Foraging in Britain
Monthly foraging guide
Our beginner's guide to foraging in Britain explains what you can gather in hedgerows, woodlands, along the coast and in the countryside. Learn how to forage responsibly and safely, what's in season each month and where to find it, plus recipe ideasDecember foraging guide: best foods to find and recipe ideas
Eager foragers should head to the coast in winter – December is one of the best times to find a fabulous feast, including shellfish and tasty greens
The best mushroom identification books of 2024
Forage for fungi confidently with our pick of the best mushroom identification books.
The best foraging gifts for 2024: the art of identifying, gathering and bringing wild food home
Shop for the forager in your life, if they love bringing food from the hedgerow to the kitchen table.
When does autumn start? Here's everything you need to know about the golden season
Autumn is a vibrant season of colour, woodland stomps and hot chocolates. But when does autumn start? And what are the first signs to look for?
Elderberry guide: where to find, health benefits and recipe ideas
Late summer and early autumn are the perfect seasons for heading into the British countryside in search of elderberries. Learn how to identify, where to find, the health benefits and how to cook elderberries with our expert guide.
Blackberry guide: where to find, how to cook and recipe ideas
In late summer and early autumn you'll find blackberries in abundance across the countryside. Here's everything you need to know about these little fruits, including when and where to pick blackberries, how to cook them, storing ideas and the best blackberry recipes.
Garlic mustard: where to find this delicious plant, what it tastes like and how to use it
All you need to know about the tasty plant garlic mustard
Nettle guide: where to find it, how to pick safely and recipe ideas
Your beginner's guide to foraging for nutritious nettles, with tips on how to pick to avoid the sting, plus some delicious recipes you'll want to try today.
April foraging: Best plants to find and how to use them
Spring is finally here – and with it comes longer days, warmer temperatures and blooming flowers. It's a great month to be outside, not only for spotting wild things but for gathering them, too. Find out what to forage in the UK this month how to do it responsibly.
Wild garlic guide: where to find, how to use and recipe ideas
Spring is the perfect time to go foraging for this versatile and pungent plant, which can be whipped up into a delicious soup or pesto. BBC Countryfile Magazine's expert guide explains where to find it, how to forage it responsibly and how to cook it, before revealing some of our favourite wild garlic recipe ideas.
Best foraging courses in the UK
Interested in learning how to forage for plants, mushrooms and berries in the British countryside? Here is our pick of the best foraging courses from across Britain to help you learn the skills you need to get started safely.
August foraging guide: best foods to find and recipe ideas
In August, the British countryside is filled with edible berries, mushrooms, flowers and leaves – learn how to identify and cook them with our guide to foraging in August.
July foraging guide: best foods to find and recipe ideas
Come July, the countryside is alive with edible wild plants. Here’s our expert guide on what to look out for when foraging in July, along with recipe suggestions.
September foraging guide: best foods to find and recipe ideas
Make the most of the late summer bounty found in Britain's woodlands and hedgerows. Here is our expert guide on the best nuts, seeds and berries to forage for in September.
Elderflower guide: how to identify, where to find it and elderflower recipes
Creamy white elderflowers can be found across the UK's trees and hedgerows in late spring and transformed into homemade elderflower cordial that's better than any shop-bought version. Our expert guide to picking elderflowers reveals all you need to know.
June foraging guide: best foods to find and recipe ideas
Our expert guide on the best foods to forage for in June, how to forage responsibly and tasty recipe ideas
British wild mushroom and fungi guide: how to identify and where to find
The UK's woods, riverbanks and meadows are home to roughly 15,000 species of wild mushrooms. Find out how to identify the most common species found in Britain, plus essential safety tips on which mushrooms are edible or poisonous with our British fungi guide.
Podcast: A quest for rare wildflowers in the Avon Gorge – with Mike Dilger
Join Mike Dilger and the Plodcast team for a trip into the perilous Avon Gorge in search of some of Britain's rarest wildflowers
March foraging guide: best plants to find and recipe ideas
March heralds the start of spring and while the weather can still be chilly (or very warm!), early spring greens such as wild garlic and violets are starting to wake. Here is our expert guide to the edible plants you can forage for in March.
February foraging guide: best foods to find and recipe ideas
Despite the cold weather, there's plenty of wild foods to be looking out for in the garden and in the countryside. Here's our expert guide on how and what to forage for in February in Britain.
The best foraging books to buy
Begin your foraging journey with some expert guidance. Here's our pick of the best books on foraging in the UK to buy now.
Yarrow guide: how to identify, yarrow benefits and recipe ideas
What is yarrow, what are its benefits, and how do you identify it? Our beginner's guide to foraging yarrow includes answers all these questions, plus recipe ideas such as how to make yarrow tea and yarrow syrup.
Crab apple guide: how to identify, when to pick and crab apple recipes
Learn how to identify crab apples, when and how to forage them, and delicious crab apple recipes – including how to make crab apple jelly – with forager and chef Rachel Lambert.
Pineapple weed guide: how to identify, medicinal benefits and recipes
Find out more about this hardy plant – including how to identify it, how to make pineapple weed tea and other recipe ideas – with our forager's guide to pineapple weed.