Full-day Foraging Course (multiple locations)

Description

Foraging Experience Days – Sheffield, Huddersfield and Northallerton

I run a number of full-day foraging experiences in Sheffield, Huddersfield and Northallerton between March and November.  This course is designed to be an introduction to foraging focusing on giving you the knowledge and confidence to start and fast-track your foraging journey, but is more in-depth, practical and immersive than a half-day course.  It also comes with a delicious foraged lunch and each participant goes away with a goody bag filled with foraged products!  As always with my courses, children under 12 come free.

The day begins just before 10 AM with a casual and relaxed meet and greet.  We then take a two and a half hour walk (covering one to two miles) around some woodland and grassland, stopping regularly to discuss, gather and/or eat the many edible goodies we find along the way, whether that be plants, flowers, fruits, nuts or mushrooms!  What we’ll find depends on the time of year.  The morning session will cover:

• Finding and discussing over 20 species common across the UK that have food, medicinal and/or bushcraft purposes.  We’ll also be tasting some of the things we find!
• Identification skills to safely identify the plants, flowers, fruits, nuts and mushrooms we come across.
• Foraging laws and principles to ensure you forage safely and responsibly.
• Information about poisonous species to avoid, and how to forage in a way that will ensure you always stay safe and can forage in a way that is fun and enjoyable.

We’ll then have lunch which will include some foraged goodies and may even include some of what we’ve gathered from the morning!

After a delicious taste of the wild, we move on to the afternoon session which includes:

• a practical workshop style session whereby we will forage some wild food and make a snack or preserve for you to take home!
• foraging for non-food uses, such as medicinal uses, and finding natural plant fibres to make your own natural string or rope!
• learning about the amazing life and importance of trees from a foraging perspective.
• going deeper on some of the things we covered in the morning.
• the best and right combination of books to use and how to use them.

We will aim to finish around 4 PM.

Making foraging fun and safe

Foraging is fun, fascinating and fruitful (literally!) and when done properly, you have nothing to fear.  It’s important to realise however that foraging can be dangerous if you approach it with recklessness and without the respect nature deserves.  Staying safe is easier than you think and when done properly, sticking to the principles I will share with you, foraging is as safe as anything, and incredibly rewarding!

Login to nature

The experience perhaps obviously has foraging at its heart, but will also immerse you in nature and facilitate a connection to nature that will lead to many physical and mental health benefits.

I am a huge believer that people and society would benefit enormously from taking a subtle step towards nature and a simultaneous step back from technology and our digital world.  I am not talking about seismic shifts here – I am not talking about “ditching technology” and going back to living in basic shelters in the woods!  Believe me, I love technology and all the incredible benefits it brings, and I love the amazing modern world we live in with all its creature comforts and luxuries.  I’m taking about small, subtle changes and shifts in our mindsets and the way we live our lives.

With this course you will log off your devices and login to nature, tapping into the multitude of benefits it bestows on your physical health, mental health, wellbeing and happiness.

Meeting Point and Parking

A few days before the course date you have booked, I will email you with exact details of where we will meet in the location you have booked, along with any other useful information such as where to park, what to expect etc.  If you book last minute, then as long as you have booked before 6pm the day before I will still email you the details.  If you book after 6pm the day before or even on the day itself, then please message or ring me on 07712 213470 for the details.

Group Bookings and Discounts

If you’d like to arrange a private group booking for friends, family or business, please drop me a message via the contact page or feel free to contact me on 07712 213 470 or [email protected].  Discounts available depend on group size.

I can also run courses in other locations across Yorkshire and other areas of the UK.

FAQ

What if I want to buy this course as a gift?

Simply book using the Gift Voucher option and I will then email you the voucher to give to the recipient.  The recipient can then use the voucher code to book onto the course date of their choice.

Can I bring my dog?

Well-behaved dogs on leads are more than welcome.

Is the route suitable for pushchairs?

There are some areas that will be tricky for a pushchair. A baby carrier would be a better option.

What do I need to bring?

A few days before the course, I will email you a short list of what you need to bring. After the course I will email you a list of everything we talked about on the day; to help you remember what you have learnt.

What if I can’t make it?

If after booking onto a course you change your mind or can’t make it on the day, please let us know as soon as possible and a full refund will be issued, or if you prefer you can simply re-arrange to book onto a different available date.

Course dates for the whole of 2024 are now live!