Mushroom picking is one of Poland’s national pastimes, and the Wielkopolska Region offers excellent conditions for it. The region’s diverse forests, including many bright pinewoods, provide an ideal setting for foragers. The vast majority of forested areas belong to the State Forests, making them freely accessible and well equipped with parking areas, access roads, and rest stops with benches, shelters, and waste bins. All that remains is to keep an eye on the weather. Warm autumn days following a period of wetter conditions favour the growth of mushrooms.
Where to go mushroom picking?
There are good mushroom-picking spots in every corner of Wielkopolska, but below we highlight a few locations that have been especially popular and highly recommended for years.
The area most closely associated with mushrooms is undoubtedly the Noteć Forest. Pinewoods, interspersed with birch and several other tree species, stretch from Skwierzyna in the west to Oborniki and Rogoźno in the east. As a managed forest, the area has a dense network of forest tracks. It is also accessible by train: the railway line from Poznań to Szczecin runs through the heart of the forest. The most convenient stations are Miały, Mokrz, Wronki, or Krzyż Wielkopolski. Located on the forest’s edge, Sieraków also serves as an excellent base.
Beautiful pinewoods continue on the other side of the Noteć River, around Wieleń, Trzcianka, and Piła. Towns such as Dębogóra, Dzierżążno, Smolarnia, and Kaczory are well known to many foragers in Wielkopolska. This area is particularly rich in agritourism, making it an excellent choice even for a multi-day stay.
The forests in the triangle formed by Nowy Tomyśl – Zbąszyń – Miedzichowo also provide excellent mushroom-picking terrain. This is a very scenic area, intersected by streams and glacial lake valleys. And why not combine mushroom picking with a canoe trip?
If you ask residents of Gniezno or Konin, they will certainly recommend the forests near Czerniejewo and Powidz. These areas are not as extensive, but the species composition and good accessibility ensure equally enjoyable mushroom picking.
Residents of Poznań are most often found in the Zielonka Forest. The forests here are beautiful, though you must expect strong competition from other foragers. However, if mushrooms are only an addition to a forest walk, no one will leave disappointed.
After mushroom picking
So what should you do after mushroom picking? The best option is to go with friends or family for a shared meal! Restaurants in Wronki and Miały offer tasty food in a forest setting. For a touch of luxury, one can visit Smolarnia or the restaurant near the palace in Czerniejewo. If you don’t mind travelling a little further, we particularly recommend a visit to Olandia (Prusim, near Sieraków) and the Wąsowo Manor (Nowy Tomyśl). Autumn is also the time for the grape harvest. In recent years, vineyards have been springing up near Nowy Tomyśl, Sieraków, and Chrzypsko… like mushrooms after rain.
