree (either directly, or on moss). Only a few metres away is the top of a high waterfall called Ishneich. I was just downstream of the falls; this area is probably not a good one in which to go wandering about: only feet away, down the wet grassy slope, is the sheer drop into the gorge of the waterfall. My position is therefore somewhere near the upper right of the following photo: https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1132282

Sphaerophorus globosus.jpg
Sphaerophorus globosus, pointe du Raz, Plogoff, Finistère, Bretagne, France

Sphaerophorus venerabilis 109115.jpg
Författare/Upphovsman: This image was created by user Jason Hollinger (jason) at Mushroom Observer, a source for mycological images.
You can contact this user here., Licens: CC BY-SA 3.0
For more information about this, see the observation page at Mushroom Observer.