Come autumn, the Peak District becomes a paradise for fungi lovers. Beneath the turning leaves and along the damp edges of Edale’s fields, woods and hills, a secret kingdom begins to rise - silent, spectacular and sometimes a little strange. From fairy-tale toadstools to delicious chanterelles, the fungi of the Peaks are as varied as the terrain itself.

This guide is for curious wanderers, not seasoned foragers. It’s about noticing, appreciating and respecting the weird and wonderful world of mushrooms and toadstools that quietly cohabit these hills. Some you can eat. Most you can’t. All of them matter.

A Fungi-Filled Landscape

The Peak District National Park is home to over 2,000 species of fungi, many of which appear between late September and early November. The moisture-rich peat, mixed woodlands, old pastures and hedgerows around Edale provide a perfect habitat.

Mushrooms help recycle nutrients, form symbiotic relationships with trees and provide food for everything from insects to badgers. They’re a critical part of the ecosystem - and stunning to behold.

Where to Spot Fungi Around Edale

You don’t need to go far. Just slow down, look down, and keep your eyes peeled along the path edges, in shaded corners and under trees.

Grindsbrook Clough: Mossy banks and shady hollows are ideal for spotting fairy inkcaps, jelly ears and even amethyst deceivers.
Ollerbrook and Upper Booth woodlands: Here you’ll find classic fly agaric (red with white spots), birch boletes and shaggy ink caps among the trees.
Mam Nick and Rushup Edge: Watch the grassier verges for waxcaps and puffballs after rain.
Old field boundaries: Any dry-stone wall or damp pasture with long grass is worth a look - mushrooms love the margins.

Common Species to Admire (or Avoid)

🍄 Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria)

The iconic red and white mushroom. Toxic, but beautiful. Found beneath birch and pine.
Look, don’t touch.

🌰 Shaggy Inkcap (Coprinus comatus)

Tall, white and shaggy. Edible when young - but best admired unless you’re an expert.

✨ Amethyst Deceiver (Laccaria amethystina)

A violet beauty found in leaf litter. Mildly edible, but not for beginners.

🟡 Golden Chanterelle (Cantharellus cibarius)

Fruity aroma, wavy cap. Delicious and prized. Rare in the Peaks — leave it be if you find one.

⚠️ Death Cap / Destroying Angel (Amanita phalloides / A. virosa)

Rare, deadly. White or pale green. Often mistaken for edible types. Never, ever pick a white mushroom.

Responsible Foraging: The Edale Way

The Peak District isn’t just a scenic backdrop - it’s a living, breathing landscape, and many areas around Edale are protected. If you're going to forage (even lightly), here’s how to do it responsibly:

✅ Do…

Stick to public rights of way and open access land.
Take only what you’ll use - and only where allowed.
Leave rare or unusual fungi untouched.
Use a basket or paper bag - never plastic.
Photograph first, ask later - ID apps like iNaturalist or Seek are brilliant.
Enjoy it as a way to connect with nature, not stock your pantry.

❌ Don’t…

Forage in nature reserves or SSSIs.
Rake, trample or uproot areas.
Eat anything unless you are 100% certain.
Leave behind litter, bags, or mushroom stumps.
Assume it’s safe - even “experts” make mistakes.

What to Bring

Pocket guidebook or ID app
Phone or camera for recording finds
Small notebook for sketches and notes
Flask and snack - it’s slow, quiet walking
Wellies or walking boots - things get muddy quickly
A curious eye and a patient pace

Edale’s Fungi Culture

Locals will tell you stories about people who “swear by a secret spot” or who disappear up the valley and return with bulging baskets (and sometimes questionable bravado). One woman was overheard in The Nags Head telling a stranger she “only eats what the badgers won’t touch.” Make of that what you will.

There’s no doubt that mushroom hunting invites a certain type of obsession. But it also offers a rare invitation: to slow down, to notice, to tread lightly and to see Edale through a new lens.

Our Final Word?

If you only take one thing from this article, let it be this: you don’t need to pick mushrooms to enjoy them.

They’re weird. They’re wonderful. They are more ancient than trees and more connected than we can see. And in the mists of an Edale October, they feel like small, gentle ghosts rising from the earth - reminding us that magic grows quietly underfoot.

Fungi Foraging in the Peaks: A Beginner’s Guide