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Region · updated 11 November 2026

Mushroom season in South West England

65%

Mycelium activity

High activity

steady

Rain: 7 mm in 3 days, 14 mm in 7 dayssoil 8°C

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Mushroom season in South West England 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 South West England

The South West has been on the drier side lately, roughly 76mm in the past few weeks and slightly below the seasonal norm, though the air itself has stayed fairly humid. Soil is still mild at 8.3°C, keeping things ticking over.

There is a reasonable chance of finds if you put the legwork in, with ceps, bay boletes, parasols and wood blewits possible in damper hollows and under beech and oak. Not a vintage weekend, but a worthwhile outing if you choose your ground carefully.

What's growing now in South West England

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 South West England

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 South West England

In the South West, look in ancient oak woods and old, unfertilised meadows. Savernake Forest in Wiltshire has more than 500 species of fungi among its ancient oaks, Kingcombe Meadows in Dorset is nationally important for waxcaps, with 27 species, and Hawkswood, a Devon Wildlife Trust reserve, has more than 300 kinds of fungi.

Savernake is a Site of Special Scientific Interest managed by Forestry England, which says picking fungi in its SSSI forests is illegal; on the rest of its land, picking to sell is not allowed. Dorset Wildlife Trust asks that the Kingcombe waxcaps are not taken away or eaten.

Questions · 4

Mushrooms in South West England: questions

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

01

Are mushrooms out in South West England right now?

On 11 November 2026 mycelium activity in South West England is 65%, which means high activity. The index is recalculated every night from the weather of the last few weeks.

02

What mushrooms grow in South West England 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 South West England?

England and Wales: Under the Theft Act 1968, picking wild mushrooms is not theft unless you pick them for sale, for reward or another commercial purpose. The Act only covers theft: landowners and local byelaws can still forbid picking, and four rare fungi are protected by law.

Other regions of the UK

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

Past forecasts

10 November 2026Index 64%

The South West has been a touch drier than usual over the past few weeks, though not by much, and the air has held onto more moisture than normal this week. Soil is mild at 8.5°C, with daytime temperatures still comfortable for the time of year.

You're past the peak of the season now but there's still some life left in it. Worth a look for ceps, bay boletes, parasols and wood blewits, though don't expect the bumper flushes of a few weeks back.

9 November 2026Index 63%

The South West has run a bit drier than usual over the past few weeks, with soil holding a mild 8.8°C and the air only slightly damper than normal. Not an outstanding setup, but far from a washout either.

You're past the peak of autumn here, so numbers will be patchier than a month back, though ceps, bay boletes, parasols and wood blewits are all still plausible finds in sheltered, leafier spots. Worth a walk if you're out anyway, without high expectations.

8 November 2026Index 64%

The South West has been a touch drier than usual over the past few weeks, and the air this week is milder and slightly less dry than normal, with soil still warm at 9.1°C. The season here is past its peak but not finished.

Worth a walk, though don't expect a flush everywhere. Ceps, bay boletes, parasols and wood blewits are still possible in reliably damp corners, particularly older woodland and hedgerows.

7 November 2026Index 63%

South West England has been somewhat drier than its usual pattern over the past fortnight, though the air itself has stayed a little more humid than average, and soil remains mild at 9.2°C. It's a mixed picture, leaning towards decent rather than ideal.

With the season still in full autumn swing, it's worth heading out for ceps, bay boletes, parasols and wood blewits, particularly in damper woodland hollows. Results should be reasonable, so don't expect every patch to deliver, but a careful walk should turn up something.

6 November 2026Index 60%

The South West has seen a notably dry three to four weeks, well below the usual rainfall, though soil at 9.4°C remains mild and the air isn't especially stressed. Autumn here is past its peak but still active. This should give a reasonable, if not spectacular, outing: ceps, bay boletes, parasols and wood blewits are all plausible finds. Stick to damper woodland margins and valley bottoms where moisture has lingered longest.