Where To Find Magic Mushrooms In UK
It’s mushroom season in the northern hemisphere. And that means that the green and pleasant fields and forests of the UK are littered with fungi – some of it of the psychedelic variety.
But where exactly should you be looking for magic mushrooms? Where do they grow? And how can you identify them?
magic mushrooms uk season
You shouldn’t have to go far to find some magic mushrooms in UK. Local parks, common recreational areas, race tracks, woodland and country paths are all potential growing spots.
The most common type of magic mushroom to grow wild in the UK are Liberty Caps (psilocybe semilanceata). These small, brown shrooms are quite easy to recognise thanks to the small nipple-looking lump on the top of the cap.
They generally appear alone or in small clusters on rich soil in pastures, meadows and parkland. They don’t grow on cow or sheep dung, but are common in areas where livestock may roam.
In fact, they are often found in London’s Hyde Park, Primrose Hill and Richmond Park.
Wavy caps (psilocybe cyanescens) are also quite common in the UK and can appear in massive quantities, like when 100,000 of the wavy guys were found growing alongside a English racetrack. The mushroom can usually be found on mulch or wood chips from October to February. liberty cap lookalikes poisonous uk
Libs and wavy caps are the two species of magic mushrooms uk season you’re most likely to find in the UK, but there are others.
When to look for magic mushrooms uk season
One of the many brilliant things about mushrooms is the resilience that is afforded to them by their underground network of mycelium. This subterranean body (which truffles are part of) allows mushrooms to remain mostly dormant before shooting out of the ground in mere hours.
Therefore, timing is very important when searching for magic mushrooms.
Autumn is the best time for magic mushroom hunting in the UK. This is because most fungi love the wet, mild conditions in our countryside.
The months of September to November are most productive for foraging.
You’ll maximise your luck by going out the day after a night of light rain. You may even want to check the same locations more than once as mushrooms can spring up overnight.
Dry weather and cold are not conducive to hunting mushrooms. If it’s uncharacteristically hot or there’s frost on the ground, don’t bother.
UK laws on magic mushrooms uk season (effects of liberty caps )
Any fungus that contains psilocin or psilocybin is controlled in the UK. Therefore, magic mushrooms are prohibited to be cultivated, possessed or sold under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. liberty cap season uk 2023
Magic mushrooms are classed as Class A drugs in the UK, meaning the most severe punishment for possession is up to seven years in prison and an unlimited fine. However, this harsh a sentence is extremely unlikely.
In fact, if you were caught with a small amount for personal use – say up to 5 grams – you’d probably get away with a caution.
It’s a different story if you get caught growing them, though. Technically, a life sentence is the maximum sentence for supply of any Class A drug, including magic mushrooms uk season. In practice, however, longer sentences are only used for major traffickers, and rarely, if ever, for cases involving only mushrooms.
Psilocybin and mental health ( magic mushrooms uk season )
Psilocybin has shown promise as a highly effective antidepressant and is currently in trials for depression, smoking addiction, PTSD and anorexia.
It’s also proving to be very helpful in treating end-of-life anxiety by helping terminal patients come to terms with their impending death. liberty cap lookalikes uk
Being one of the safest drugs, psilocybin is casting off its reputation as a wonky drug for hippies and drop outs and is now being recognised as a powerful medicine that will play an important role in the future of mankind’s mental wellbeing.
magic mushrooms uk season in Devon (the independent climate email
As the autumn sets in and the weather gets cooler, mushrooms begin to appear across Devon and the UK. And this includes magic mushrooms.
Are magic mushrooms uk season legal in the UK?
In a word, no. The picking and preparing (which means drying or any other preparation) of magic mushrooms in the UK is entirely illegal.
This applies to all varieties of hallucinogenic or psychadelic magic mushrooms including the popular liberty caps. So if you’re thinking about going out to collect magic mushrooms in Devon at this time of year, be aware of the fact that you could be arrested for your activities if you’re too blatant or obvious. psilocybe semilanceata habitat
When do magic mushrooms grow in the UK?
The season for liberty caps runs from around late September or early October until traditionally the first frost. This is usually mid November, but you can even find liberty caps or libs after the frost in the right places.
There are also other species of magic mushrooms uk season which grow in the UK outside of this season, including wavy caps. Fly agaric mushrooms, the classic red and white spotted toadstool, can fruit until well into the winter.
Typically the liberty caps and fimetaria will fruit once the temperature drops and there has been some moisture on the ground, which tends to be early autumn.
Where do magic mushrooms grow? (share this with your friends )
Most varieties of magic mushrooms uk season grow on pasture land. Because Devon is home to both the wilds of Dartmoor and Exmoor, there is plenty of wild and publicly accessible terrain where you’ll find magic mushrooms growing.
Typically, liberty caps like south facing pasture land that is well drained. In theory this means the side of a south facing hill which is usually home to sheep. The grass also tends to be relatively short – but not too short. This means you’ll often see liberty caps popping up around popular walking spots on Dartmoor, such as Two Bridges and Princetown – pretty much any area where it’s not too boggy.
However they can also pop up on any well manicured grassland, such as playing fields, parks, industrial estates, golf courses and grass verges. Liberty caps also like to be sheltered from the elements so will often cluster on the edge of a bush, in clumps of thicker grass or hillocks, or in dips.
Other types of magic mushrooms uk season also grow in the UK including the psyilocybe fimetaria. This is often found growing out of horse or cow dung in the same areas as you might find liberty caps.
The fly agaric mushroom, which is the traditional red with white spots parasol, can be found in forested areas.
Other types of magic mushroom such as the wavy cap can also be found often growing in wood mulch or wood chip.
Foraging for magic mushrooms in Devonshare this with your friends
If you’re considering looking for magic mushrooms in Devon or the UK, be aware that a lot of the terrain where they grow is private. Most fields are privately owned, so avoid trespassing as you can get in trouble with the law twice over.
Having said that, there are plenty of places around Devon where magic mushrooms grow in easily accessible spaces. You don’t need to climb fences or scare a farmers sheep to find a good haul of liberty caps.
If you want to know where magic mushrooms uk season might be growing, there is also the magic mushroom map. However this doesn’t actually tell you where they’ll grow, but simply the right conditions for them to grow.
The trick is to find an area where the conditions are right and then find terrain which fits the ideal profile. Simply taking a country walk is often a very good way to spot liberty caps as they can be easily spotted in autumn.
The dangers of mushroom foraging ( a free identification guide )
One of the main problems with hunting for mushrooms of any type is the dangers of mis-identifying species. Pretty much every mushroom variety has a number of different mushrooms that look the same. Some of these can be toxic, causing stomach upsets or even worse, potentially death. february mushrooms uk
In short, if you’re going foraging for mushrooms make sure to do your research or ideally take someone who knows their mushrooms. NEVER consume mushrooms that you aren’t 100% sure of.
Also did you know there are many mind altering plants in the UK that are totally legal?