Description
A guided foray exploring fungi, with a wild food picnic in the forest afterwards.
September is high fungi season in SW Scotland and this event is designed to make the most of it. Over the course of about 1.5 miles of easy walking over 4 hours we will explore the fascinating world of fungi. While our focus will be on wild mushrooms, we will not ignore the delightful array of edible woodland, and hedgerow plants that we find along the way. Novices and experienced foragers and fungi fans looking to increase their repertoire will enjoy this event.
This event is run in association with Cashel Forest Trust, who are working to restore Scotland’s native woodland. 10% of ticket price goes to support their work. Click their logo to learn more.
Family friendly – 1.5 miles easy walking for all ages. As with all Galloway Wild Foods events, this walk is guided by Mark Williams who has been teaching about fungi and foraging for 30 years.
Meeting place: Cashel Native Forest Centre, Balmaha, nr Drymen. G63 0AW . Ticket holders will be sent full details of the meeting place in the week before the event.
Expect: Up to 1.5 miles gentle walking on well made paths over 3 hours, with foraged treats and tasters, followed by a wild food tasting picnic
Learn:
- The important role fungi plays in nature
- How to go about identifying important families and species of fungi
- How to home in on the most rewarding edible species
- How to recognise dangerously poisonous species
- Medicinal and utilitarian uses
- Sustainable harvesting practices
- Preservation and cooking techniques
- Key resources for taking your personal learning forward
- Other autumn woodland wild foods
Please note: While this location and date have been selected to maximise our chances of encountering n illuminating range of fungi, due to the fickle nature of mushrooms, I cannot guarantee what we will find.
Eat/drink: At the end of the walk you will be served a wild food bento box. This serves as both a tasty meal and a demonstration of how to use and prepare some of our finds. Expect wild mushroom paté, chanterelle tart, pickled wild mushrooms, mushroom tea, ferments, tipples and lots more. All dietary requirements can be catered for – there is an opportunity to add your requirements when you book. Check out the short film below for an idea of what to expect…
Bring:
Essential: Stout footwear, weather-appropriate clothing, drinking water
Optional: A small basket or cloth bag, notebook, camera, fungi field guide if you have one
Please read the IMPORTANT INFORMATION tab on this page before booking and again before setting off for the event.
Please note: I do not recommend this event for children under 12 years old. Sorry, no dogs unless by prior arrangement.
Views over Loch Lomond from Cashel Forest
Please read the following information before booking a Galloway Wild Foods event.
EVENT LOCATION
The general event location is provided in the event description, and in your booking confirmation. For general information on visiting Galloway for events, see here. This location is general (eg. “Within 30 minutes drive of XXX”, so that you can consider and plan the area you need to get to prior to booking.
Detailed event information, including exact meeting place, will be sent to the email address you provide on booking in the week prior to the event. This allows me to account for the often fickle nature of wild plants and fungi and select the optimum location for our walk – which can be especially important for fungi forays.
It is important that you add mark@gallowaywildfoods.com and markleewilliams@googlemail.com to your email contacts/whitelist or the information email may get caught in your spam filters. This is extremely important if you have a .hotmail email account as they are notorious for having very sensitive spam filters.
The detailed event information email will be sent in the week before the event – sometimes as little as 3 days prior to the event. There is no need to badger me for it – I will send it! If you haven’t received it by within 3 days of the event, check your spam folders. If it isn’t there drop me an email – mark@gallowaywildfoods.com.
CANCELLATION POLICY
Any cancellation must be sent by email to mark@gallowaywildfoods.com, quoting the event title, date and order number (viewable on your booking confirmation.
Galloway Wild Foods is under no obligation to refund, rebook or reinstate vouchers for no-shows or cancellations within 14 days of the event. If I can refill the place at short notice, I will pay a full refund less 10% to cover admin & PayPal fees, or send a voucher to the full value of the tickets. Please state your preference in your cancellation email.
If you cancel or amend a booking giving 14 days or more notice, you will receive a full refund less 5% to cover Paypal fees, or a Gift Voucher to the full value of your booking.Please state your preference in your cancellation email. Information on using gift vouchers is here.
In the unlikely event that an event is cancelled by GWF you will receive full refund, exchange or voucher.
Galloway Wild Foods is not liable for any travel, accommodation or other costs you might incur if an event has to be cancelled.
The only weather that causes events to be cancelled is dangerous wind. In these instances you will be notified as early as possible.
INFORMATION YOU PROVIDE ON BOOKING
Please provide the following information for all members of your party in the “Additional Information” box on the payment page :
- Relevant medical conditions
- Mobility issues
- Eating restrictions – differentiating between preferences (e.g. vegetarian), intolerances (e.g. gluten intolerance) and serious allergies (e.g. peanut allergy), and clearly stating if an allergy is potentially life-threatening. All requirements can usually be catered for, but these differentiations are required for risk assessments.
It is your responsibility to provide accurate information about all members of your party. If you write “None” in the additional information box, I will assume all attendees are omnivorous and have no relevant medical conditions or mobility issues.
All information is kept private, securely, and in line with GDPR – more information on this here.
WHAT TO BRING ON A WALK
Please ensure that all members of your party come suitably dressed for the weather, season and event.
On all walks, for your comfort and safety, walking boots/wellies, waterproofs and spare clothes are necessary. I always recommend wellies for coastal foraging events – you are likely to get wet feet if you don’t have them!
Please bring your own drinking water.
Your learning and enjoyment may also benefit from bringing a camera, notebook, field guide, small basket/cloth bag. Feel free to bring along any of your own wild food preparations to share and talk about.
DOGS
Some events are not suitable for dogs. We tend to move slowly as we learn, and often dogs get bored/agitated/cold by the slow pace. If you would like to bring a dog, please note this on the booking form un the “Additional Information” box.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Further information on Galloway Wild Foods Terms and Conditions can be found here.
If you have specific questions that are not answered here, please contact mark on mark@gallowaywildfoods.com, or if you are running late on the day.
