2026_10_31_gr0w© FORAGiNG FRiDAYS Minwear Forest, PEMBROKESHIRE

🍄 Foraging Friday | Dead Mushrooms, Purple Deceivers & Woodland Wonders 🌳 This week's Foraging Friday took us to the beautiful Minwear Forest in Pembrokeshire, just a short distance from Blackpool Mill. Joining me this week were Andy, Andrea, Claire and Vicky, along with our four legged companions! 🐕 We parked up and headed into the woods to see what autumn had left for us to discover. 🍄 The Dead Mushrooms! 💀 Our first discovery was a collection of strange blackened mushrooms. We asked Claire what they were. "They're dead!" 😂 And that was our first official identification of the day! Possibly old inkcaps, but we're leaving this one open. 🍂 Nature's Recycling Centre ♻️ Andy explained how fallen leaves gradually decompose, creating leaf mould and returning nutrients to the forest floor. Fungi, bacteria and tiny woodland creatures all play their part in nature's recycling system! 💗 Pink Brittlegill & Mystery Mushrooms Vicky discovered a lovely pink mushroom with a white stem and pale gills, possibly a Russula (brittlegill). Andy also found several unidentified mushrooms, although his Venti managed to steal the spotlight! "Sponsored by Venti!" ☕😂 No sponsorship deal confirmed just yet! 💛 Yellow Stagshorn We discovered some spectacular bright yellow fungi resembling miniature antlers. Likely Yellow Stagshorn (Calocera viscosa), a jelly fungus that grows on decaying conifer wood, sometimes hidden beneath moss. 💜 Amethyst Deceiver One of our favourite finds was a beautiful purple mushroom, likely the Amethyst Deceiver (Laccaria amethystina). Interestingly, its vivid purple colour can fade as it ages, making older specimens harder to recognise! 🧡 Golden Chanterelles Vicky spotted what appeared to be golden chanterelles, although woodland wildlife had already enjoyed a nibble! True chanterelles have distinctive branching ridges beneath their caps rather than ordinary gills. 🖤 Dead Man's Fingers or Candlesnuff? I spotted some strange black and white fingers emerging from the moss. Initially we thought they were Dead Man's Fingers, but the photographs suggest Candlesnuff Fungus (Xylaria hypoxylon) may be a better match. Its white tips resemble the burnt wicks of candles! 🕯️ 🌳 Honey Fungus, Woodpeckers & More Mysteries Andy found mushrooms growing near a beech tree, possibly honey fungus, although we weren't convinced. We also discovered an old stump covered in holes, prompting Andy to explain how woodpeckers hunt insects and grubs inside decaying wood. 🐦 Other discoveries included a large brittle mushroom, possible young turkey tail, several unidentified woodland fungi and one with an unusually long stem! 🍇 Loganberries or Blackberries? Andy spotted some unexpected berry-bearing plants. We initially wondered about loganberries, but wild blackberries seem much more likely. We also identified oak and birch trees and discovered just how easily mushrooms disappear amongst the fallen leaves. Remember to look down! 👀🍄 🔥 Back to HQ for Homemade Soup! 🍲 After another enjoyable woodland adventure, we headed back to HQ for coffee and a chat about our discoveries. We pulled fresh leeks, carrots and potatoes, Vicky brought some chicken, and we cooked a lovely homemade soup over the fire. A perfect way to finish another Foraging Friday! 🔎 Help Us Identify Our Finds! All mushroom identifications mentioned are tentative and should be independently verified. Never consume wild mushrooms based solely on photographs or online identification. If you recognise any of our mystery mushrooms, or think we've made a mistake, please let us know in the comments! 👍 LIKE • 💬 COMMENT • 🔁 SHARE Thanks for joining us, and we'll see you again soon for another Foraging Friday! 🌳🍄 #ForagingFriday #Pembrokeshire #MinwearForest #BlackpoolMill #Foraging #Mushrooms #Fungi #WoodlandWalks #AmethystDeceiver #Chanterelles #YellowStagshorn #Nature #gr0w