Foraging is a fantastic thing to do whilst camping and has a number of benefits:
- The food you find is free.
- Brings alive the countryside/city around you.
- Good exercise.
- The food has not been sprayed with pesticides.
- Some wild foods are packed with more vitamins and more minerals than commercially grown goods.
- Allows you to eat with the seasons.
- Free and fun exercise with the kids.
- Makes menus more interesting.
Whilst we may not be able to let you know everything you can eat in the wild, we will try to guide you on the main food items available.
To ensure that you can plan the food you need to take, you must be aware of the foods that are available to you in the wild. We will also try and guide you on the most renewable methods for foraging.
The best way to begin foraging is to search for foods that you recognise, such as carrots, parsnips, blackberries, apples, and garlic. These are good examples of vegetables and fruits that can be taken straight from the countryside into the supermarket.
Food Items to Forage
- Mushrooms
- Chanterelle
- Puffball
- Wild Fruit
- Apples
- Pears
- Fish
- Rod fishing
- Shellfish
- Crabs
- Crayfish
- Game
- Rabbit
- Squirrel
- Roman Snails
- Small Grey Snails
- Root vegetables
- Leaf vegetables
Things to Consider when Foraging
- Only ever pick or catch things you are familiar with, many plants and fungi can be poisonous. Eating the wrong thing can be fatal.
- Try and pick/hunt responsibly. Only take what you need and leave enough so that the item can re-grow. If items are rare or endangered do not take them at all.
- Do not pick items which grow near roads, or at the edge of fields that may have been sprayed with pesticides, as they may be polluted.
- The more you forage, the more rewarding it will become. Research into recipes (like the one below), classes, and more diverse food types. Also, speak to other foragers to gain tips and invaluable local information.
- Please be considerate to other peoples land and property when foraging, always research public rights of way to ensure you’re not trespassing or stealing.
Recipe Ideas
Wild Mushroom Sauce
- 300g fresh wild mushrooms, trimmed
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large shallots, diced
- 1 clove of garlic, diced
- ½ tbsp thyme, chopped
- 3 tbsp wine preferably Madeira
- 200ml stock
- Wipe the mushrooms clean, trim their stems, and slice thickly.
- Heat a frying pan and add the shallots and garlic. Fry for 3 minutes or until soft and golden, then increase the heat slightly, mix in the mushrooms and thyme, and season. Fry briskly for 3 minutes or until they begin to wilt, then stir in the wine. Allow the mixture to bubble, then add the stock and reduce by the heat by half.
- Place the steaks on a plate and spoon over the mushroom sauce. Serve immediately.