Join us for one of River Cottage’s signature experiences—our legendary mushroom foraging day. This beloved tradition invites you to connect with nature and explore the woodlands and fields around River Cottage during the height of the autumn fungi season.

Guided by John Wright, author of the River Cottage Mushroom Handbook, you’ll embark on a morning foray to discover a wide variety of mushrooms. John will teach you how to identify and gather your finds, sharing his expertise in responsible and sustainable foraging. You'll learn to pick only what you need, with the group carrying just two baskets—one for edible mushrooms and another for interesting, non-edible discoveries. Care is taken not to pick anything rare or repeatedly harvest the same species.

After your morning adventure, our chefs will treat you to a delicious two-course seasonal lunch, featuring some of the day’s wild finds. Following lunch, John will lead an afternoon masterclass, offering deeper insights into the mushrooms you’ve gathered, along with tips on conservation and how to identify some of the rarer, more exotic species. The day concludes with a wild food cookery demonstration, showcasing ways to incorporate your foraged mushrooms into your cooking.

By the end of the day, you'll walk away with new foraging skills, a greater understanding of mushrooms, and a keen eye for spotting fungi in the wild.