Foraging and Wild Food
Early Spring Foraging in the UK
Early Spring Foraging in the UK
12th March 2021
How to find wild food in the early months
How to find wild food in the early months
As we head out of a pretty cold and dismal winter it is heartening to see the young buds of spring appearing in the hedgerows and woodlands. For me this is the time for action – the wild food harvest has begun.
People tend to think of ‘the foraging season’ as being from August to October, with the abundance of fruit and fungi that can be found across the UK at that time of year. If you’re one of those people…. then I’m sorry to inform you that you’ve really been missing out.
There are wild edibles to be found in the British countryside year-round, but from early March onwards anyone who calls themselves a forager really has no excuse for NOT being out and hunting down that young growth. Even under the current movement restrictions – you can find something wild, edible and free within walking distance of your front door.
In the video below I outline some tips for where to find these things, and some of the key species that are available in March. There is also an accompanying article over on the UKHillwalking.com website with more information on identification and use of those species.
Spring foraging species in North Wales
Spring foraging species in North Wales
We have been hunting for, using and educating people about wild food in North Wales for well over a decade now. Although it is generally a green and fecund place to live – there are a few species which we don’t really find here, or if we do they are nowhere near as abundant as they are further south in the UK. Below is a starter list for the edible species which we DO find in abundance, but please note that it isn’t an exhaustive list of everything you might find between Chester, Bangor and Bala.
– Ramsons / Allium ursinum
– Dandelion / Taraxacum sp
– Hawthorn / Crataegus monogyna
– Wood Ear / Auricularia auricula-judae
– Opposite-Leaved Golden Saxifrage / Chrysosplenium oppositifolium
– Stinging Nettle / Urtica dioica
– Garlic Mustard / Alliaria petiolata
A Mountain Leader with over a decade of experience across the UK and overseas, Richard is our Lead Instructor and a partner in Original Outdoors. He is a specialist in temperate wilderness skills and the wild foods of the British Isles, and also works as a consultant for various brands and organisations. Richard lives in North Wales.
A Life more Wild.
A Life more Wild.
A Life More Wild is the philosophy which underpins everything we do.
It encompasses practical skills, personal development, community learning and a journey to live more intentionally.
