The UK’s hedgerows and woodlands are full of deliciously wild foods so, as foraging is free in Woodland Trust woods, why not try picking some tasty treats for a picnic, or gathering some super-fresh ingredients to take home and use in a meal that will set you up for your next adventure?
Ubiquitous blackberries are ripening now, so brave the brambles to pick the blackest and best; add a slug of cream for a decadent woodland dessert. Autumn elderberries will make a tangy chutney, while damsons, crab apples and hawthorn berries are great for jams. Hazelnuts can be munched on the move, or used later in cakes and spreads.
Collect a clutch of penny buns, or ceps, to whip up a nutty stroganoff, or hunt for chanterelles, the perfect match for pasta. Lastly, as a reward for all your hard work, add some rose hips, rowan or sloe berries to your basket: all prime ingredients for a potent, homemade tipple.
Collect with care
Only gather leaves, wild flowers, fruits and seeds when they’re in abundance, and be sure to only take mushrooms that have opened their caps. Avoid foraging at the roadside, never pick whole plants or protected species, and learn which plants and fungi may be harmful to humans by investing in a good field guide before you go.
For more foraging tips and wild food recipes, head to woodlandtrust.org.uk/foraging
