Where and when can you find morels in the UK?

We'd all love to know precisely where and exactly when to find morels. 

In fact, it would be really nice if someone set up some kind of morel-finding app, so as soon as they appeared in your area, you'd get a text with specific location... a kind of X marks the spot.

But, alas! That is never going to happen.

Morels are notoriously elusive. That gives them their mystique and, if truth be told, makes us want them even more. It makes it even more special when you do find them.

The following is the best advice I can give for finding morels in the UK:

Morel (morchella esculenta)

When to look: spring – from the end of March to mid-May

Where to look: among herbs and grass in forests, where fires have occurred and on bark chippings and mulch beds in shrubberies and gardens

Semifree morel (mitrophora semilibera)

When to look: early spring – first few weeks of April

Where to look: in dense grass in woodlands and along paths in damp places

That's it! That's as much of a clue as you're getting. You really do need a lot of perseverance and a huge dash of luck to find these beauties.

If you do find them, well done and enjoy! I’d love to hear your story of how you found them, how long you’d been looking and what you did with them.

And it goes without saying, never ask a forager where they found their treasure.

Want to know more?

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