Etal Fungi Festival

Find out all about the fabulous world of fungi, at Etal Village Hall, on Saturday October 22nd and Sunday October 23rd, 10:30 – 16:30.

The Borders Fungus Group will lead four forays over the weekend, each lasting an hour, where you can learn all about fungi collecting and identification. Back at Etal Village Hall the finds will be displayed and there will be fungi related activities with quizzes and puzzles. On top of this there is an impressive crocheted mushroom house, standing at a little over three feet tall and complete with lights and a door. Children can open the door and peek inside to see what they can find, will there be fairies and gnomes?

There is no charge.

Self-guided fungi trail:

There will be two self-guided fungi trails, one around Etal Manor grounds, the other along the riverside walk at Etal. These are suitable for families, for people who would prefer to walk alone or for those who like to go at their own pace. The riverside walk is suitable for wheelchairs and buggies but some of the flagged fungi may not be visible from the path side.

• Collect your information pack and identification guide from Etal Village Hall, the start point.
• Start the trail on the hour at 11:00, 12:00, 13:00 and 14:00, which will help to stagger the numbers participating.
• There will be flags along the trails indicating that there is a fungus next to the flag, and each of the flagged fungi is numbered along the trail, some have clues to help you.
• The pack will contain a fungi identification guide, showing the gill shapes and spore print colour of each flagged fungi to help you. Try your skills at identifying each fungus.
• When you have completed your walk and filled in your identification sheet, bring the information pack and information guide back to the hall for marking. There is a small fungi prize for anyone identifying 60% or more of the fungi on the walk.

Guided fungi walks 

These walks are led by one of our fungi experts and last approximately one to two hours. There are two forays each day.

Morning foray start time 10.30am

Afternoon foray start time 1.30pm

The foray leader will introduce you to the fascinating world of fungi. They will explain the important role they play in our lives and their significance to every plant and animal on the earth. The walks will either be in the grounds of Etal Manor, or along the riverside walk at Etal. The starting point of all walks is at the village hall.

Indoor activities at Etal Village Hall

Fungi themed tombola

All items on the tombola are fungi related from mushroom motif socks, salt and pepper sets, horrible fungi science kits, dried mushrooms , retro mushroom gifts, mushroom earrings, scarf’s and many more unusual fungi prizes.

Fungi finds display

All our finds throughout the weekend will be labelled and put on display showing spore print colours.

Medicinal uses for fungi

A selection of fungi showing alternative treatments for everyday ailments.

Fungi games

A selection of colouring in, quizzes and dot to dot fungi games.

Handmade fungi crafts

A wide range of fungi crafts using different materials from clay to scale models, crochet mushrooms, wooden carved mushroom, mushroom enamelled pin badges, felted fungi key rings, greeting cards, fungi fridge magnets, velvet mushrooms, mushroom bunting and much more. All profits from the sale of these items go to running the Borders Fungus Group and enable us to run free events like Etal Fungi Festival.

Fungi exhibition

Display cases with clay to scale models of some of the more unusual fungi you can find.

The rainbow beneath our feet

An exhibition of wool and material dyed with mushrooms and lichens that have been collected ethically from the Ford & Etal Estate. The wool was also sourced from the estate. Mushrooms and Lichens have been used for thousands of years to dye wool, silk and cotton to colour our clothes also as pigments for painting. More detailed information available at the exhibition.

Refreshments and biscuits – available free for those who have attended one of the forays

Outdoor display

A carpet of colourful crochet mushrooms on the lawns

If you have any queries about this event please email Sally, the secretary of the Borders Fungi Group: BFGcomms@outlook.com