BOOKING NOW – A one-day “Mushroom Safari” that has been partnered with online learning to bring you The Mushroom Discovery Experience; a kick start in the skills that you need for mushroom identification. Join The Wild Side of Life doing what we do best (featured on BBC Countryfile and by BBC Countryfile Magazine).
The dense, solid fruiting body of the cep or porcini, Boletus edulis, a surprisingly common fungus which has an important mycorrhizal relationship with many different trees.
This exciting Saturday or Thursday field trip, held in a stunning location for fungi, includes access to presentations, a unique set of videos and other online learning goodies that have been put together by Fred Gillam to get you started on your mushroom journey (valued elsewhere at £50).
Your field trip day is a real MUSHROOM SAFARI for the fungi ‘twitchers’ among us! (Photographers, naturalists and foodies all welcome). Dream of mushrooms day and night? You are not alone, this is for you. We will discuss the important use of mushrooms as food, and the toxic fungi… seeking out wild examples… and discuss the pivotal role that fungi play in the ecosystems where they grow, and how they can be protected from environmental degradation in the future.
The chanterelle, or girolle. often prized by chefs, can be abundant if you look in the right habitat. Photo by Abumadsen.
What our course participants have had to say…
“Fantastically interesting, one of the best days out I have ever had – and I am nearly 60 years old!”
Cameron
“I never knew the world of fungi was so astonishingly diverse and important!!”
Jo
“…definitely found the course improved our knowledge and confidence
as well as being a really fun day out 🙂 “
Peter & Robin
CONFIRMED DATES FOR 2026
September
- Saturday September 26th, New Forest, Hampshire – bolete season special!
October
- Saturday October 3rd, near Henley-on-Thames, South Oxfordshire
- Saturday October 17th, near Hungerford / Newbury, West Berkshire
- Saturday October 31st, near Henley-on-Thames, South Oxfordshire – what better way to celebrate Halloween!
November
- Saturday November 7th, near Hungerford / Newbury, West Berkshire
- A later date in November may be confirmed near to the time, depending on how the season is progressing
Why are ‘functional mushrooms’ all the rage? Did you know that fungi are now aboard the International Space Station, or that a fungus smart material can block harmful radiation? Naturally people are curious about the edible and poisonous species. On our Discovery Experience we will encounter many of these, and discuss whether and in what circumstances it would be appropriate to harvest them. Please note though; if all you are interested in is finding new places to harvest and gather lots of mushrooms, this is probably not for you!
Check out this article from Alice Whitehead in Vegetarian Living Magazine.
… and this is what Liz Earle had to say in Wellbeing Magazine:
“Fred the Forager will take you to discover
the wealth of Britain’s fungi…
…with a great introduction and learning all the important facts”
Liz Earle MBE
Wellbeing Magazine
The scarletina bolete, Neoboletus luridiformis, is a common and fabulously colourful cousin of the cep. When a cut is made in the stem, the flesh changes colour from yellow through vivid shades of blue and green right in front of your eyes.
At The Wild Side of Life, we are passionate about fungus conservation and we will introduce you to the concept of fungus recording on your course. We have taught many groups and individuals, including rangers and staff from Forestry England, Wildlife Trusts and other conservation charities. We love edible mushrooms of course! Occasionally we do meet people who are not interested in fungus conservation at all and who just want to be shown sites where they can go back and pick. If you are one of those people, we politely ask you not to apply to come on these days. Fungi make a fascinating feast for the eyes and for the mind, and many other creatures depend on them. Even though we love mushrooms as a food, we always aim to leave plenty behind on our visits, OK?
Mushroom Discovery Experiences are VERY popular and early booking is recommended, to ensure that you can attend the field trip of your choice.
Bookings can be made by sending an email to Fred@thewildsideoflife.co.uk (please put MUSHROOM DISCOVERY EXPERIENCE in the subject line). Your place will be secure once we have received full payment.
Gift certificates for 2026 are now available.
Please note that gift certificates expire at the end of the course season each year. See our Terms & Conditions.
Your field trip day will run from 11.00 AM to approximately 4.30 PM
Cost for the whole package, including extensive online learning materials for you to enjoy: £90
To book email Fred@thewildsideoflife.co.uk
If you wish to go on to develop your confidence and identification skills much further… we can also offer you the extremely popular Secret Sunday Mushroom Club (which is the internet identity of The Wiltshire Fungus Group). Your 12 months membership will introduce you to the field mycology skills that you need to identify a wide variety of fungi and people come from all over the UK, returning year after year. Membership includes unique and exclusive study materials written just for our members. 4 field trips in the peak of the season will give you plenty of opportunity for supervised practice and you will gain access to an exclusive ID forum for 12 months, where you can further hone your skills. You can bring a guest on one of the field days too, and you will learn how to record your finds with the National Biological Records Centre, enabling you to contribute to our understanding of how the pressures of climate change, changing patterns of land use, air and water pollution are impacting fungi populations.
