Fungi Walks and Meetings
Our Autumn 2026 programme will be made available below in late July / August after our AGM planned for late June. Please note that our booking scheme will be continuing and will apply to all our Walks. Instructions are fully explained below.
Unless otherwise stated, ALL WEEKEND WALKS START AT 10.00 am and finish between 12.30 am and 1.00 pm.
Unless otherwise stated, ALL WEEKDAY WALKS START AT 10.30 am and finish between 1.00 and 1.30 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.
Cancellations / Weather conditions - Our walks go ahead 'whatever the weather' unless conditions are considered either dangerous (very windy, frosty or snowy) or too dry causing a lack of fungal activity. Very occasionally a site owner may cancel a visit due to unforeseen circumstances. In the unlikely event of a last minute cancellation, those members who've booked on a walk will be informed by email and / or phone. If in doubt over possibly dangerous conditions, it would be wise to check for messages or contact the leader before setting out from home.
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).
Please note that by making a booking for one of our walks you are agreeing to follow our 'Walks Guidelines'. Click here to view
NB: If any members find they are not regularly receiving Penny's information circulars before an event (these are sent out the day before booking opens for each event) or have maybe changed their email address, please get in touch with her.
Print Programme (Only valid at time of printing. Always check website for latest information)
| Date 2026 | Event |
| Sunday April 19th |
Burnham Beeches (SSSI - City of London Corporation). Click here for Report and List |
| Saturday May 2nd |
Hodgemoor Woods (SSSI - Forestry England). Click here for Report and List |
| Wednesday May 6th |
Stoke Poges Memorial Gardens |
| Wednesday May 20th |
Stoke Common (SSSI - City of London Corporation). Click here for Report and List |
| Friday June 26th | BFG AGM at College Lake Nature Reserve |
| Saturday, September 5th Advance booking opens for the Penn Wood Walk and Celebration. Please see details below under October 4th |
Our long standing President, Dr Derek Schafer, is stepping down from this position and we wish to thank him and celebrate with him the wonderful contribution he has made in setting up and supporting BFG over the last 28 years. Our Penn Wood Walk on Sunday October 4th, followed by a celebratory get-together afterwards seemed to us to be a suitable way for us to do this, and you are cordially invited to join us. Thus the reason for the different booking arrangements here. Please make sure you don't miss out and read them carefully below. |
| Saturday, September 12th Max 15 places Booking essential BUT NOT THROUGH THE BOOKING SYSTEM! Please contact Penny direct a.s.a.p. if you'd like to come. |
Microscope Workshop at Amersham Field Studies Centre, Mop End, HP7 0PR; SU929 970 (W3W: couple.smooth.appear) An all day event (9-5) for those with their own scopes and, if space allows, those interested in exploring the use of a scope and /or acquiring one. Itinerary details to follow separately to those who've booked. |
| Wednesday, September 23rd NB Start time 10.30am Booking essential Max 10 places Booking opens Tue Sept 15th 7pm and closes Tue Sept 22nd midday. Click here to book Click here to cancel |
Bernwood Forest - Oakley Wood (SSSI - Forestry England). Situated on the Bucks / Oxfordshire border, this is the largest remaining woodland relic from the ancient Royal Forest of Bernwood and is an extensive established woodland site with areas dominated by Spruce and Oak. It is rich in fungi and has produced good collections of the larger gilled fungi and boletes. We last visited here in 2024. Meet at SP611 117 in the Oakley Wood car park (W3W: wonderful.treble.grand) off the minor road just south of the M40 between Oakley and Horton-cum-Studley. Leaders: Penny Cullington with Jesper Launder and/or Claudi Soler.. |
| Saturday, September 26th NB Start time 10am Booking essential Max 18 places Booking opens Fri Sept 18th 7pm and closes Fri Sept 25th midday. Click here to book Click here to cancel |
Hodgemoor Woods (SSSI - Forestry England). One of BFG's favourite and long-established woodland sites, this is one of the larger remaining areas of broadleaved Chiltern woodland with ancient Oak, Beech and Hornbeam coppice, a diverse mix of trees and some conifer plantation. Meet as previously at SU967 939 (W3W: vines.common.path). Turn east off the A355 2 miles south of Amersham, opposite the Harte and Magpies pub, into Bottrells Lane. The large car park is about 1 mile on your right. NB: there is now a parking charge here: £3.50 for 3 hrs, £4 for 4 hrs, card payment onsite or in advance through RingGo (area no. 31106). Leaders: Penny Cullington with Jesper Launder and/or Claudi Soler. |
| Wednesday, September 30th NB Start time 10.30am Booking essential Max 10 places Booking opens Tue Sept 22th 7pm and closes Tue Sept 29th midday. Click here to book Click here to cancel |
Pullingshill Wood (SSSI - Woodland Trust). A beautiful area of typical Chiltern open woodland, predominantly Beech, and well known as a WW1 training ground with many practice trenches still remaining. Early season here can be very productive for fungi. Meet at SU823 862 at a small triangle of roads (W3W: trifling.bluffs.hiker). From Marlow take the A4188 towards Henley for about 1.5 miles, then turn right onto the minor road at Hook Corner, then after about 0.5 miles right again at the triangle. Park where you can near to the triangle - our meeting spot; there are various pull-off parking spots along the minor road leading from the triangle up to the T junction at Marlow Common. Leaders: Penny Cullington with Jesper Launder and/or Claudi Soler. |
| Sunday, October 4th NB: PLEASE NOTE DIFFERENT BOOKING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THIS EVENT! NB Start time 10.30am Booking essential Max 18 places for the walk BUT no limit for the get-together! Booking opens Sat Sept 5th 7pm and closes Sat Sept 19th midday for both the walk and the get-together. Please state if booking for the walk, the get-together or both! Click here to book Click here to cancel |
Penn Wood (SSSI - Woodland Trust) - Our Retiring President's Farewell Walk. 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 leading to the car park is at W3W: olive.rider.shorts) Leaders: Derek Schafer with Penny Cullington, Jesper Launder and Claudi Soler. (The later start time is to allow those bringing food for the 'get-together' afterwards to deliver it to the village hall first.) --- and afterwards an informal celebratory get-together with Derek at Penn Street Village Hall (W3W: alas.months.envisage) which is conveniently situated at the road junction at the southern end of the cricket pitch. Stay on after the walk or join us just for the get-together starting at around 12.30. Bring and share lunch! Please let us know well in advance what you plan to bring.
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| Wednesday, October 7th NB Start time 10.30am Booking essential Max 14 places Booking opens Tue Sept 29th 7pm and closes Tue Oct 6th midday. Click here to book Click here to cancel |
Burnham Beeches (SSSI - City of London Corporation). One of our favourite sites, this special place is an outstanding example of ancient Beech woodland with an extensive list of interesting and rare species, now recognised as a site of national and arguably international importance for fungi. Meet at SU954 849 in Sir Henry Peek's overflow car park as previously: Turn into Lord Mayor's Drive (W3W:miss.penny.shrimp - this is the main entrance opposite Beeches Road, Farnham Common) and continue past the café on your left to the cross roads (Victoria Cross). Here turn left and go through the gateway to the car park which is on your left after a few yards (W3W: catch.pots.cone). NB: Please note there is a £3 charge per vehicle; payment is by card only (machine near the café) or in advance through RingGo (area no. 28452). NB2: Dogs on leads only. Leaders: Penny Cullington with Jesper Launder and/or Claudi Soler. |
| Sunday, October 11th NB Start time 10am Booking essential Max 18 places Booking opens Sat Oct 3rd 7pm and closes Sat Oct 10th midday. Click here to book Click here to cancel |
Aspley Woods nr Milton Keynes (Greensand Trust). A large woodland just within the VC24 boundary having areas with both conifer plantation and mixed deciduous trees and as yet unexplored by BFG. From the south take the exit off the A5 for Little / Great Brickhill, turning right soon after at the first roundabout to cross back over the A5 and continue north to a crossroads; here turn sharp right into Longslade Lane heading towards Woburn Sands. The car park entrance is off Longslade Lane after half a mile or so on your left at SP 92575 33585 (W3W: suitable.dairies.supported). Follow left to the furthest end of the parking area (at W3W: squeezed.slurping.neatly) where we'll park and meet up. Leaders: Penny Cullington and Justin Long with Jesper Launder and/or Claudi Soler. |
| Wednesday, October 14th NB Start time 10.30am Booking essential Max 10 places Booking opens Tue Oct 6th 7pm and closes Tue Oct 13th midday. Click here to book Click here to cancel |
Dancersend nr Aston Clinton (SSSI - BBOWT). This reserve, once owned by the Rothschild family, comprises mixed woodland with some open grassland areas and is a well-recorded site with a rich variety of fungi. We have visited various different areas of the reserve, and a decision on the precise location of today's walk and meet place will be made a few days beforehand by warden and BFG member Mick Jones who will assess where the most productive areas are likely to be. If you are unfamiliar with the site, we quite often park at the Waterworks buildings, SP905 089; however, there are several other possibilities so detailed meeting instructions will be updated here and circulated to attendees just beforehand. Leaders: Penny Cullington and Mick Jones with Jesper Launder and/or Claudi Soler.. |
| Saturday, October 17th NB Start time 10am Booking essential NB Max 10 places Booking opens Sat Oct 9th 7pm and closes Sat Oct 16th midday. Click here to book Click here to cancel |
Common Wood Tylers Green (Penn & Tylers Green Residents Society). This semi-natural ancient woodland of over 260 acres, adjacent to Penn Wood, forms part of a chain of woods at the southern end of the Chilterns AONB. There is a good mix of trees including Beech, Oak, Aspen, Pine and Douglas Fir. BFG has not visited since 2005 due to lack of parking but has now acquired different access. (However, please note: unfortunately there is still not sufficient parking for our full weekend quota of attendees here.) Meet at SU920 946 at the eastern end of Common Wood Lane near Beechwood Cottages (W3W: beaten.images.chin), passing through the gate (which will specially be opened for us) which leads to the main Chalk Track that dissects the wood. Leaders: Penny Cullington and / or Jesper Launder. |
| Wednesday, October 21st NB Start time 10.30am Booking essential Max 10 places Booking opens Tue Oct 13th 7pm and closes Tue Oct 20th midday. Click here to book Click here to cancel |
Northmoor Hill Wood Nature Reserve Denham (Bucks Countryside Services, Bucks County Council). A new and potentially interesting site for BFG, this ancient woodland forms part of the Colne Valley Regional Park comprising Alder carr over clay with wet areas and a boardwalk, also more open deciduous woodland with Beech and Oak, thus providing a very different habitat from our regular Chiltern woodlands. The car park is accessed from Tilehouse Lane, Denham opposite Denham aerodrome at TQ034 891 (W3W: themes.foal.rider). Leaders: Penny Cullington with Jesper Launder and/or Claudi Soler. |
| Sunday, October 25th NB Start time 10am Booking essential Max 18 places Booking opens Sat Oct 17th 7pm and closes Sat Oct 24th midday. Click here to book Click here to cancel |
Rushmere Country Park (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 For free parking (otherwise it's £5 for up to 3 hrs) please send your car registration a.s.a.p. after your booking is confirmed to paul.hirst@greensandtrust.org mentioning you are BFG members. Leaders: Penny Cullington and Justin Long with Jesper Launder and/or Claudi Soler. |
| Wednesday, October 28th NB Start time 10.30am Booking essential NB Max 18 places Booking opens Tue Oct 20th 7pm and closes Tue Oct 27th midday. Click here to book Click here to cancel |
Naphill Common (SSSI - West Wycombe Estate). One of the largest commons in the Chilterns (63 hectares), this is largely deciduous woodland with paths and bridleways, open glades with ancient trees, also noted for woodland birds, deer, ponds, rare plants and fungi. Meet as previously at Naphill Village Hall car park, SU846 969, near the crossroads (W3W: gives.served.melon). (Previous weekend meetings here have met with some parking issues, thus the change to a midweek meeting this year though the sizeable car park allows us to increase the numbers to 18.) Leaders: Penny Cullington with Jesper Launder and/or Claudi Soler supported by Peter Davis and Chris Miller |
| Saturday, October 31st NB Start time 10am Booking essential Max 18 places Booking opens Fri Oct 23rd 7pm and closes Fri Oct 30th midday. Click here to book Click here to cancel |
Stampwell Farm near Beaconsfield (privately owned). The group returns to this popular venue after several very enjoyable and productive walks here. The 70 acre site comprises 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 an excellent 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 located just 50 yds towards Beaconsfield from the Crowne Plaza Hotel complex on the opposite side of the road and adjacent to a brown Crowne Plaza Hotel sign. Leaders: Penny Cullington and Jackie Ewan with Jesper Launder and/or Claudi Soler |
| Tuesday, November 3rd NB Start time 10.30am Booking essential Max 10 places Booking opens Mon Oct 26th 7pm and closes Mon Nov 2nd midday. Click here to book Click here to cancel |
Homefield Wood nr Hambledon (SSSI - BBOWT / Forestry England). Last year was our first visit to this venue which had not previously been surveyed for fungi. It comprises 15 acres of Chiltern chalkland valley with both woodland and grassland; awarded SSSI status on account of its rare orchids, it is also a haven for butterflies and moths and has a good mix of deciduous trees, also some conifer plantation. The site is quite near Marlow Common and Pullingshill Wood and has somewhat limited parking outside the entrance. From Marlow take the A4188 towards Henley, turning right onto the minor road in Medmenham at the Dog and Badger pub; follow till the T junction where turn right then immediately left into Bockmer End. The site entrance is 500m on your left at the bottom of the hill at SU814 867 (W3W: gossiping.hosts.unrated) and we have special dispensation to park inside the gate to the reserve. Leaders: Penny Cullington with Jesper Launder and/or Claudi Soler. |
| Sunday, November 8th NB Start time 10am Booking essential Max 18 places Booking opens Sat Oct 31st 7pm and closes Sat Nov 7th midday. Click here to book Click here to cancel |
Pitstone Common (SSSI - National Trust). This is our second visit to an area of the northern part of the classic Ashridge Estate which lies within Buckinghamshire VC24, the southern part being in Hertfordshire. Ashridge has been well studied and recorded over many years and comprises ancient semi-natural woodland with areas dominated by mature Oak, Beech, Sweet Chestnut and Birch, also some conifer plantation with a few ponds and areas of grassland. Turn off the B4509 Northchurch - Ringshall road into Monument Avenue, meeting at SP974 129 in the concreted car park located ⅔rds of the way along on your left and adjacent to a large Cedar tree (at W3W: studs.afflict.overhear). From there we'll walk over the road a short distance to access the VC24 area of the estate. Leaders: Penny Cullington with Jesper Launder and/or Claudi Soler. |
| Wednesday, November 11th NB Start time 10.30am Booking essential Max 10 places Booking opens Tue Nov 3rd 7pm and closes Tue Nov 10th midday. Click here to book Click here to cancel |
Green Acres Chiltern Park Potkiln Lane, Beaconsfield (Woodland Trust) . A new venue for BFG, we visit this 72 acre woodland park, managed as a natural burial ground. There is a good mix of trees though predominantly conifer, providing us with the possibility of a different suite of fungi from our regular Chiltern deciduous woodlands. Meet in the ample car park accessed down a long drive. Turning north off the A40 into Potkiln Lane, the clearly marked site entrance, at SU967 902 (W3W: change.metals.neat) is on your left soon after passing Lords' Builders Merchants on your right. Leaders: Penny Cullington with Jesper Launder and/or Claudi Soler. |
| Saturday, November 14th NB Start time 10am Booking essential NB Max 10 places Booking opens Fri Nov 6th 7pm and closes Fri Nov 13th midday. Click here to book Click here to cancel |
Stoke Common (SSSI - City of London Corporation). This is a notably interesting site for fungi having acid sandy soil - unusual in Buckinghamshire. 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. Today's walk forms part of our ongoing funded project for CoLC together with the sister site Burnham Beeches. Travelling south on the B416 from Gerrards Cross turn off east at the traffic lights near the Fox and Pheasant pub into Stoke Common Road, then park as best you can near the main gate into the Common which is on your right on a slight bend at SU986 857 (W3W: fears.fend.puff). (There's also parking in the small layby soon after the traffic lights on your right by a pedestrian gate.) We'll meet just inside the main gate. Please take care as there can be fast moving traffic. Leaders: Penny Cullington with Jesper Launder and/or Claudi Soler. |
| Wednesday, November 18th NB Start time 10.30am Booking essential Max 10 places Booking opens Tue Nov 10th 7pm and closes Tue Nov 17th midday. Click here to book Click here to cancel |
Rushbeds Wood (SSSI - BBOWT). An ancient broadleaved woodland - part of the original Bernwood Forest - on heavy clay soil, bordered by unimproved meadows and old hedgerows. The site has produced many unusual fungi during our visits over the last 25 years, including 3 new to the UK and recently one new to science, and has a good diversity of deciduous trees though no Beech. Sadly Ash Dieback has much affected the area in recent years resulting in much clearing and access restricted in certain parts. The main parking area is at SP673 154 (W3W: daunting.levels.yacht) at the triangular verge on the T-junction where the Ludgershall road meets the Wotton Underwood to Brill road. (NB: Avoid blocking the railway access and be prepared to double-park if necessary.) Our gathering point is at the inner entrance to the wood (W3W donation.envy.unscathed) which is located by walking 50 yds along from the T junction on the Ludgershall road, then turning left along the short narrow driveway over the railway where there's another small parking area with space for about 4 cars. Leaders: Penny Cullington with Jesper Launder and/or Claudi Soler. |
OTHER LOCAL EVENTS OF INTEREST to which members are welcome though booking will still apply.:
| Date 2026 | Event |
|
Wednesday,
November 4th NB Start time 10am Booking essential Max 10 places Booking opens Wed Oct 28th 7pm and closes Tue Nov 4th midday. Click here to book Click here to cancel |
Stoke Poges Memorial Gardens (S. Bucks District Council) for Friends of the Gardens. 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 Ballerina 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 B416 (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 the last 20 years and BFG members are welcome to join her though numbers are limited to 10. Leader: Penny Cullington. |
BMS = British Mycological Society (www.britmycolsoc.org.uk).
HBFG = Herts & Beds Fungi Group (contact Stephen Kelly stephen.kelly@talktalk.net ).
FSO = Fungus Survey of Oxfordshire (contact Secretary inkcap@fungusoxfordshire.org.uk ).