From coastal exploration to herbal wellness, wild food feasts to fireside evenings and topical talks, the Foraging Fortnight festival will allow people to explore Scotland’s natural larder and increase their knowledge of wild food and medicinal plants.
The LEADER funded project will take place from 31 August – 15 September across five of Scotland’s distinct regions, Fife, Moray, Lanarkshire, Orkney and the Forth Valley and Lomond.
Offering a range of free and ticketed events, each region has tailored the two-week festival to showcase its surroundings and unique local flora.
Participants will be able to forage for medicinal plants, learn how to cook with wild ingredients or attend one of the many feasts of foraged food.
Events already confirmed in the growing line up include The Scottish Wild Food Festival taking place on 14 September on Cardross Estate in the Forth Valley and Loch Lomond area.
This brand-new event will include a series of hands-on workshops, bread-making courses, folklore walks throughout the estate and the chance to try freshly prepared food and drink made of wild ingredients.
The event will also include foraged chef's table feasts from Buck & Birch’s Rupert Waites and Marysia Paszkowska of Monachyle Mhor.
Foraging on Orkney Picture:Roderick Thorne
Further north, a significant part of the acclaimed Orkney International Science Festival will be dedicated to the theme with foraging walks, food workshops and a look at the health and nutrition benefits of seaweed, with an evening of Neolithic inspired foraged food.
The festival welcomes Eva Gunnare from Swedish Lapland who will be giving talks and tastings on summer foraging for Arctic herbs and Zeki Basan from the Cairngorms, who will be hosting a series of workshops from tanning fish skins to bush craft outings.
Wendy Barrie, Scottish Food Guide said: “Scotland is an ideal place for foraging; from woodland fungi and flowers to seashore areas.
"The five regions taking part in Foraging Fortnight will showcase the true diversity of habitats and we hope that the events will provide opportunities for visitors and local communities alike to discover some really special places.
"Foraging is an activity that’s outstanding for mental and physical fitness and something that is truly accessible to everyone.”
The festival will take place cross five diverse regions of Scotland this autumn.
Fiona Richmond, Head of Regional Food at Scotland Food & Drink, added: “It’s great to see this exciting new initiative take place during this year’s Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight, which celebrates Scotland’s reputation as a Land of Food and Drink and the role it plays in driving a vibrant tourism sector.
"Foraging Fortnight will encourage curious foodies to get out and about and discover some of the fantastic wild produce that grows along the coasts and in the woodlands of Scotland, offering everyone the opportunity to explore, learn and be inspired by our iconic scenery and diverse local larder.”
The festival will be repeated in May 2020 in four of the regions and in September 2020 in Orkney.
Foraging Fortnight events will encourage adherence to Scotland’s Outdoor Access Code and organisers have put together foraging guidelines to ensure that those taking part are doing so in a safe and responsible way.
To find out more and view the full programme , please visit the Foraging Fornight website.
Foraging Fortnight is part of Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight, which runs from 31 August to 15 September.
