As the colder weather returns and the rain falls, the mushrooms appear across the woodland floor leaving sots of colour amongst the fallen leaves. Our mountain is not one covered in pine and eucalyptus, we're lucky to have native oak trees growing in the valley. The oak brings the change of the season to life as the leaves turn a wonderful bright yellow and mushrooms start to spring up underneath. Walks in the hills become a quest to identify the mushrooms. I can spot them, but not identify them. You need an expert guide like José Pais from Villa Chanca to tell you what is tasty and what will kill you! José organises walks in the Penela and Castanheira de Pera districts. His walks end with a tasting menu of the edible mushrooms the group picked and it's well worth doing one of his walks to learn more. Here are two I know are edible. The parasol mushroom (below) grows extensively around here in late October. The walks behind our house across the fields in Pera are full