The best foraging weekends: UK hotspots for forest-to-fork dining

Tudor Farmhouse, Gloucestershire

The Tudor Farmhouse in Gloucestershire runs several different foraging experiences, from a group day trip and lunch (yours for just £60) to private foraging (for groups of up to four) and overnight stays. The latter comes with a foraged lunch, dinner and bed in one of the farmhouse’s gorgeous rooms.

The foraging trips are led by in-house expert Raoul van Den Broucke and take place in the Forest of Dean. Here, you’ll leave the beaten track to find the picks of the season, from edible mushrooms and wild garlic to sorrel, sea beat and marsh samphire.

If you do stay over, we recommend the Hen, Cockerel or Suite rooms which, as well as boasting wooden beams and other period features, come with free-standing roll-top bathtubs – ideal for soaking muscles after a day spent being a hunter-gatherer.

PRICE: £350 per couple (lunch, dinner and overnight stay)

The Small Holding Farm and Kitchen, Kent

The Small Holding, a kitchen and farm in the village of Kilndown, Kent, has recently launched a day-long foraging experience, led by chef and owner Will Devlin. The day begins with coffee and homemade pastries, then guests pull on wellies and head out for a walking tour of the farm.

You’ll learn about the various fruits and vegetables grown on site and get to feed the farm's pigs and chickens. Then, it’s time to venture into the woods and fields – led by Will – to pick the ingredients of the season, be they berries, wild garlic, cobnuts or mushrooms.

Once back at The Small Holding, you’ll be greeted with a glass of award-winning Squerryes’ English sparkling wine, before sitting town to a five-course Half Acre tasting menu. While there are no rooms available on site, The Small Holding team recommend the nearby Bramley House Bed & Breakfast (available to book on Airbnb) for those looking to make a weekend of it. Rooms start at £70 per night and include a full English breakfast in the morning as well as access to the property’s pretty, secluded garden.

PRICE: £145 per person for foraging and dining only

School of Artisan Food, Nottinghamshire

A day spent at the School of Artisan Food in Nottinghamshire is a chance to forage in the Sherwood Forest then cook your own finds back in the school's kitchen. Trips are led by professional forager James Wood and take place on the grounds of Welbeck Estate. Unlike many foraging courses, which see students pick the foods they eat then hand them over to the resident chef, the School of Artisan Food is all about arming its pupils with the skills and confidence to source and cook wild foods again at home.

The day-long course begins with a breakfast of wild teas, coffee and scones served with wild jams, before grabbing a forager’s basket and heading out. You’ll spend the remainder of the morning wandering around the grounds of the estate harvesting foragable goods. All the while, James will explain how each can be used in a variety of recipes and, fundamentally, help you avoid picking up dangerous look-alikes.

If you get peckish or thirsty along the way (and let’s face it, with food on the brain all morning, who wouldn’t?), fear not: a selection of pre-made jams, pickles, cordials and even alcohol infusions can be sampled as you forage. Once back at the school, the afternoon is then spent cooking up a storm with the wild ingredients you found. It doesn’t matter how up-to-scratch your culinary skills are – from sorting and cleaning to chopping, boiling and baking, you’ll be given as much guidance as you need.

Those who’ve enjoyed the experience so much they don’t want to leave could book onto one of the school’s cocktail-making evenings, where you’ll learn how to infuse your tipples with edible flowers. Finally, while you can’t stay overnight at the school, the team recommend quaint nearby guesthouse The Barns (rooms from £75 per night) or Muthu Clumber Park Hotel & Spa (rooms from £154) for those looking to extend their time in the forest.

PRICE: £145 per person for foraging, cooking and dining only

Fat Hen, Cornwall

Led by former ecological consultant Caroline Davey and chef Justin Ashton, foraging excursions with Fat Hen wild cookery school in Cornwall offer a whole three days of foraging, fishing, cooking and feasting. It’s one of the more diverse foraging experiences our there, too, thanks to its setting in West Penwith, which boasts both fields full of wood sorrel and hogweed, and shores carpeted with edible seaweed.

Day one is spent foraging with Caroline, who takes you around her favourite foraging locations in West Cornwall. The following day is spent on a fishing boat with Justin and is a chance to experience the thrill of catching your own fish. Finally, day three is spent in the kitchen, where Justin and his team teach you how to turn your finds into a delicious ‘foraged and fished’ supper.

While accommodation is not included in the course price, Fat Hen has an onsite holiday cottage, The Old Wash House, and a second summer property, Gwenmenhir, which are available to book.

It’s also worth noting that if you can’t commit to the full three days, Fat Hen also offers forage and feast days for as little as £65; foraging walks and canapés for £55; and a vegan wild cookery course for £125.

In short, there's no excuse not to get out there and try sourcing your own supper once in a while.

PRICE: £350 per person