Foraging Walks & Courses 2025…
Spring Herbs Foraging & Fermentation
We will begin the morning at Conham River Park near the Avon, learning about the spring herbal medicines and foods growing all around us. The focus will be on medicinal plants that support digestion and nourish our microbiome. We will then head to St Annes House Community Hub in Brislington for lunch.
In the afternoon we will make medicines. Annwen and Becs will take you through making herbal bitters and a herbal fermented drink. Martin has years of experience making wonderful wild foraged ferments so will lead you in making a delicious ferment for you to take home. The afternoon session will also give us a chance to discuss the topics of the day in more detail, and for us to answer any questions you might have.
You will go away with a herbal digestive bitter tonic, your own fermented food, and a herbal fermented drink.
We will provide a delicious seasonal lunch including plenty of exciting fermented dishes to sample. It will be vegan and include gluten free options.
Cost: £110, £95, £85 sliding scale depending on income
Booking and further information: here
Coastal / Estuary Walks ~
Clevedon, North Somerset, 12th & 26th April, May 24th, June 7th- 10.00am-1.30pm (approximate end time)
Concessionary rate available on request (please send me a message)
Discover and eat some of the delicious wild edibles growing in coastal and salt marsh habitats, plants which shaped the lives of our hunter-gatherer forefathers and the menus of many a gourmet chef today! We’ll search for Sea Asters, Sea Arrow Grass, Sea Radish, Scurvy Grass, Sea Spinach, Rock Samphire and many more wonderful species. You’ll find out ways in which you can turn your foraged herbs and succulent sea veg into scrumptious meals and delightful condiments for use all year round. These walks are popular so don’t delay, book today!
12th April Walk £40 –
26th April Walk £40 –
24th May Walk £40 –
7th June Walk £40 –
Spring Greens & Mushroom Walk
Bristol, Saturday 19th April, 10.15am-1.15pm
Concessionary rate available on request (please send me a message)
Exploring woodland shoots, leaves and fungi which appear at this time of year. Learn to safely identify each species and know where to look to find them. I’ll also give you some tasty recipes and culinary ideas to get you inspired in the kitchen. This is a one off event and surely not to be missed if you’re keen to explore spring mushrooms and wild greens. I’m excited to be teaching this walk as it’s a first for me too! Wild food picnic with spring pickles and ferments plus drinks will be provided.
April 19th Walk £40 –
Spring Greens & Fungi Foraging Walk
Eastville Park, Bristol – Saturday 29th March – 10.30am-1.30pm (approximate end time)
Concessionary rate available on request (please send me a message)
Discover seasonal wild plants and fungi that can be foraged during Springtime. Learn what’s good to eat, as well as what not to eat, plus take home delicious recipe ideas with which to impress your friends. There’ll be a chance to taste leaves and shoots foraged along the way and create your own wild herb infusions…I’ll also bring along a few wild food nibbles to inspire you. Plants we can expect to see include Nettles, Wild Garlic, Ground Elder, Hawthorn and Cleavers. Mushrooms may include Wood Ear and Turkey Tail Mushrooms.
FULLY BOOKED
Seaweeds & Coastal Walk
Gower, Wales – Sunday 28th June, 12.30pm – 3.30pm
Concessionary rate available on request (please send me a message)
An introduction to some of my favourite very common seaweeds. Looking at how we can incorporate them into our cooking in broths, dry fried, dried and powdered, fermented or pickled. We’ll talk about other ways seaweeds can be used harnessing their amazing medicinal and nutritional properties. There will also be focus on some fantastic coastal dwelling plants living on or near the beach. These can be used in pickles, ferments, salads, risottos and much more. These have always been super-inspiring days and in a very beautiful location. Wild food picnic with ferments, pickles, sourdough and drinks will be provided on the walk.
June 28th Walk £40 –
Autumn Park Walk
Eastville Park, Bristol, Saturday 13th September, 10.30am -1.30pm
Concessionary rate available on request (please send me a message)
On this autumn foraging adventure you’ll discover numerous delicious wild edibles. We will look at leaves, seeds, berries and fruit which can be foraged around this time of year and learn what how to prepare, preserve and cook with them. There will also be discussion about the medicinal uses of plants, many of which can be used to help support our immune system going forward into the Winter months. This is a truly wonderful time of year as, alongside autumn’s offerings, many plants have a second flush of spring-like new growth. This makes it an exciting time to get outdoors and see what’s occurring in your local green spaces
September 13th Walk £40 –
Bristol Mushroom ID Walks
Bristol (Location likely just west of Bristol) – Fridays 14th & 21st, 28th November, Saturday December 6th & Sunday December 7th – 9.45pm-1.15pm (approximate end time) *Note: Due to the unpredictable nature of fungi, walks locations will not be decided until very near each date.
Concessionary rate available on request (please send me a message)
On our mushroom identification walks we will look at numerous topics including safe identification of gourmet grassland and woodland fungi, what clues to look for when getting to know mushrooms, preferred habitats of different species, what to eat and what not to eat, how to forage responsibly, foraging and the law, medicinal properties of fungi and much more. We will provide a delicious picnic with wild ferments and pickles, wild spiced hummus, mushroom pâté or similar dips, sourdough bread….and hot wild herb tea to warm your soul!
*Note: These walks will be very close to Bristol, on a bus route and with car parking. Also take not that these are identification walks and we will not be picking specimens.
November 14th £60 –
November 21st Walk £60 –
November 28th Walk £60 –
December 6th Walk £60 –
December 7th Walk £60 –
Quantocks Mushroom Walks
26th September, 3rd & 19th October, 2nd November. Walk timings – 10.30am-1.30pm
Concessionary rate available on request (please send me a message)
Note: Lift shares may be a possibility. Please let me know if you need or can offer a lift.
On our mushroom identification walks we will look at numerous topics including safe identification of gourmet grassland and woodland fungi, what clues to look for when getting to know mushrooms, preferred habitats of different species, what to eat and what not to eat, how to forage responsibly, foraging and the law, medicinal properties of fungi and much more. Mushrooms we often see on these days include parasols, amanitas, boletes, wax caps, puffballs and medicinal mushrooms. We will provide a delicious picnic with wild ferments and pickles, wild spiced hummus, mushroom pâté or similar dips, sourdough bread….and hot wild herb tea to warm you and keep you well.
September 26th Walk £60 –
October 3rd Walk £60 –
October 19th Walk £60 –
November 2nd Walk £60 –
Wild Food Forage and Feast
Forest of Dean – Saturday 25th October, 10.30am-5.30pm location given only after booking.
Concessionary rate available on request (please send me a message)
Join us for a whole day of foraging for autumn fungi and wild herbs. Enjoy a forager’s lunch cooked back at base, a very special event space surrounded by wonderful woodlands. We’ll enjoy pickles, fermented mushroom kimchi, krauts, wild spiced dips and other condiments with our meal, cooked over an open fire. Lunch time will be a valuable opportunity to ask any foraging related questions you might have. We’ll also lay out specimens we’ve gathered and use books and mushroom keys to help identify them. As with other foraging walks discussion will focus around numerous topics including; what clues to look for when foraging for mushrooms and plants, preferred habitats of different species, what to eat and what not to eat, how to forage responsibly and the wonderful medicinal and nutritional properties of mushrooms and plants. I will of course also give you some ideas for turning your foraged ingredients into tasty meals, condiments and drinks!
Exact location given only after booking and near the time of walk.
Note: Gift vouchers may be used in part payment for these events.
October 25th Walk £95 per person –
Medicinal mushroom walk
Concessionary rate available on request (please send me a message)
Bristol – Saturday 11th October 10.00am – 1.00pm
*Note: Location TBC near the time and after booking. All these walks will have car parking but I can’t guarantee they will be on bus routes, or easy to cycle to.
Learn about common medicinal fungi and their historical and cultural uses as medicine. We’ll discuss current scientific research into health benefits of mushrooms such as turkey tail and birch polypore. You’ll come away being confident in being able to identify several or more species of woodland fungi you can make your own medicine with. There will be mushroomy drinks to enjoy on this walk and mushroom tasters too!
October 11th Walk £60 –
Hampshire Mushroom Walks
Near Ringwood – Saturday 18th October – 10.30am – 2pm (approximate end time) *Note: Due to the unpredictable nature of fungi, walks locations will not be decided until very near each date. You will need to travel by car to these walks.
Concessionary rate available on request (please send me a message)
Note: Lift shares may be a possibility. Please let me know if you need or can offer a lift.
On our mushroom hunts we will look at safe identification of gourmet woodland fungi, what clues to look for when hunting for mushrooms, including preferred habitats of different species, what to eat and what not to eat, how to forage responsibly, wonderful medicinal and nutritional properties of fungi, plus I will give you some ideas for turning your foraged ingredients into tasty meals, condiments and drinks! These mushroom walks are relatively accessible if driving from London, Bristol etc.
18th October Walk £60 –
Qi Gong classes
Bristol, Starting early 2025….Watch this space!
I’m overjoyed to announce that I’ll be teaching Zhan Zhuang AKA Standing like a Tree Qi Gong classes from April. Cultivating energy through stillness and gentle movements we deepen our connection to the natural world. Afterwards, we’ll explore our surroundings with a renewed sense of awareness, appreciation and child-like curiosity. This ancient art sits perfectly with foraging and is incredibly beneficial for overall health. Sessions will take place outdoors, in amongst the trees ~ the perfect place to practise this ancient and wonderful art.
Please drop me a message if you’d like to come, or if you wish to know more! Sessions will run most weeks and will be on a donation basis. Suggested donation being £8 per session.
