Roll up your sleeves and prepare to get your hands dirty, with experiences that take you from farm to fork and brewery to beer. The diverse landscapes of Britain offer everything from coastal foraging to the free-range pork used in artisanal sausage-making classes. Whether you’re into indoor masterclasses or outdoor wild-food survival skills, Britain’s got you covered.
Britain’s artisans, butchers, bakers and bee-keepers are opening their doors and offering you the opportunity to get up close and personal with their Great British produces and regional delicacies. From the northern points of Inverness to the Cornish toes of Truro, you can go on seafood safaris, have a sourdough sleepover or even attend the Ginstitute. There is something to suit all levels of food adventurism!
Even in the city, farm-to-fork food is never far away. At The Shed, you’re treated to sustainable Sussex produce with an emphasis on wild food, from foraged vegetables to seasonal game. There’s even meat from the owners’ family farm on the menu. Visit at lunchtime to try the great-value, three-course Farm-to-Fork menu, and check out their English Vineyard Cookbook to recreate the dishes at home.
Cafe, takeaway, drive-thru – the Rhug Estate makes farm-to-fork eating easy. The estate’s produce is 100% organic and it champions sustainable farming. A highlight is its Welsh lamb, which you can enjoy in burger form from On the Hoof Takeaway. Before you leave, pick up some of Rhug’s own Wild Beauty skincare products at the farm shop.
As the seasons change, so do the delicious menus at Roots and Seeds. It serves up produce from its kitchen garden, and everything else comes from suppliers within a 25-mile radius of its Cirencester home. For dinner with a difference, look out for its pop-up supper clubs throughout the year.
For food with a view, look no further than Loch Leven’s Larder – a great pit-stop if you’re following the Loch Leven Heritage Trail. Tuck into seasonal menus, brimming with Scottish produce, while admiring the farmland which stretches towards Loch Leven. If you fancy a lighter bite, the homemade sausage rolls from the food hall deli are a real treat.
From breakfast to dinner, the chefs at Forage dish up lip-smacking produce from neighbouring Penllyn Estate Farm and beyond. A relative newcomer to the British farm-to-fork scene, this farm shop and restaurant is making waves with its ‘Eat well, eat Welsh’ ethos. Look out for Penllyn-produced lamb, pork and eggs on its menus.
Take a short detour from the North Coast 500 route through the north of Scotland and you’ll find Dalmore Farm. You’ll be spoilt for choice at its restaurant, overlooking the Cromaty Firth, which even has its own coffee blend. If you want to make a break of it, there are four self-catering cottages to stay at.
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Covering the spectacular south-west coast of Wales from Pembrey to St Davids, Craig Evans is sharing his knowledge of coastal foraging through his Classic Course. Explore the beach and shore on a rockpool safari, seek out clams and cockles on the mud flats and study the sand dunes. After a few hours of foraging for seafood and sea vegetables, Craig will cook up your finds so you can appreciate the fruits of your labours.
In the north-west of England, at the Brindle Distillery in the Chorley district of Lancashire, you’ll find the centre of excellence for all things bees at The Bee Centre. Their award-winning Bee Experience is a family-friendly opportunity to suit up and get up close and personal with their honey bees. You’ll have an educational introduction to the hives, taste a range of their very own prized honey and learn all about its health benefits.
Nibble your way through London’s wild side: these foraging tours reveal the edible flowers, herbs and berries that are hidden in the capital’s parks and gardens. Expect lively conversation, tasty bites, and fascinating local insights from your expert guide.
Busy bees will love Quince Honey Farm, where you can enjoy everything to do with honey. Try beekeeping, visit the nectar garden, tour the honey factory and candle-making room, or relax in the popular Nectary Restaurant. There’s a children’s soft play area and regular activities for both adults and children to learn more about bees and the natural world.
Set out from Royal William Yard for a foodie voyage like no other. You’ll be (hopefully) catching your own mackerel out at sea and returning to The Hook and Line to cook it up yourself. There may be opportunity to catch other fish as well, including the likes of herring, pollock and conger eel.
Explore Belfast’s wild side on this guided foraging adventure, on the lower slopes of the Belfast Hills. You’ll discover tasty and medicinal flowers, berries and fungi, exploring the woodlands and meadows of this incredible landscape. Expect a feast of nibbles, culinary inspiration and breathtaking views over the city and lough (sea inlet). The tours are wheelchair accessible, too.
Visit one of Devon’s hottest spots, at the South Devon Chilli Farm near the village of Loddiswell. Take a walk through the colourful chilli show tunnels and learn about the incredible 200 varieties of chillis growing here. There’s also a farm shop, nursery, cafe and children’s play area. Stock up on chilli sauces, plants, seeds, gifts – even chilli chocolate.
Discover the art and science of beekeeping – and taste some spectacular local honey – at this wild school in South Devon. You’ll dress up in full protective gear to explore the apiaries, getting hands-on with the bees and learning all about their fascinating life-cycle, honey-production and behaviour. Beginners are welcome, and courses take place throughout summer on an idyllic Ivybridge farm.
Go wild on a Hunter Gather Cook foraging experience in Firle, East Sussex, where you get back to basics and learn how to hunt, forage and then cook your dinner. Based in The Shepherds Barn on the Firle Estate, you learn how to hunt and butcher your meat, then cook off-grid on real fire, in the fire pit, smoker and clay oven.
