Foraging Masterclasses in Cumbria: One-Day Foraging & Herbal Courses
A foraging masterclass is a full day on one subject, from wild mushrooms to hedgerow herbs, so you go home able to do it yourself.
A two-hour walk or workshop gives you a taste. But what if you want to properly know one subject, well enough to go out on your own? That takes time with someone who knows it, and that’s what a foraging masterclass is.
Each one is a full day on a single subject, in a small group, outdoors in woodland or on the coast and hands-on throughout. We go slowly, we look closely, and there’s time for every question. They suit people who’ve been on a walk or workshop and want to go further, and keen beginners who’d rather spend a whole day learning properly.
Choose your foraging masterclass
Wild mushrooms
A full day learning to find and identify wild mushrooms: where and when to look, the features that tell one species from another, the dangerous look-alikes, and how to pick responsibly. For anyone searching for a proper mushroom foraging course in Cumbria.
Hedgerow herbal
A full day on the plants of the hedgerow: identifying them, what they’ve traditionally been used for, and how to make your own herbal preparations from them to take home.
Forage & Ferment
Foraging and fermenting in one day. Learn to find and identify wild plants, then the traditional techniques for fermenting and keeping what you’ve gathered.
Baskets & Foraging
A day of two traditional skills: foraging, and making a basket of your own to take home.
What you’ll learn
- How to identify your subject with confidence, using several features, never just one
- The look-alikes to know, and the golden rule: if you’re not certain, leave it
- Where and when to look, through the seasons
- How to pick sustainably and within the law, so there’s plenty left for wildlife and next year
- What to do with what you gather once you’re home
What’s included
- A full day of small-group teaching with me
- Anything you make on the day, to take home
- Answers by email afterwards, if a question comes up once you’re home
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 a Masterclass you get a whole day with me, so there’s time to go slowly, ask everything and practise until it sticks. I run some Masterclasses with my friends at Wild Roots Foraging, who take the bookings for those dates. I teach the day either way.
Courses and walks
“Have done a few courses and walks with Bex at Wild & Weeds and she is so knowledgeable and passionate about foraging wild food that it is really infectious. Doing these courses has massively improved my confidence in foraging and using my finds and I absolutely love it.”
Jeni, Facebook recommendation
Practical details
- How long: a full day. Each date lists its times.
- Where: woodland and coastal sites across Cumbria, Northumberland and the Scottish Borders. Each date below lists its venue.
- Group size: small, so everyone gets hands-on help.
- What to bring: sturdy footwear and a waterproof jacket, because Cumbria’s weather changes quickly. A water bottle, and a basket or bag. Each listing says whether lunch is included.
- Allergies: tell me when you book, and I’ll let you know if a day suits you.
- Under-18s: each date gives its own age guidance.
- Prices and spaces: shown on each date below.
- Booking: most dates book here. Dates I run with Wild Roots Foraging have a “Book via Wild Roots” button and are booked on their site, at their price.
Next Masterclass dates
Educational only, not medical advice. Please read the note at the foot of this page before you book.
Prices and spaces are shown on each date.
No dates showing? New Masterclasses go up through the year. Join the newsletter to hear when the next one opens.
Where next
Make it yours
Private Walks
A day planned around you: for two, for a celebration or for your team, at a pace and place that suits you.
Give a day as a gift
Gift Vouchers
A Masterclass, a walk or a workshop makes a gift that’s remembered.
More questions? Read the FAQs →
Foraging safety. Plant and mushroom identification on my courses is given in good faith, but you’re responsible for your own identification. Never eat a wild plant or mushroom unless you’re 100% certain what it is. If in doubt, leave it out.
Please read before booking. These courses are for educational purposes only, based on traditional herbal knowledge. Wild & Weeds does not provide medical advice. Bex Northman is not a medical herbalist, doctor or qualified healthcare professional. Always consult a healthcare professional before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or have a health condition. Herbal remedies can interact with medications and may not suit everyone. Any remedy you make is your own responsibility, and Wild & Weeds accepts no liability for any adverse effects from its use. Read the full disclaimer →