Foraging Experiences in Cumbria
Foraging plus something indulgent: forage with me, then sit back while I cook what we’ve found, or warm up in a sauna.
Some days you want to learn something. Some days you want a proper day out, the kind you’re still talking about a month later. Why not both? Foraging Experiences are built for exactly that: a guided forage with me, then something extra on top that turns it into an occasion.
You’ll still learn plenty. We forage properly, I show you how to identify what we find and what it can be confused with, and then you get to taste it, cooked right in front of you. Lots of people who start on one of my walks come back for these, and they make a brilliant day out for two or a present for someone who has everything.
Choose your experience
Fungi & Fire
An autumn forage through the woods for wild fungi and plants, then I cook our finds over the fire while you watch. Add a sauna to finish, if you like.
The winter gathering
A bigger get-together in the depths of winter, built around a forage and good food. Dates to follow.
Seasonal one-offs
New ideas through the year, each one pairing a forage with something that makes it an occasion. The newsletter hears about them first.
What you’ll learn
- How to identify the wild plants and fungi we find, and the look-alikes to avoid
- How to forage ethically: how much to take, and what to leave alone
- How each find has traditionally been used, shared for interest
- How to cook and use what you’ve foraged, so you can do it again at home
What’s included
- A guided forage with me, in a small group
- Food cooked by me, often with the day’s finds. Each listing says what’s on the menu
- Whatever extras the listing includes
- Optional add-ons, like a sauna, chosen when you book
Why learn with me
I’m Bex Northman, a Member of the Association of Foragers. I teach foraging and herbal remedy making across Cumbria, Northumberland and the Scottish Borders. I started foraging because I wanted better food for my family. Picked from the right places, wild plants haven’t been sprayed, and they give you a far wider range of plants and flavours than the same few crops that fill the supermarket shelves.
I’m not a medical herbalist, and I won’t pretend to be. What I teach is practical: the plants, the traditional methods, and the confidence to make it again at home.
On these days the food is half the point. I cook what we’ve found right there with you, so you taste exactly why it’s worth learning.
Mushroom walk
“A great presentation and a very interesting walk around the woods investigating the local mushrooms, very informative and a lovely cook up at the end.”
Ian, Facebook recommendation
Practical details
- How long: an afternoon or an evening. Each listing gives its start and finish times.
- Where: woodland in Cumbria and Northumberland. Each date below lists its venue.
- Group size: small, so there’s room round the fire and time for everyone’s questions.
- What to bring: sturdy waterproof footwear, warm layers and a waterproof jacket. Each listing adds anything else, such as your own mug.
- Dietary needs and allergies: tell me when you book, so I can plan the food.
- Ages: each experience gives its own age guidance.
- Weather: experiences go ahead in most weather, so dress for it. If conditions are dangerous, I’ll cancel and offer you a full refund or a place on another date.
- Prices and spaces: shown on each date below, with add-ons chosen when you book. Concessionary places are available on selected dates.
Next experience dates
Prices and spaces are shown on each date.
Folk, Fire & Foraging Fungi: A Samhain Afternoon of Mushrooms, Fireside Folk Song & Woodland Sauna
November 1 @ 12:30 PM - 5:00 PM at Langley TracksKraut, Kimchi & Kombucha: Festive Ferments
November 8 @ 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM at Langley Tracks
No dates showing? New experiences go up through the year. Join the newsletter to hear about them first.
Where next
Go deeper
Masterclasses
A full day on one subject, such as wild mushrooms or hedgerow herbs. For when you want the knowledge behind the feast.
Make it yours
Private Walks & Gift Vouchers
A private walk for your family, friends or team, the Ultimate Wild Retreat, or a gift voucher, with Bex’s famously mouth-watering cooking.
More questions? Read the FAQs →
Foraging safety. Never eat a wild plant or fungus unless you’re completely certain what it is. Many fungi are poisonous, and some look very like edible ones. On the day, only taste what I’ve identified and prepared. Any traditional uses we talk about are shared for educational purposes only. Wild & Weeds does not provide medical advice, and Bex is not a medical herbalist. If you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or have a health condition, consult a healthcare professional before eating or using any wild plant or fungus. Read our Terms and Conditions →