The Coastal Foraging Walk from Wild Food People is an introduction to edible shellfish, plants, seaweeds, and other wild foods on the beaches of North Wales. They run for approximately 2 hours and are timed to coincide with the tide.
To book on to one of our courses, select from date options below; if this is a gift, please select the appropriate Gift Voucher option and we shall be in touch about a personalised message.
From £45.00
Wild Food People runs coastal and beach foraging walks throughout the year. Each course follows a walk through woodlands down to a beach where we will explore the best edible shellfish, seaweeds and plants that the area has to offer.
The walks are roughly two hours in length, meeting at the beautiful seaside village of Borth y Gest (near Porthmadog) and are led by an experienced and professional forager. No previous experience is required other than being willing to explore beaches, rockpools and the inlets of this stunning part of the North Wales coast.
This course attracts clients from around the U.K. who are looking for an authentic foraging course, with instruction by professional foragers who are out looking for edible plants every week as part of their work with award-winning food businesses.
This is one of our original courses, and certainly the most popular. We have been running this foraging course in North Wales for hundreds of clients every year for well over a decade.
This course has evolved over that time into what, we think, is the best and most relevant UK introductory coastal foraging course we can offer. We will look at between 15-20 edible species, a few of the notable toxic and potentially dangerous species – and how to identify and work with each of them.
We will focus on those species that are commonly found in the UK and northern Europe.
These courses are dictated by the pace of nature. They are seasonal and we cannot guarantee any particular species will be on display during any particular course although many coastal species are available to see all year round. We will also be talking about species that are not yet ready to harvest but will be ready in a few months.
We will also be talking about the concept of foraging in the modern world, why it can be vital for everything from mental health to understanding our society – plus the laws and ethics of foraging in 21st century Britain.
The leader for this course is a professional forager with many years of professional experience working with international brands, charities and conservation projects.
The courses are timed to coincide with the tides and last approximately two hours, the start times are listed next to the dates
Please select from date options in the drop down menu above, or choose the ‘Gift Voucher’ option to allow the recipient to choose their own date.
You can read more about gift vouchers here.
There is no special equipment necessary for this entry-level foraging walk, however we ask that you are prepared for the weather of the day and walking for 2 hours on a beach, including through some muddy/silty areas and close to the water’s edge.
Check the forecast before coming out and dress appropriately.
We recommend that you bring with you:
This course involves walking (with frequent short stops) for the 2 hours which you are with us and follows a route of approximately 1 mile along unsurfaced footpaths, up and down uneven steps and along the sand of the beach. There is also the opportunity to climb onto rocks looking for wild edible species.
You will need to be 18yrs old on the date of the course, or attending with your parent/s or legal guardian.
There is no strict lower age limit, but you can probably decide for yourself if your child will enjoy two hours of walking and talking about edible wild species.
Yes, this course will take place in most weather conditions, including rain. We will contact participants directly if there is any need to postpone or alter the course.
Yes – but it will have to be on a lead at all times and be well behaved, with both humans and other dogs around. Please let us know if you are bringing one! This course takes place on a public beach which is popular with dog walkers as there are no restrictions even in peak season, you are responsible for your own dog at all times.
Yes, there are public toilets available in the car park where the course begins, however we will be away from these facilities for the duration of the two hour walk.
The course start time varies with the tide and start times are listed next to each date when you book. We ask that participants are ready to depart from the parking area at the advertised time, this will be repeated in the joining instructions sent to you by email.
There is no cooking involved on this course.
The course lasts for 2 hours and we will be away from the cars for this time, we recommend that you bring a bottle of water with you for the duration, and any snacks that you may require.
If you have any concerns or questions then please contact us and we can discuss this with you. By booking a place on this course (for yourself or others) you/they are agreeing to our terms and conditions and that you/they are physically capable of safely attending this course which takes place on tracks, slopes and often unprepared ground
The primary instructor for this course, Richard has spent the majority of his adult life working in the great outdoors. He specialises in foraging, wilderness skills and survival in remote areas.
Amongst other things he is a qualified mountain leader, spent several years as an active member of one of the North Wales mountain rescue teams and regularly appears on screen and in print talking about foraging, bushcraft and survival and other essential outdoor skills.
Richard lives near Ruthin in North Wales.
Amy Green grew up between Manchester and the Peak District and has always spent as much time as she can outside; walking, climbing trees, taking photos and studying the life around her.
Since moving to Wales over a decade ago, she has worked in wildlife conservation and developed her knowledge of foraging, ethnobotany and bushcraft. As well as being proficient in these subjects, Amy is interested in heritage skills and can scythe, build dry stone walls, lay hedges and undertake ecological surveys for a number of different protected and rare species. She also enjoys cooking with wild ingredients and makes amazing flavoured gins out of foraged edibles.
Amy lives near Ruthin in North Wales.
This course is available to buy as a gift voucher, simply select our gift voucher option in the drop down menu above and the recipient can choose from any of the available dates we have that year.
For more information please visit our dedicated Gift Voucher page or contact us for further information.
By booking a place on this course you are agreeing to our booking terms and conditions, to read these in full please see our dedicated page. If you have any specific questions you can contact us by email or phone.
| SELECT COURSE DATE | 2024 Digital Gift Voucher, 2024 Printed and Posted Gift Voucher, 14th May 2024 (6:30pm), 6th July 2024 (1:30pm), 21st September 2024 (4pm), 19th October 2024 (3pm) |
|---|
Running foraging and wild courses in North Wales and across the UK for over 15 years.
Learn MoreOur podcast covering all aspects of wild food in the UK - available on all platforms.
Learn More
Species guides, recipes, articles and stories about foraging and wild food.
Learn More
