01/09/2021

Tips for Mushroom hunting in Finland

Mushroom hunting in Finland is a great and popular pastime and activity, the forests are full at the moment! Heading out to the forest is so beautifully rewarding! The season for mushrooms is roughly from August until October. Foraging for berries and mushrooms is so calming, it truly connects you with your surroundings and you also bring home something delicious for dinner!

  • Kathrin and very large Bolete
  • Mushroom basket

Tips for mushroom hunting in Finland:

🍄 Most importantly: DO NOT pick or eat anything you’re not 100% sure about! There are detailed descriptions and apps to help, but always ask someone who knows to be certain

🍄 Easily identifiable mushrooms that don’t have a poisonous twin are for example: Boletes, chanterelles, funnel chanterelles or black trumpet mushrooms. I stick with those! Out in the nature has a great blog post about the most common mushrooms in Finnish forests and how to identify them.

🍄 Finland has the Everyman’s Right, so you can pick mushrooms anywhere! Read more about it here.

🍄 Take a foraging basket of natural materials so your yield can breathe and stays fresh

🍄 Always cut off the mushroom, so it can grow back. Don’t rip it out from the ground. A mushroom knife is good to have as it often comes with a little brush to clean the mushroom off, but any knife is good

  • Chanterelle
  • Mushroom basket
  • Small Bolete

🍄 Wear rubber boots to keep your feet dry and your legs protected. Also long sleeves are recommended, outdoorsy pants that are enforced or waterproof around the knees are helpful!

🍄 Don’t be afraid to get off the trails. The further away from the main paths, the more mushrooms you’ll find. But: Keep your parking spot or bus stop marked on Google maps (and carry a map and compass if you know how to use them) so you can always trace your steps back there 😌

🍄 It’s easy to lose track of time when looking for mushrooms 👀 so bring snacks and water 🤓

Where to go mushroom picking in Finland?

Wherever you see a forest, you can pretty much go mushroom picking, unless it’s private property. If you can, check a map of the area and find a spot with fewer rocks. Most mushrooms grow well in mixed forests of pine and birch. It helps to have a car for mushroom picking as it allows you to venture to less crowded places. But it’s not essential.

  • Nuuksio National Park – for less busy spots, check the area around Klassinen Kierros
  • Sipoo National Park – check the Northern part of Sipoo
  • Liesjärvi National Park – very popular and good forests for mushrooms
  • Lapakisto or Hollola – near Lahti
  • Aulanko – near Hämeenlinna is a great forest for mushrooms
  • Easily reachable within Helsinki and worth a try: Viikki nature reserve / Lammassaari, Kivinokka, Keskuspuisto

Resources and tips

Do you have any other tips?

If you’re a beginner, check for guided foraging tours! They have been super helpful in learning about local mushrooms and feeling more confident with picking. Highly recommended!

Check out these posts too if you love nature: