Info
This early season mushroom hunting event will equip you with the basic skills that you need to start collecting and identifying wild mushrooms in the UK. Your course leaders will explain how mushrooms are created by underground networks of mycelium, how to look at and understand their basic key features, gills, cap, stem etc. This is a great time of year to look into mushroom identification, which wild mushroom books will help you and which websites to trust.
The start and end of the mushroom season can be fascinating times in the south of England. Some years many of the choice edible mushrooms come as early as August and September, on other years they appear much later in the season, and we are still out foraging through December…some years various species hardly ‘fruit’ at all.
So join us for a morning mushroom hunting, foraging and identifying wild mushrooms in an area of stunning private woodland. Learn to safely identify edible, medicinal and poisonous mushroom species and get to understand how these amazing organisms protect, regulate and manage the forest eco system.
The primary focus of this event is education so please don’t expect to be leaving with a huge basket of wild mushrooms. Sometimes everyone goes home with a small selection of what we have collected, and people seem delighted with this, having got to spend some time in the woods and getting a greater appreciation of them.
All walks are held in Hampshire and Dorset, either within a few miles of Brockenhurst or Wareham. The exact locations will be provided ten days prior to the event and all walks will be led by either John Rensten, Peter Studzinski or Andy Knott.
To get you in the mood, here is a short film of me explaining how to identify some edible mushrooms.
Group Sizes
At Forage London you will never be part of a herd of 20 or 30 other people. Foraging is a mindful practice, looking at small details as well as the big picture, slowing down and taking time to enjoy the natural world. Always ask about group size if booking on to a foraging or wild food walk.
We offer intimate foraging walks for small groups, usually 12 or at most 16 participants. It makes for a more enjoyable experience with better communication within the group.
Smaller groups minimise the impact on the environment, reduce over-harvesting and ensure sustainability is pivotal in what we teach and practice. Additionally, we find that smaller group sizes allow for more personalised learning, as members can more easily share their stories and any tips on identifying edible plants and mushrooms.
This approach balances safety, efficiency, and environmental stewardship, making foraging a more rewarding and sustainable practice.
Please be advised before booking, some of our mushroom forays may not be suitable for people with mobility difficulties so if in any doubt pleas email me in advance. In addition, please be aware that although these events run for approximately 3 hours, that could easily turn out to be 4 hours instead, so I urge you not to book a posh lunch somewhere timed precisely to coincide with the end of the walk, give yourself plenty of leeway.
