Sheffield Foraging Course

Description

Spring, Summer and Autumn Foraging Experiences

These are my flagship Introduction to Foraging courses that run in the Sheffield area, focusing on giving you the knowledge and confidence to start and fast-track your foraging journey. Ideal for beginner and intermediate foragers local to Sheffield and other South Yorkshire areas like Rotherham, Barnsley, and Doncaster, as well as those coming from nearby Chesterfield, Nottingham, and the wider Peak District.

There’s something wonderful to discover year-round on our foraging walks, with each month and season offering something unique, such as spring greens, summer fruits and autumnal mushrooms.

“I did the Intro to Foraging 2.5 hour walk in Sheffield, which had been bought for me as a birthday present. It was a really amazing experience – I had no idea that there was so much around us all the time, especially at this time of year. James is a great guide – massively knowledgeable, very personable and flexible enough to be able to comment on the things that the group members spotted while we were out. It’s always great when you can tell that a guide has done this many times before, but they’ve still got huge enthusiasm for telling new people.”
– Mark, Google Review

You can also book a foraging course in Huddersfield, Northallerton or Manchester.

Your foraging course instructor

I’m James, your qualified foraging course instructor and guide. My story page will tell you more about me and my journey of setting up The Forager Within, a business I created to connect people to nature and reap the physical and mental health benefits foraging brings into your life.

Course options at a glance

	Half-Day Course	Full-Day Course
Price	£35	£85
Time	10:00am-12:30pm	10:00am-4:00pm
Includes	• Morning guided foraging walk • Learning 15-20 species • Toxic species identification • Foraging laws & safety • Wild food samples • Follow-up email	Everything in Half-Day PLUS: • Foraged lunch experience* • 10+ additional edible species • Medicinal and bushcraft applications • The importance of trees when foraging • Walk-through of foraging books
Distance	1-2 miles	3-4 miles
Ideal For	• First-time foragers • Intermediates seeking a refresher • Short wild food experience	• Beginners wanting a comprehensive introduction • Intermediates seeking further knowledge • Those seeking an experience day

Both courses include the same morning session. Children under 12 come free with advance notice, and well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome. 

*We can accommodate gluten-free, vegan, and a few other dietary requirements.

Course reviews

 

What to expect

For the half-day course (and first half of the full-day course), we’ll take a 2.5-hour guided foraging walk (covering 1 to 2 miles), stopping regularly to discuss (and where possible, eat!) the many edible goodies we find along the way, whether that be foliage, flowers, fruits, nuts or mushrooms! What we’ll find depends on the time of year. The route is mostly flat until the end of June; from July to November I move to a different area which is slightly hillier, but we always go at a slow and steady pace.

The main focus will be foraging for wild food, but we will also touch upon medicinal or “bushcraft” uses if relevant to what we find.

Half-Day Course (and first part of the Full-Day) will include:

• A brief introduction to myself and foraging in general.
• Finding and discussing around 15 – 20 species common across the UK.
• How to identify the species we come across.
• Information about toxic species to avoid.
• Foraging laws and principles to ensure you forage legally, safely and responsibly.
• Trying a couple of pre-prepared wild food-based samples!
• A follow-up email to participants with a summary of the species we found and other useful information such as my recommended books for further reading.

 

When the half-day course ends, the full-day course continues, if there is one scheduled.

Full-Day Course: lunch and afternoon session (12:30pm-4pm)

The second-half of the full-day course starts with a 2 to 3 course lunch containing many foraged goodies, and may even include some of what we’ve gathered from the morning!

We can accommodate gluten-free, vegan, and a few other dietary requirements. Please respond to my confirmation email closer to the course date with your specific dietary needs.

After a delicious taste of the wild lunch, the learning and walking continue in the afternoon and includes:

• A practical walk-through of my favourite foraging books and how best to use them.
• Finding and discussing at least 10 further species common across the UK that have food uses.
• Foraging for non-food uses, such as medicinal uses and/or finding natural plant fibres to make your own string or rope!
• Learning about “forest bathing” and the importance of trees from a foraging perspective.
• Going deeper on some of the topics we covered in the morning, including identification skills and toxicity.

 

Across the full-day course we will cover 3 to 4 miles. In wet weather, it is important to ensure you have waterproofs, but for the lunch part of the day, a tarp shelter is normally provided if it is raining heavily.

In addition to these full-day public courses, I also offer private foraging experiences for groups that can be tailored to your needs. Having worked in the wine industry I can even throw in my unique “wild food and wine tasting” option if you really wanted to spice things up!

An example of what you could learn

Making foraging fun and safe

Foraging is fun and fascinating, with so many benefits it’s unbelievable. It’s as safe as anything when approached with the right level of caution, awareness, and knowledge. It’s important to realise however that foraging can be dangerous IF you approach it with a lack of caution (recklessness), and/or a lack of awareness of the risks and without the respect nature deserves. During the course, I will show you how to approach foraging in a way whereby you don’t just minimise but eliminate all risks, so you are free to enjoy the many benefits that foraging brings into your life – and there are many!

Log in to nature

Humans have been foraging as a way to survive for hundreds of thousands of years. Before farming, this was how we survived – finding what nature provided in harmony with the seasons and the land. This period before farming forms over 95 per cent of our existence as a species, so to our brains and bodies, wild food foraging is incredibly natural – this is one of the reasons it feels so good!

Foraging is one of the best ways to disconnect from our busy modern lives of emails, social media and technology, and reconnect with nature and our ancestral roots. During our foraging walks, we will log off from the modern world and log in to nature!

Meeting point and parking

A few days before the course date you have booked is due to start, I will email you with exact details of where we will meet in the Sheffield area, along with any other useful information such as where to park, what to expect etc. If you book last minute such as the day before, then as long as you have booked before 6pm the day before then 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, club/community group, or business, then feel free to contact me on 07712 213470 or email me at [email protected]. Discounts available depend on group size.

I run private courses anywhere in Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, County Durham, Tyne and Wear, and potentially other areas of the UK – please contact me to check if I can do your location if outside of the areas just mentioned.

FAQ

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

Book using the Gift Voucher option, and I will email you the voucher to give to the recipient. The recipient can then use the voucher code to book the course date of their choice. Vouchers are valid for at least one year from the date of purchase. The expiry date is just the date by which you need to book, not necessarily the date you need to attend the course by.

What’s the best time of year to go on a foraging course?

When I’m running the courses from March to November, there is no “best” time to come as they are all good, just for different reasons. Each month and season offers things that are unique to that month and season, so if you are interested in learning foraging in general, then any course in any month will be equally good.

That said, if you are particularly interested in things that can be used in salads and as vegetables, Spring and early Summer are best. If you are interested in learning about mushrooms specifically (and aren’t bothered about much else), then Autumn (September – November) is best.

Do you run mushroom foraging courses?

While I don’t run mushroom-specific courses, mushrooms will heavily dominate any course from September to November, and there is a massive mushroom focus during those times. Those fascinated by fungi or wanting to learn mainly mushrooms will not be disappointed with the courses I run in the Autumn. They are basically “mushroom foraging courses”, but ones where I also mention a handful of other non-mushroom related species that are of interest at that time.

Can I bring my dog?

Well-behaved dogs on leads are more than welcome.

Is the route suitable for pushchairs?

Some areas 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 summary of the species we found to help you remember what you have learned.

What if I change my mind or can’t make it?

If you change your mind after booking a course 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 re-arrange to book on a different available date.