Autumn Forest Gold

Photos from top: 1.3:Aulis Syväjärvi

Wild Mushrooms

If you go down to the woods today...you may strike gold!

Chanterelles, with their distinctive appearance and slightly spicy-edged flavour, are only found in the wild and have not yet been successfully cultivated. But you should have a good chance of coming across some on your foray into the Swedish forests of Västmanland.

Of course, only a minority of wild mushrooms and fungi are edible, with some being deadly poisonous. This is where the services of your expert guide will be essential in locating and identifying suitable species - before returning to the kitchen to see how they taste!

Wildlife > Autumn Forest Gold

Discover the majesty of the Swedish forest in autumn and go looking for gold!

Wildlife holidays in Sweden: Västmanland

Autumn in Sweden is a beautiful season, with the trees a blaze of red and gold inviting you into the forests. This is a very special experience combining comfortable accommodation and superb food at a country manor with a chance to explore the wilderness with an expert local guide.

Your experience begins on a Wednesday with dinner and an evening around the fire at a 19th century country manor. The next day you will head out into the deep forests, spending Thursday night in a traditional teepee with dinner prepared for you over an open fire.

Photo: Aulis Syväjärvi

Awaking refreshed from your night in the woods, depending on which dates you choose you will either take to canoes on Friday for a guided water tour discovering one of the wide, meandering wilderness rivers of this lovely region, or spend the day exploring the forest in its autumn colours in the company of your naturalist guide. Be on the lookout for the majestic elk, tracks of wolves, and some of the many species of birds which migrate through the Bergslagen area at this time. On Friday evening you will return to the manor to reflect on your adventures around the fire.

Photo: Aulis Syväjärvi

If you wish, you can extend your experience for an extra day, heading back into the forests in search of wild mushrooms. Over the weekend you will learn how to identify some of the commonest edible mushrooms in the area while avoiding the poisonous ones. After gathering the bounty of the forest under the direction of your guide, you will return to the kitchens where you will be given instruction in preparing your finds, using them in the creation of mouth-watering dishes. Your host, Uta, is a renowned chef with a wealth of knowledge in this area, and under her expert tuition you will expand your culinary skills in new directions.