A short wander around the car park introduced us to a wide variety of fungi, far more than expected. An early lunch due to the weather and then we drove to Knettisham Heath nature reserve where, in much better weather, we found many different species, including very rare ones. The leader, Su Gough, was very knowledgeable and a good communicator so we all learnt a lot. These day trips are an excellent way of seeing the wildlife of an area without all the hassle of long flights, etc, and with very low Covid risk. We have done other, overseas, holidays with Naturetrek in the past and will probably do so again when we become more comfortable with travel again.
P.S. Norfolk, Oct 21
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Fungi for Beginners on the Norfolk/Suffolk Border (Day Trip)
Tour Code: GBR130A day enjoying the gorgeous autumnal sights and smells of acid heath, grassland, coniferous and deciduous woodland as we gently explore, and learn about, this strange group of organisms!
£65 (land only)
Highlights
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Summary
Thetford Forest dominates the Breckland area on the Suffolk/Norfolk border and is rich in a dazzling variety of mysterious fungi, numbers of which peak in autumn.
Join Su Gough, an experienced naturalist and enthusiastic fungus forayer, for a gentle exploration of the mix of acid heath, grassland, coniferous and deciduous woodland, enjoying the gorgeous autumnal sights and smells and learning about this strange group of organisms, focusing on the ones that can be identified in the field. The species likely to be encountered will depend a little on the weather conditions running up to the foray, but we will look for the truly strange Earthstars, Fly Agarics and Death Caps, puffballs and parasols, Blushers and Sickeners! We will also take our time to enjoy the other wildlife we might encounter such as migrating birds and late-season flowers, as well as touching on some of the incredible history of the area.
During the course of the day we will explore the King’s Forest, Knettishall Heath and Rishbeth Woods in Thetford Forest and, if time allows, Wretham Heath, driving the very short distances in between each site and taking our time to explore thoroughly. There will be plenty of opportunities for keen photographers, and we will cover around 5 miles on foot during the course of the day.
- A delightful autumnal day out aimed at those wishing to learn more about fungi
- Earthstars, Fly Agarics and Death Caps, puffballs and parasols, Blushers and Sickeners!
- Some late season flowers, plus some of the history of the area
- We will NOT be foraging/picking fungi on this trip
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Reviews
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I was mildly curious in fungi before, but now I’m totally hooked thanks to the inspiring, thought provoking and extraordinarily well informed guided tour of the jewellery box that is the fungi world!
NS, London, October 2021 -
We both enjoyed the day trip very much. It was an ideal opportunity to learn something about fungi as we are total beginners. Su gauged the knowledge of the group very well and is clearly enthusiastic about fungi. She has expert knowledge as well and was able to identify virtually all the species found. This was a great day out and the weather was reasonably kind too. I think these day trips are a really good idea during this year of travel restrictions. This was my second one and I have booked two more for the winter and next spring.
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This was a day trip in Thetford Forest to learn about fungi. It was lovely to be outside and learning something new for the day. These trips are a real boon in this difficult year. Su was very enthusiastic, gauged the level of knowledge of the clients well and was really expert at spotting fungi we would never have seen. Looking forward to going on one of her trips next year.
D.L. Hertfordshire, Nov 20 -
Naturetrek's day trip fungi-hunting was amazing: Su Gough was incredibly knowledgeable, even with bird and insect identification thrown in free of charge! Su identified prior knowledge before we started, so she knew where to pitch her delivery. Considerate about our safety, comfort.
C.H. Norfolk, Oct 20 -
A great day trip on fungi of The Brecks for complete beginners. Our leader Su was able to show us how to identify fungi into families and then some into species, she discussed habitat requirements, timing and aging of the fungi. Su was patient and informative and we had a great day out. Su also identified birds and plants as we went round.
A.W. Bedfordshire, Oct 20 -
The fungi for beginners was excellent. G. and I enjoyed the day immensely and felt we had had a little holiday even though it was just a few hours out with an expert. Su was great, patient and informative and we both have learnt a great deal – whether we can retain it is another matter! Su introduced us to a number of fungi family and some fungi we identified to species. She explained habitat requirements, timings and the aging of fungi. She showed us her fungi library so we can take this taster session further. It was a great day out and we have lots of photos and notes to work through now the evenings are so much longer.
Dates & Prices
2025
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We are delighted to offer a series of Naturetrek Day Trips which visit a wonderful selection of reserves and habitats across the UK, each guided by one of our expert naturalist tour leaders, many of whom are leading our Day Trips on their own ‘local patch’! Meeting at around 9am, and exploring largely on foot until around 5pm (though note that specific Day Trip timings do vary slightly by location and season), these trips are designed to spend a full day out in the fresh air, in search of a wide range of special British wildlife.
Whether you would like to explore a new area in the company of a local, expert naturalist tour leader, try a guided wildlife day out for the very first time, or perhaps you simply wish to spend the day learning more about your own local wildlife, you will find yourself most welcome on one of our Naturetrek Day Trips. We also offer days out specifically aimed at beginner birders and amateur wildlife photographers, and some trips even extend after sunset to allow us to take you on a guided tour of the night skies above. Whatever the trip focus – be it birds, botany, fungi, photography, butterflies, dragonflies, geology or a mix of just about everything – your leader will take you to the very best places to search for wildlife, and will share their knowledge generously along the way.
Our Day Trips have been fully risk assessed, and all activities are carried out in line with UK government and industry Covid-19 guidance. Most Day Trips from 17th May 2021 onwards will have a maximum number of 7 people, with a handful, such as cruises with a slightly higher number. We have also been certified as 'Good to Go'; the domestic tourism industry standard mark for Covid-19 protocols. Your safety is paramount, and we will be complying fully with UK government guidance throughout all of our Day Trips.
How to Book
The price for all our standard Naturetrek Day Trips is £50 per person and payment is by debit card only. You can book online, or you are very welcome to book over the phone by calling us on 01962 733051. Some Day Trips operate seasonally, and we are continuing to add additional departure dates for our fully booked Day Trips, so if you would like to be added to our wait list for any of these trips please just email info@naturetrek.co.uk or register your interest via the tour page.
Joining Instructions for Day Trips
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- Upon booking we will email you with a designated meeting point and confirmed timings, along with contact details for your tour leader.
- During some Day Trips we will each use our own vehicle to move the short distances in between sites (group transport is not provided).
- Please do not bring your dog, or other pets, as they may disturb the wildlife!
- Please bring your own lunch.
- Please bring plenty of water, snacks, hand sanitiser, tissues, your own face covering (this will not be compulsory whilst we are out in the fresh air and wide open spaces throughout during the day but may be required to enter toilets, visitor centres, etc.) along with anything else that you might need for the day. You will need to be able to carry everything yourself. Suitable footwear (walking shoes or walking boots) will be essential, along with sensible layers and waterproofs plus sun hat and sun cream or woolly hat and gloves etc., depending on the weather forecast.
- Wherever possible, we will try to arrange comfort breaks during the day. On some of our more remote Day Trips this isn’t always possible, and on those occasions you will need to be prepared for the odd ‘bush stop’! If this is likely, we will alert you in the joining instructions beforehand. Please be stringent with hygiene when using public facilities.
- We ask you to respect minimum social distancing AT ALL TIMES (currently 2m where possible between households at the time of writing, but could be updated at any time). To help ensure this, we ask group members and tour leaders not to share optics, field guides or any other equipment.
- Finally, please do share your photos and favourite wildlife sightings with us … we love seeing them! Tweet @naturetrektours, Instagram @naturetrek_wildlife_holidays or find us on facebook.com/naturetrekwildlifeholidays
Should the dates we offer not suit you, or should you wish to have a private, tailored Day Trip, we will be delighted to arrange this for you. Please just call Georgie Head on 01962 733051, or fill out our quick enquiry form and we will get back to you. For inspiration for a Tailormade UK break, please see our Tailormade UK holidays.
Tailormade Day Trips
Reviews:
'The Naturetrek £50 days out have been a lifesaver this year. What better way than to spend a day in the open with four other like minded people in the company of a brilliant guide who can tell you all about the geology, flors and fauna of the area. I’ve been on three of these days with more booked for the future. The days are full, meeting at 9.00am and not finishing until 5.00pm, maybe slightly earlier in the darker winter months, with about 45 minutes for our picnic lunch but never have I ever looked at my watch and wished the time would pass more quickly. Quite the opposite in fact, the time passed so quickly I was amazed when we found ourselves back at the car park. Value for money? Yes, definitely. Thank you Naturetrek.'
VB – The Naze and Walton Backwaters (Essex)
‘The Upper Teesdale Day Trip was brilliant and Andy Bunten was an exceptional guide. So very knowledgeable and an expert spotter, but equally important he had great communication skills so that no-one felt remotely patronised or afraid to ask the most basic of questions. The organisation of the day was impeccably planned too. This was my first Naturetrek outing but I have friends who regularly use you and have spoken of your trips in glowing terms. So I will certainly look at your website and I will hope to travel with you at some point in the future.’
KS – Teesdale‘We had a lovely day on Monday; Matt was terrific - particularly with us being beginners at bird watching! The other attendees were very interesting and one in particular was extremely knowledgeable. So we learned a lot - just got to remember it now! We are looking at the other day trips available to see if we can do another one.’
Ashdown Forest‘I wanted to write to thank you for organising your new Day Trips. It’s an excellent idea and something to give hope to many people, who are keen to get out and about, and to experience the beauty of nature closer to home. Our trip to the Ashdown Forest on Friday was excellent. The weather was kind to us, a lovely sunny, English summer day, but it was our guide, Matt Eade, who made it special. Quite how Matt managed to arrange Goshawk, two Honey-buzzards, Hobby, Treecreeper, and a whole host of other species was remarkable.
Spotted Flycatcher is the personal favourite of my husband Simon – and Matt knew where to find two of them. Simon was over the moon!It was a top day. Matt was informative, very knowledgeable, engaging, encouraging, always happy to help, provide insights and share his knowledge and experiences. He paced the walk just right, thoughtful about short breaks where needed. I worked for 8 years as a Tour Director around Europe and I know how exceptionally hard it can be to keep everyone happy!’
Ashdown Forest‘The trip exceeded our already high expectations. Andy Bunten was kind, humorous, thoughtful and his knowledge of the wildlife truly exceptional. It was a real pleasure and privilege to be in his company.’
KE – Teesdale‘So nice to be on a Naturetrek trip again and had a thoroughly enjoyable day with Russ and our other companions. Everyone just got on even though we had not met before. Looking forward to our next day trip!’
LD – Smardale‘We had a great day, thank you. Matthew Capper was an excellent guide, giving us a wealth of information about the ecology, conservation and social history of the area as well as the wildlife, and having an amazing ability to detect birdlife out of nowhere. The Lammergeier before we'd even left the meeting point was of course spectacular, but it was Matthew's commitment to searching for the birds and Mountain Hares which impressed me even more. We also appreciated his patience and good humour, and his determination to make sure that all 5 of us got to see everything. These day trips are a brilliant idea. We are really looking forward to our next Naturetrek Day in a couple of weeks.’
AB – Peak District
Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?
For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.
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Why Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
- Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
- Outstanding value and exceptional customer service
Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!