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Region · updated 11 November 2026

Mushroom season in Scotland

86%

Mycelium activity

Peak season

rising

Rain: 0 mm in 3 days, 1 mm in 7 dayssoil 5°C

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Mushroom season in Scotland 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 · 11 November 2026

Mushroom forecast for Scotland

Scotland has seen a very wet few weeks, around 184mm, somewhat above normal, and the air has stayed noticeably moist rather than drying. Soil is cooling though, down to 5.1°C, a sign the season is tipping toward its later stages.

Still, this is a strong window for ceps, bay boletes, parasols and wood blewits, especially in sheltered glens and under mature trees. Wrap up for the chill but it is a good weekend to get out, before the cold really sets in and slows things down.

What's growing now in Scotland

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 Scotland

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 Scotland

Caledonian pinewood and heather moorland at Rothiemurchus beneath the Cairngorms
Rothiemurchus Forest · ML5 · Public domain

Scotland's richest fungus ground is its native woodland: the Caledonian pinewoods of Abernethy Forest, Rothiemurchus and Glen Affric, and the Atlantic oak and hazel woods of Argyll. Abernethy is one of the best sites in the UK for rare tooth fungi, and old grassland such as the Lui Flats near Braemar holds 19 species of waxcap.

Under the Scottish Outdoor Access Code you may pick wild mushrooms for your own use, but picking to sell needs the landowner's permission. Take no more than a small share of what you find, and avoid picking on nature reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

Questions · 4

Mushrooms in Scotland: questions

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

01

Are mushrooms out in Scotland right now?

On 11 November 2026 mycelium activity in Scotland is 86%, which means peak season. The index is recalculated every night from the weather of the last few weeks.

02

What mushrooms grow in Scotland 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 Scotland?

Scotland: Picking wild mushrooms for your own use is a customary activity that needs no permission, but picking them to sell or for a business needs the landowner's permission. Never dig fungi up, and on nature reserves and protected sites ask the site manager before you pick.

Other regions of the UK

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

Past forecasts

10 November 2026Index 84%

Scotland has seen a proper wet patch over the past few weeks, well above the norm, and the air has stayed notably moist rather than drying out. Soil is cooler at 5.4°C, air temperatures modest too, but that's typical for the region in November.

Still firmly within the main autumn window, so expect good hunting for ceps, bay boletes, parasols and wood blewits. Worth wrapping up and heading out this weekend, conditions favour a solid outing.

9 November 2026Index 81%

Scotland has seen a proper wet spell building over the past two to three weeks, rainfall running above the usual mark, and the air is holding its moisture well with soil still cool but workable at 5.4°C. Everything points to good fruiting conditions holding through.

Late but strong in the season here, and worth making the effort: ceps, bay boletes, parasols and wood blewits are all realistic finds. Dress for the cold mornings but the woods should reward a careful look.

8 November 2026Index 62%

Scotland has seen roughly normal rain for this time of year, but the air has turned noticeably drier this week and soil has cooled to 5.5°C, a reminder that the season here is now past its best.

There's still some worthwhile foraging to be had, especially in sheltered, damper spots. Keep an eye out for ceps, bay boletes and the odd wood blewit, but don't expect bumper numbers as things wind down.

7 November 2026Index 54%

Scotland has turned noticeably drier than normal over the past few weeks, and the air this week is drier too, with soil cooling down to around 5.9°C as autumn moves along. That drop in both moisture and warmth is starting to slow things.

You may still come across ceps, bay boletes, parasols or wood blewits in sheltered, damp corners, but don't expect abundance. Focus on lower ground and areas that have held onto moisture rather than exposed hillside, and treat this as a modest outing rather than a sure thing.

6 November 2026Index 53%

Scotland's rain window a few weeks back was well under the norm, and the air has turned drier than usual this week too, with soil cooling to 6.3°C as the season edges past its peak. That combination tempers expectations. Some ceps, bay boletes, parasols and wood blewits are still possible in favoured, sheltered spots, but numbers will likely be patchy. Treat this as a quieter week and focus on reliably damp ground.