Blackberry guide: where to find, how to cook and recipe ideas

Come late summer and early autumn and you'll find blackberries in abundance across the countryside. Our expert guide on when and where to pick blackberries, how to cook them, storing ideas and the best blackberry recipes

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Published: June 25, 2023 at 10:00 am

Few late summer activities are as typically British as rooting through a hedgerow in search of blackberries. The hardy brambles – blackberry bushes – that grow the plump little fruits thrive anywhere from dense woodlands to wasted shrubbery, making the blackberry extremely common.

Blackberries are a particularly good introduction to foraging, as they are easily recognisable and are relatively simple to pluck. A popular childhood activity, blackberry-picking is a common introduction to foraging for many people – with hands stained purple by blackberry juice and punnets full of delicious fruit to eat as a reward!

Our guide explains how to forage for blackberries in Britain, with a few key details regarding where the tart little fruit can be found and delicious recipe ideas.

Learn more about plants you can eat and how to forage responsibly with our seasonal foraging guide, plus we've rounded up a selection of foraging courses and identification books.

When are blackberries in season?

The first early blackberries start appearing in July in the south of England but August (and summer holidays) is the traditional blackberry month while September and October can also be good picking months depending on the location and weather.

Young blackberries form after the pink-white flowers have been pollinated. They begin as hard green clusters before turning red, then black, swelling all the time. Blackberries are ripe when black, plump and shiny.

Is it safe to eat wild blackberries in the UK?

It is completely safe to eat wild blackberries found in the UK, although it is sensible to pick them away from busy roads where they could become contaminated with pollutants. But not all blackberries taste the same – some will be sweet, others tart or even bitter due to location or possibly subspecies. Part of the fun of blackberrying is that you never know quite what flavours you'll get.

The blackberry should not be confused with the black raspberry, which looks almost identical. The easiest way to tell the difference is by the core. Blackberries will always have a white core, with part of the stem still attached, whereas black raspberries are hollow in the centre as the stem is left behind when picked. Black raspberries are a treat to find though – they are less tart than blackberries and make excellent jams.

What are the best places for picking blackberries

Brambles are usually found in a tangled straggly clump, with prickly, toothed leaves that turn reddish green in the autumn.

Blackberries growing in hedgerow with unripe red berries among the ripe black berries
August and September is the best time to pick blackberries. Here unripe red berries cluster among the juicy ripe black blackberries/Credit: Getty

Brambles are incredibly common and can be found in most woodlands and hedgerows in lowland Britain. Finding the best blackberry patch is a question of trial and error. Some will naturally be sweeter and more flavoursome than others. But all will work well in jams and other recipes.

When picking blackberries, avoid busy roads where the berries could be contaminated by pollutants from cars. Also, be wary of hedgerows bordering fields of crops that might have been sprayed with insecticides and pesticides. It's best to avoid picking blackberries that are low-down on the bush, where they might have been peed on by dogs etc.

Boy reaching out to pick blackberries with hands stained pink with blackberry juice
A walk along a country lane in late summer will offer plenty of opportunities to pick plenty of blackberries – but always be wary of cars and farm vehicles/Credit: Getty

You will often find good crops of blackberries along country lanes but be extremely careful of traffic – only pick in stretches where you and any potential drivers can see for long distances. Avoid picking blackberries on bends.

Lastly, do not completely strip a hedgerow of berries – leave at least half for the local wildlife to enjoy.

Why blackberries are good for wildlife

For many gardeners, brambles are a pain. They have deep roots, grow quickly in summer and dominate hedges and borders if left unchecked. They also have agonising thorns to hurt the unwary – particularly when walking overgrown footpaths. However, the blackberry and its flowers and fruit provide a myriad of habitats and food for a huge variety of wildlife.

Bramble flowers are valuable for a range of bees, hoverflies, butterflies and other pollinators. Brambles belong to the Rubus genus, part of the wider Rosaceae family (roses) and the pale pink flowers resemble those of wild roses.

A metallic green rose chafer beetle on a pale pink blackberry flower
A sensation rose chafer beetle feeds on the nectar of a bramble flower/Credit: Getty

The blackberries themselves are eaten by birds and mammals and provide a vital source of food for those creatures that need to build up their reserves of fat in order to hibernate through the winter. Watch a blackberry bush for any length of time and you'll also see wasps, flies and butterflies drinking from the ripe fruit.

A water vole standing on a rock in a river, eats from a dangling branch of blackberries
A wild water vole reaching up to eat some juicy blackberries/Credit: Getty

Just as importantly, the tangled bramble bushes create dense thickets that provide shelter and nesting sites for small mammals, birds and insects. In woodlands brambles can create a thorny barrier to deer, which would otherwise browse any new tree seedlings. A new tree eventually emerges from the bramble thicket, hopefully too tall to be munched by the deer.

Male bullfinch in bright pink-red plumage eating seeds from shrivelled blackberries
Even deep into autumn, birds such as bullfinches will enjoy the seeds from the shrivelled blackberry fruit/Credit: Getty

Some people even consider the bramble to be a carnivorous plant. Animals with woolly fleeces such as sheep can become trapped on the bramble thorns and die. The decomposing corpse then provides the plant with nutrients for many months ahead. A plausible theory?

How to clean blackberries

Once you've brought your blackberries home, wash well with cold water and leave to soak with a little salt to kill any bugs. Fresh blackberries will last a day or two but blackberries ripen quickly - losing flavour and condition, so if you have a glut to use up it is worth freezing. You can stew with a little sugar and puree, again freezing or keeping in the fridge – or make into a very pleasant bramble jam.

How to freeze blackberries

Blackberries freeze well and can be used throughout winter in crumbles and pies. Freezing them will also help kill any bugs. The best way to freeze the fruit is to spread them out on a trays and freeze before bagging them. This means the individual fruit keep their shape and do not freeze into one big clump. If you have a big harvest of blackberries, freeze them in batches.

Best blackberry recipes

Use up a glut of blackberries with these easy recipes.

How to make blackberry jam

The simplest and most enjoyable way to store blackberries is to make blackberry jam. What better way to enjoy the flavours of summer and autumn all the way to next spring?

A kilner-type jar of blackberry jam with a spoon in it
A little lemon juice in the blackberry jam recipe adds an important tang – and helps it set/Credit: Getty

The simplest recipe requires:
1kg (2.2lb) blackberries
800-900g (2lb) granulated sugar,
juice of 1 lemon.

  1. Simmer the fruit and lemon juice until soft.
  2. Sieve to remove the pips.
  3. Reheat the fruit pulp and stir in the sugar until dissolved.
  4. Boil gently until the jam reaches setting point (place a drop of two of jam on a cold plate and run a finger through it. If the jam 'wrinkles', it will set when cool).
  5. Pour into warm clean jars and seal.

How to make blackberry and apple mini pies

Make these fruity mini pies using freshly foraged blackberries.

Filo pastry pie
Rustle up these easy filo pastry blackberry pie/ Credit: Getty Images

Apple and blackberry crumble squares

Like classic fruit crumble but in a cuttable, transportable bar, these delicious crumble squares are perfect for a summer picnic.

Apple and blackberry crumble squares with drink in glass
These easy-to-make crumble squares are perfect for a summer picnic or hike/ Credit Getty Images

How to make an apple and blackberry sorbet

This fruity sorbet recipe uses golden syrup instead of granulated sugar gives to give it a soft texture. If you can, use blackberries that you’ve picked yourself from the hedgerow – they taste far more intense than the big fat ones you buy in the shops.

Apple and Blackberry Sorbet
This apple and blackberry sorbet is perfect for using up hand picked blackberries/ Credit: Getty Images

How to make a blackberry Cobbler

This simple recipe is quick and easy to make and a great way for all the family to enjoy this season’s blackberries.

Blackberry cobbler (Photo by: peterotoole via Getty Images)
Serve warm with cream, custard or ice cream(Photo by: peterotoole via Getty Images)

How to make blackberry coulis

This blackberry coulis uses only three ingredients and freezes well, making it the perfect recipe to use up the blackberries you’ve picked during the summer months- keep a batch in the freezer and use it as a topping the next time you make pancakes or chocolate fudge cake

Blackberry coulis recipe
Summer blackberry coulis is the perfect topping for ice cream or pancakes (Photo by: Getty Images)

How to make blackberry and apple crumble

This classic crumble is easy to make and a perfect recipe for the late summer months, when hedgerow blackberries are abundant.

Blackberry and apple crumble
Enjoy a classic crumble flavour with this easy and timeless recipe/Credit: Getty

How to make blackberry vinegar

If you love balsamic vinegar you’ll love this recipe – it’s equally useful and extremely cheap to make using blackberries you’ve picked yourself. It's great in salad dressings or used as a cordial to treat colds.

Blackberry vinegar recipe
Home made blackberry vinegar is a great summer alternative to balsamic vinegar/Credit: Getty

How to make blackberry and coconut tray bake

You can find blackberries in hedgerows, in gardens, woodlands and parks to make this easy tray bake.

Blackberry coconut tray bake cut into 12 squares
This blackberry and coconut tray bake puts a modern twist on a classic British ingredient

Blackberry facts: history and folklore

The devil ruins blackberries after Michaelmas

One of the most famous English folk stories states that blackberries should not be picked after Michaelmas Day as the devil has urinated on them, angry after he fell from Heaven onto a blackberry bush. The legend has some truth as wetter and cooler weather in late October often allows the fruit to spoil, but it should not be taken literally – blackberries picked in late October can still be very tasty!

Bramble thorns caused the downfall of one Greek hero

The Greeks enjoyed blackberries and believed them to be a cure for mouth and throat diseases. According to Greek mythology, the hero Belleraphon was thrown into brambles after he dared to ride the Pegasus to Mount Olympus. He was blinded by the thorns in his fall and wandered alone and outcast thereafter.

An old engraving of the devil haunting a hedgerow
An old engraving of the devil haunting a hedgerow/Credit: Getty

Truces were called during the American Civil War to pick blackberries

During the American Civil War, blackberry tea was said to be the best cure for dysentery. Temporary truces were declared throughout the conflict to allow both Union and Confederate soldiers to forage for blackberries. It was not completely successful however, as outbreaks of dysentery still plagued the soldiers throughout the war.

What is the scientific study of blackberries called?

Surprisingly, Batology is the name given to the study of blackberries. Chiropterology is the study of bats. Just to confuse you even further – a batologist is defined as someone who studies blackberries but is also frequently and probably mistakenly used a colloquial and humorous term for someone who studies bats.

Unripe blackberries are red, not green

Blackberry fruit are red in colour, rather than green, before they are ripe. There is an old expression that “blackberries are red when they’re green”.

Tradition also claims that the blackberry’s deep purple colour represents Christ’s blood and the crown of thorns was made of brambles.

What are the health benefits of eating blackberries?

Blackberries are high in Vitamin C, which boosts our immune systems. They may also have a variety of other health-giving properties from antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties to protecting against heart disease and even reducing the risk of cancer. Apparently, eating blackberries can also help you look younger, as blackberries are rich in anti-oxidants that promote the healthy tightening of tissue, making your skin less likely to sag or wrinkle.

But the health benefits of blackberries have long been written about. Not all of them could be said to be scientifically rigorous! According to English folklore, passing under the archway formed by a bramble branch can cure hernias, ruptures, pimples and boils. This has also been used as a remedy for “downer” cows, cows that for whatever reason are unable to stand.

A shiny haul of blackberries cupped in two hands
Fresh blackberries are an excellent source of vitamin C and are thought to have a range of other health benefits/Credit: Getty

Blackberries have also be been used as hair dye with Nicholas Culpeper, an English herbalist from the 1600s, recommended the blackberry leaf to be used as hair dye. He advised that the leaves were to be boiled in a lye solution in order to “maketh the hair black”.

Picking a single juicy fruit from a well-laden bush of blackberries
According to nature writer and foraging expert Richard Mabey, the tastiest berry is the one at the tip of a bunch/Credit: Getty
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