Fungi Walks and Meetings
Unless otherwise stated, walks start at 10.00 am, and finish around 1.00 pm.
Our walks are for members only , but if you'd like to come on a particular walk but are not yet a member, joining is very cheap and very easy: just click here. All are most welcome - especially families - and no previous experience is needed.
If weather conditions are bad (very windy, frosty or snowy) it would be wise to check with the leader before setting out.
Disclaimer - The Grid Reference given for each event is as accurate as we can make it and may not be at the exact location of the meeting place but should get you within a few hundred yards. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the Grid Reference and link to OpenStreetMap is correct BFG excepts no liability should you get lost. We now include the What3Words reference for the turn off spot from the road as an extra guide to each location. Clicking on the W3W link will open the app. Clicking on 'Navigate' will allow you to select your preferred navigation software (e.g. Google Maps).
For guidelines and useful information about our fungi walks click here
Print Programme (Only valid at time of printing. Always check website for latest information)
NEW FOR AUTUMN 2024:-
We are introducing some midweek walks to allow more visits at the peak of the season and to sites with less parking space. WEEKEND WALKS are for a maximum of 18 bookable places as previously; MIDWEEK WALKS are for a maximum of 10 bookable places only. All places are on a first come / first served basis as previously.
INSTRUCTIONS: Under the date for each event you'll find when booking opens and and closes. CLICK ON THE BLUE BOX PROVIDED THERE to book your place. Please give your full name and names of any family members also coming. Please respect this requirement and do not turn up at an event unless your booking has been acknowledged. NB: Please refrain from sending in bookings BEFORE 7am on the opening morning!!
| Date 2024 | Event |
| Sunday September 15th |
Wotton House Estate Click here for Report and List |
| Saturday September 21st |
Ivinghoe Common (SSSI - National Trust). Click here for Report and List |
| Wednesday September 25th |
Bernwood Forest - Oakley Wood (SSSI - Forestry England). Click here for Report and List |
| Sunday September 29th | Hodgemoor Woods (SSSI - Forestry England). Click here for Report and List |
| Wednesday October 2nd |
Pullingshill Wood (Woodland Trust) Click here for Report and List |
| Saturday October 5th | Burnham Beeches (SSSI - City of London Corporation). Click here for Report and List |
| Wednesday October 9th | Hockeridge Wood (Royal Forestry Society). Click here for Report and List |
|
Sunday October 13th |
Naphill Common. Click here for Report and List |
| Wednesday October 16th |
Dancersend (SSSI - BBOWT) Click here for Report and List |
| Saturday October 19th Booking essential Booking opens Sat Oct 12th 7am and closes Fri Oct 18th midday. Max 18 places Click here to book NB SEE NEW PARKING ARRANGEMENTS | Rushmere Estate (Greensands Trust). ). This site is one of our two trips to the north of the county this year and tends to be productive late in the season, the estate being situated on the Greensands Ridge adjacent to Stockgrove Park and straddling the Bucks / Beds border. The varied habitats include mixed mature woodland, heathland, young Christmas tree plantations and unimproved acid grassland. Meet in the car park by the visitor centre after entering the park off Linslade Road near Heath & Reach (SP915 278) (W3W: tarnished.cuts.quitter). Enter through the barrier and follow the road round and up the hill to the main car park at the top. NB You need to send your car registration number to Paul Hirst at paul.hirst@greensandtrust.org a.s.a.p. to qualify for free parking. On exiting, the barrier will not lift but press the intercom button to contact to the visitor services who will then lift the barrier remotely, then remove your reg. no. from their list. Leaders: Derek Schafer and /or Penny Cullington with Justin Long. |
| Wednesday October 23rd Booking essential Booking opens Wed Oct 16th 7am and closes Tues Oct 22nd midday. NB Max 10 places Click here to book FULLY BOOKED |
Mousells Wood (Privately owned). The site is typical Chiltern semi-natural woodland dominated by Beech and is rich in fungi with a growing number of species new to the UK in recent years. As this is a midweek walk (limited to 10 attendees) we'll be parking and meeting up at the lay-by on the Frieth to Fingest (minor) road (SU789 912) just along from the gated entrance point to the wood and on the opposite side (W3W: exploring.crows.commoners). Leaders: Penny Cullington and/or Claudi Soler. |
| Saturday October 26th NOTE CHANGE OF DATE Booking essential Booking opens Sat Oct 19th 7am and closes Fri Oct 25th midday. Max 18 places Click here to book |
Stampwell Farm near Beaconsfield (privately owned). The group returns following several popular walks here. The 70 acre site comprising a mix of traditional farming, some orchards, unimproved grassland with patches of mixed woodland, all managed very much with conservation in mind. It has proved to be a good waxcap site with other interesting species including the alien and bizarre Clathrus archeri (Devil's Fingers). Meet at SU974 899 at the farm office buildings at the end of a longish farm track passing some houses on your left half way up the track. The entrance to the farm track (at W3W: asks.tribe.wiping) is off the A40 through a gateway on the opposite side of the road to the Crowne Plaza Hotel complex and just 50 yds or so towards Beaconsfield where there's a brown Crowne Plaza Hotel sign. Leader: Penny Cullington with Jackie Ewan. |
| Saturday, November 2nd Booking essential Booking opens Sat Oct 26th 7am and closes Fri Nov 1st midday. Max 18 places Click here to book |
Penn Wood (Woodland Trust) This is one of the largest ancient woodlands in the Chilterns AONB, 435 acres with many trees over 200 years old and consequently a good diversity of flora, fauna and fungi. The adjacent cricket pitch and churchyard, often flush with late season waxcaps and other grassland species, add to the fungal diversity: we now have over 600 species recorded here. Meet in Penn Street in the church car park at SU924 963. (The entrance to the drive to the car park is at W3W: olive.rider.shorts). Leaders: Sarah Ebdon and Jackie Mackenzie Dodds. |
| Sunday November 10th NOTE CHANGE OF DATE Booking essential Booking opens Sun Nov 3rd 7am and closes Sat Nov 9th midday. Max 18 places Click here to book |
Gerrards Cross Common (GX Town Council). A new venue for the group, this is an extensive Common (32 hectares) dating from the 14th Century though largely destroyed by fire in 1921. We shall be focusing on the East Common, mixed woodland dominated by Oak and Birch with some grassland and with a generous network of paths. Meet at the town hall public car park,TQ004 882 on East Common (that's the road name) just opposite the common itself (W3W: reach.longer.riding). Leaders: Derek Schafer and/or Penny Cullington. |
| Sunday November 17th Booking essential Booking opens Sun Nov 10th 7am and closes Sat Nov 16th midday. Max 18 places Click here to book |
Stoke Common (City of London Corporation). This is a notably interesting site for fungi having acid sandy soil - unusual for the county. There are large areas of heathland surrounded by a (now somewhat reduced) perimeter of mixed woodland. The fungi list is long and varied with some species rare elsewhere in the county and several new to the UK in recent years. Travelling south on the B416 from Gerrards Cross turn off east at the traffic lights near the Fox and Pheasant into Stoke Common Road, then look for the main gate into the Common on your right on a slight bend at SU986 857 (W3W: fears.fend.puff). Meet inside the gate where we have permission to park, otherwise park judiciously in the road (there's a layby a little earlier on the right by a pedestrian gate where we've met previously). Leaders: Derek Schafer and/or Penny Cullington |
OTHER LOCAL EVENTS OF INTEREST to which members are welcome though booking will still apply.:
| Date 2024 | Event |
| Thurs, Nov 7th Booking Essential Booking opens Thurs Oct 31st 7am and closes Wed Nov 6th. NB Max 10 places Click here to book |
Stoke Poges Memorial Gardens (S. Bucks District Council). This attractive and unusual garden site has mature trees and several areas of lawn which at this time often produce amongst other things a good range of waxcaps including the beautiful Pink Waxcap. We may also visit the adjacent St. Giles Churchyard which has produced some interesting and rare grassland species in the past. Meet at SU977 825 at the Gardens' office buildings just inside the main gate which is on the west side of Church Lane off the B 416 (at W3W: along.bounty.assume). Some parking is available in the driveway just beyond the office buildings, otherwise there is a large car park opposite the entrance. Penny has been leading walks here for Friends of the Gardens for over 20 years now and BFG members are welcome to join her though numbers are limited to 10. Leader: Penny Cullington. |
BMS = British Mycological Society (contact Carol Hobart geastrum@tiscali.co.uk).
HBFG = Herts & Beds Fungi Group (contact Stephen Kelly stephen.kelly@talktalk.net ).