Introduction to Liberty Cap (Psilocybe semilanceata)

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Introduction

The native Liberty Cap (Psilocybe semilanceata) appears each autumn in the British Isles from around September to November. Although they are not
as abundant in the south east as in the west of the country, they should appear in the same location each year provided the weather is sufficiently wet.
They thrive in damp acid pastures, particularly where sheep are grazed. The addition of lime or nitrogen to the soil to improve the pasture renders it
unsuitable for mushrooms, which prefer an acid carbon rich soil. Cultivation of this species is not possible at the present time.

Appearance

Cap  5-25 mm with a noticeable nipple at the tip and the base of the cap curving inwards.
Stem  40-130 mm long by 1.5-3 mm thick, usually wavy.
Gills  dark brown giving dark brown spores around 7 x 11 µ - see below.

The colour changes from dark to light tan as the sun dries the caps, making them easier to find. They are particularly noticeable on pastures in early
morning and evening as the low sun catches the drying caps.

Finding a Location

This can be the most time consuming part. Most mushroom locations are known locally so it's really just a matter of asking around. If possible ask
them to identify the location on an Ordnance Survey map. I have a visited a number of locations in east Kent and the most abundant I have found is
near Paddlesworth (Grid Ref. TR 202 405). Ordnance Survey grid references can be entered into multimap (with or without spaces) to obtain degrees of
latitude and longitude, if required, in decimal format or with minutes and seconds. This is a sheep grazing pasture with a soil pH of 5.2. Sheep are
moved between fields and there are plenty of droppings here, which seems to be a nutritional factor, although the mushrooms never grow in dung.

Paddlesworth

Paddlesworth is one of the highest points on the North Downs, near Folkestone with a church and a pub, The Cat and Custard Pot.

Below is the OS Explorer 1:25 000 map and satellite image of the area with parking areas and footpaths shown. Each side of the blue squares is one
kilometer.

An unmade Ministry of Defence road runs through the wood and crosses the top of the field. The parking area to the north is by the gate to the MoD
training area and the one to the south by a gate to a field - please do not obstruct the gates. There is also a grass verge for parking at the corner of the
footpath to the south. Please drive slowly in the area as the narrow roads are popular with horse riders. The footpath to the north is often waterlogged so
walkers use the MoD road which is usually dry and runs across the top of the field. Either way you will have to climb over a low fence as neither
routes have stiles, while the footpath to the south has one although there is a low fence to negotiate before this. The best mushroom areas are at the
north end of the field near the MoD road crossing and in the adjacent field to the east with the sheep troughs.

South Parking Area North Parking Area showing MoD Road

   

MoD Road at North End of Field North Footpath

   

North Footpath Fence South Footpath with Stile

   

View from North End of Field Adjacent Field to East

   

Please help keep Britain tidy and take any litter home with you. Cans and food tins are particularly dangerous as they may be eaten by cattle, sheep or
wild animals causing serious internal injuries which can be fatal.

Preserving Mushrooms

The simplest way to preserve mushrooms to dry them thoroughly and then freeze them. I lay them out on a plate in the top of the airing cupboard -
psilocybin is destroyed in air at temperatures over 50 ºC. The mushrooms should be dried hard before being bagged and frozen. Liberty Cap loses more
potency than Copelandia when dried but should be active for a few months.

Mushrooms and the Law

The UK government has placed all psilocybin containing mushrooms under Class A of the Misuse of Drugs Act from 18 July 2005. Cultivation or sale
now carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Sadly our government has little interest in civil liberties and ignores the overwhelming evidence
that mushrooms are less harmful for most users than tobacco or excessive drinking. Although no one has been sent to prison yet for mushrooms in the
UK, I think it would be prudent to adopt a strategy to minimize our risk exposure. Here's mine:

Avoid synthetic psychedelics as the risks to the manufacturers and distributors are enormous
Never sell mushrooms to anyone - encourage them to pick or grow their own
Only store small quantities
Be aware that communications can be monitored - use PGP encryption (see PGP Guide) or a Hushmail account for sensitive emails

A Cautionary Note

Psilocybin mushrooms are very powerful. They are probably best avoided if one is not in good spirits as the experience can be overwhelming. They
should also be avoided at times of illness as they may suppress the immune system. If you use mushrooms alone and encounter difficulties, an
experienced companion can be helpful to sit or take a walk with. If you prefer to wander alone, I would recommend taking a mobile phone, a plastic
water bottle and avoiding traffic. Obviously one should never drive or operate machinery whilst under their influence - it is best to avoid driving until
the following day as one’s own assessment can be deceptive. Be careful not to leave magic mushrooms anywhere where they might be eaten by
children and do not use them during pregnancy.

A gram of dried Liberty Cap should produce strong effects (dry weight is around 14% of fresh weight). If preferred, a liquid extract can be taken after
boiling the mushrooms for a few seconds - best to repeat to extract everything. Taken on an empty stomach the full effects should be reached after an
hour and a half and reasonable normality should return after four or five, although it may not return completely until the following day. Even with
higher doses I haven’t noticed that the effects last much longer. Taking mushrooms after food tends to cause indigestion and will delay the onset of
effects.

In case of adverse effects, have drinking water handy in a plastic cup or bottle. Absolutely no glass. Caffeinateddrinks should be avoided as should
alcohol, cannabis or any other drugs. Psychotic symptoms can be overwhelming but should improve over time if the person is kept calm, ideally with
the minimum of illumination. In this event any future experimentation should be undertaken at a reduced dose.

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