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Region · updated 12 November 2026

Mushroom season in Northern Ireland

85%

Mycelium activity

Peak season

steady

Rain: 1 mm in 3 days, 4 mm in 7 dayssoil 8°C

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Mushroom season in Northern Ireland runs from late summer to late autumn and peaks in early to mid autumn. Right now a good flush is under way: look for bay bolete, parasol mushroom and brown birch bolete. Death cap grows in the same woods, so keep only what you are sure of and check the lookalike comparisons.

Forager's notes · 12 November 2026

Mushroom forecast for Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland has had a thorough soaking, with rain around normal for this time of year falling three to four weeks back, and the air this week has stayed noticeably humid. Soil sits at a mild 7.9°C, holding the season together nicely.

This is about as good as mid-November gets here. Look for ceps and bay boletes in mixed woodland, with parasols in grassy margins and wood blewits pushing through leaf litter. Well worth a proper walk this weekend.

What's growing now in Northern Ireland

233 species in our UK catalogue fruit in November. Check every find.

Bay bolete (Imleria badia) in a pine forest: chestnut cap, yellowish-brown stem and a pine cone on the needle litterBay boleteEdibleYoung parasol mushroom (Macrolepiota procera) in broadleaf woods: round scaly cap and snakeskin-patterned stemParasol mushroomEdibleA cluster of honey fungus (Armillaria mellea) growing from under the bark of a fallen birch: domed pinkish-brown caps with fine dark scales in the centreHoney fungusConditionally edibleTwo brown birch boletes (Leccinum scabrum) on pine needles: brown caps, pale pores beneath and white stems with dark scalesBrown birch boleteEdibleOyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus): smooth grey-brown shell-shaped cap on a mossy tree trunkOyster mushroomEdibleVelvet shank (Flammulina velutipes): orange caps growing in a dense cluster on a tree trunkVelvet shankEdible
All November mushrooms
Not sure what you found?Share a photo, the community will helpMushroom season in the UKMap and ranking of all 12 regionsDeath cap or edible?Compare lookalikes before you pick

Weather and rain map for Northern Ireland

In Britain mushrooms follow the rain of two to four weeks earlier more than a shower this week. Switch the layers to rain, temperature or wind and zoom in on your wood.

* Data: Ventusky. Zoom in on the map to check your own forest area in detail.

Useful to know

Mushroom foraging in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland's best fungus ground is old grassland. Slievenacloy in the Belfast Hills, an Ulster Wildlife reserve, holds 26 of the 43 Irish waxcap species, and the parkland of Castlewellan Forest Park in County Down is of national importance for waxcaps. Divis Mountain and the slopes of Fair Head and Murlough Bay on the Antrim coast are rich too.

On Forest Service land, such as Castlewellan, ask the Forest Service before you pick. Elsewhere you need the landowner's permission.

Questions · 4

Mushrooms in Northern Ireland: questions

The season, where to look and what the rules are.

01

Are mushrooms out in Northern Ireland right now?

On 12 November 2026 mycelium activity in Northern Ireland is 85%, which means peak season. The index is recalculated every night from the weather of the last few weeks.

02

What mushrooms grow in Northern Ireland in November?

233 species in our UK catalogue fruit in November, among them bay bolete, parasol mushroom, brown birch bolete, oyster mushroom. Deadly species grow in the same woods, so keep only what you are sure of.

03

How long after rain do mushrooms appear?

In Britain the clearest link is with rain two to four weeks earlier. A single shower after a dry spell rarely makes a difference; a wet week or two usually does.

04

Can I pick mushrooms in Northern Ireland?

Northern Ireland: Under the Theft Act (Northern Ireland) 1969, picking wild mushrooms is not theft unless you pick them for sale, for reward or another commercial purpose. Official guidance still asks you to get permission even for your own use: from the landowner, or from the Forest Service in public forests.

Other regions of the UK

1Wales100%2West Midlands100%3London96%4East Midlands95%

Past forecasts

11 November 2026Index 85%

Northern Ireland has had a proper soak lately, around 108mm over the past fortnight to three weeks, right on the usual mark for the time of year, and the air has stayed soft and humid rather than drying out. Soil is still holding warmth at 8.2°C despite cooler nights.

This is prime late-autumn form, so get out looking for ceps, bay boletes, parasols and wood blewits. Conditions are stacked in your favour this weekend, so it is well worth making time for a proper walk through mixed woodland and field edges.

10 November 2026Index 84%

Northern Ireland has had a decent soak over the last few weeks, roughly on par with what's normal here, and the air has stayed damp and still with humidity well above average. Soil sits around 8°C, mild enough to keep things ticking along nicely this late in the season.

This is peak autumn and conditions back it up: get out looking for ceps, bay boletes, parasols and wood blewits. Flushes should be strong and worth the effort this weekend.

9 November 2026Index 82%

Rain has been a touch below the Northern Ireland norm over the past few weeks, though the air has stayed notably damp and still, with soil sitting at a mild 8°C. Conditions have clearly held up well despite the modest shortfall.

This is prime season and it shows: expect good numbers of ceps, bay boletes, parasols and wood blewits in sheltered woodland. Well worth a proper outing this weekend, and worth checking a few different habitats while the ground stays workable.

8 November 2026Index 83%

Rain over the past few weeks was close to normal for Northern Ireland, and this week's air is pleasantly damp rather than drying things out, with soil holding at a mild 8.3°C. Conditions have lined up nicely for peak autumn.

This is about as good as it gets this season, so it's well worth getting out. Look for ceps, bay boletes, parasols and wood blewits in your usual spots, especially under trees where leaf litter stays moist.

7 November 2026Index 78%

Rain has been a bit lighter than usual in Northern Ireland over the past few weeks, down noticeably on the norm, though the air has stayed pleasantly humid and mild, with soil sitting around 8.5°C. That combination is still working in your favour this deep into autumn.

This is close to the peak of the season, so get out and look for ceps, bay boletes, parasols and wood blewits, especially in sheltered woodland where moisture lingers. Conditions are good rather than outstanding, so be patient and check a few different spots on your walk.