Grass Wood fungi (c) Graham Standring
Fungi Fest
Saturday 12th & Sunday 13th October at Potteric Carr nature reserve, Doncaster
A spore-tacular time awaits!
Mad for mycelium? Join us on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th October for our very first Fungi Fest at Potteric Carr nature reserve in Doncaster.
With talks, walks, workshops, play and a whole lot more, it's going to be a fungi-tastic weekend for all!
Hundreds of different species of fungi have been recorded at Potteric Carr, where woodland and wetland create perfect conditions for earth stars, scarlet elfcup and a rare fungi known only by its scientific name - so rare there's only one other recording in the UK!
Join the mushroom magic and be toadstool-y enchanted, as we help you discover these amazing autumnal delights.
We can't wait to welcome you to our first ever Fungi Fest! Please note, there is an admission fee to enter Potteric Carr, as well as an additional charge for certain Fungi Fest events.
Fly agaric (c) Guy Edwards
Plan your Fungi Fest visit
Plan your trip
đź“· Andrew Darnton
Fungi Fact File
Learn moreFascinating fungi
Mycelium is marvellous for many reasons, but here are our top five fungi facts!
Amethyst deceiver (c) Carol Hall
The fungal kingdom is vital to life
Yet, more than 90% of the estimated 3.8 million fungi in the world are currently unknown to science.
They help trees talk to each other
Hidden underground, there’s a vast network that breaks down plant matter and dung, releasing essential nutrients back into the ground. This helps form a “wood wide web,” linking trees and allowing them to communicate with each other.
They can glow in the dark
It may sound odd, but some mushrooms are bioluminescent. This is thanks to luciferins, the same compounds that make fireflies light up at night and some sea creatures glow. This remarkable skill – known as foxfire – is used to attract insects.
They’re more like us than plants
A fungus is distinct from both plants and animals, as it exists in its own 'fungi kingdom.' Genetically, however, fungi are more akin to animals than to plants. Just like humans, they absorb oxygen and emit carbon dioxide, contributing to global warming in the process! Unlike plants, fungi don’t rely on sunlight for reproduction; they obtain their nutrients from other organisms, similar to how animals do.
Fungi-fabulous cleaners
Without the decomposing activities of saprotrophic fungi, we would disappear under a mountain of unrotted dead leaves and logs!
The autumn colours were even more beautiful when the sun came out
Photo Credit - Telling our Story Volunteer, Sara
Let’s go wild for Yorkshire's wildlife!
Display your photos at Fungi Fest
Have you taken spore-tacular photos of fungi around Yorkshire? We'd love to see them and if you're happy to share, we will display them on a rolling slideshow, on the screen in the Visitor Centre across the weekend.
Submit photos in the comments of the pinned post on Potteric Carr's Facebook page. Click the button below.
(c) Ross Hoddinott
Grow your own
We have blue grey oyster mushroom grow kits available to purchase. These can be ordered throughout the year and are also in the shop at Potteric for you to peruse on your visit.