Mushroom
Foraging Workshop
26 October 2025
Welcome to our expert-guided mushroom foraging workshop in the ancient landscape of West Sussex.
We’ll explore the world of wild fungi with Chris Holdham—learning to identify, harvest, and enjoy them with care and respect. Rooted in rewilding and seasonal abundance, this is a chance to connect with nature, deepen your knowledge, and celebrate the wild through food and community.
Your host, Chris Holdham
We’re thrilled to have Chris leading this workshop. He combines wisdom, care, and enthusiasm to make our mushroom foraging experience both enriching and safe. He is a devoted naturalist with a deep-rooted passion for fungi and wild ecosystems. His approach is rooted in hands-on learning, ecological mindfulness, and a keen eye for detail.
Whether it’s identifying chanterelles flush among mossy conifers or distinguishing safe edibles from look-alikes, Chris brings a thoughtful balance of scientific care, local insight, and forager’s intuition.
Workshop price
£199 per person which includes:
10.00 Meet at Horsebox Café
10.15 Rewilding talk with refreshments provided
11.00 Foraging walk (bring your own snacks/picnic)
16.00 Wild foraged gourmet dinner over open fire
18.00 Finish
What to bring
Picnic/Snacks
Bring your own picnic, snacks and a refillable water bottle.
Clothing
Wear appropriate clothing for the weather conditions and seasons. Wear comfy walking shoes. If the conditions are expected to be muddy bring wellington boots!
Basket
Bring a basket, container or cloth bag to store any foraged food you would like to take home. We discourage the use of plastic bags to store foraged food in.
Also a note pad and pen to write down information and a camera to take pictures or videos.
What to expect
10am Rewilding Talk
Meet at the Horsebox Café for coffee and a talk from Chris about foraging and rewilding. Enjoy a specially prepared morsel of wild food to whet your appetite for more…
In West Sussex, rewilding is as much about rekindling our relationship with the land as it is about restoring natural habitats. These edible treasures connect us to the rhythms of the land, echoing the traditions of those who have foraged here for millennia. By engaging with the wild foods of the season, we step into a deeper dialogue with West Sussex’s timeless topography, where ecology, history, and nourishment are woven together.
11am Foraging walk
Chris will lead attendees on a 3-4hr guided mushroom foraging session setting off from Westerlands, around the exclusive Lavington Common Plantation and secret locations beyond.
Chris believes that responsible foraging is more than gathering food—it’s about mindful exploration, ecological connection, and knowing when to walk away. His teaching emphasises safety first, ethical harvesting, and respect for fungal habitats. You can expect clear, approachable instruction, practical demonstrations (like spore printing and safe handling techniques), and a warm curiosity for what nature has to reveal.
4-6pm Wild foraged dinner
Guests will watch a wild foraged food cooking demonstration by West Sussex gourmet hunt and gather chef Lee from @food_fire_knives where the day’s harvest is included in a beautiful, flavour-packed feast for all to enjoy, paired with refreshing drinks.
Wild foods captivate for many reasons—their intense flavours, gourmet quality, sustainable origins, or rich nutritional and medicinal value. With demand soaring among top chefs, these seasonal delights offer endless variety, from autumn’s mushrooms, nuts, and seeds to edible flowers, and greens.
Choose your Escape
