Article Source: Sound Bite PR
Last Updated: 11 July 2019 15:33
From coastal exploration to herbal wellness, wild food feasts to fireside evenings and topical talks, Foraging Fortnight will allow people to explore Scotland’s natural places and increase their knowledge of wild food and medicinal plants through a series of events.
The LEADER funded project will take place from 31st August – 15th September across five of Scotland’s distinct regions: From the rolling hills of Lanarkshire, the golden beaches and fields of Fife; the mountains and coast of Moray; to the woodlands and lochs of the Forth Valley and Loch Lomond area; and the diverse islands of Orkney.
The festival programme has been designed to encourage people of all ages to participate safely and responsibly in different foraging activities, while discovering some of the most breath-taking parts of Scotland. Offering a range of free and paid-for tickets, 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 14th 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 spectacular one-table feasts from Buck & Birch’s Rupert Waites and Marysia Paszkowska of Monachyle Mhor.
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.”
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 aims to leave a legacy of increased public awareness and expertise of sustainable foraging along with a greater understanding of the health and wellbeing benefits of foraging in natural environments. 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.
The full programme will be announced on www.foragingfortnight.co.uk
Foraging Fortnight is part of Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight, which runs from 31st August to 15th September.
Dobbies Garden Centres is hosting a free Rose-themed Grow How workshop this June, sharing top tips for caring for this beloved flowering plant.
READ MORELoganair, the UK’s leading regional airline, has completed its inaugural direct flight between Edinburgh and Guernsey, kicking off its summer offering.
READ MOREUnique Assembly have publish the report on Edinburgh's Winter Festivals 2024-25, ahead of releasing early-bird tickets for the Hogmanay Street Party and Torchlight Procession.
READ MOREPULLED PORK lovers across Edinburgh are in for a treat as one of the capital’s most beloved lunch spots celebrates a quarter century of roasting with its cheapest ever price.
READ MOREGraeme Smeaton will play 25 rounds of golf in five days across East Lothian to raise £25,000 for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, supporting MND research.
READ MOREScotland's longest-running hospitality awards turn 30 - and they want you to have your say!
READ MOREThe team behind one of Edinburgh’s most popular city centre restaurants has announced plans to start a new dining chapter at its Castle Street venue in June.
READ MORELoch Lomond Unplugged, our FREE showcase of talented buskers and singer/songwriters, is this weekend and we’re super excited to welcome great acts from across Scotland and beyond!
READ MOREThe producers of the brand new musical HERE & NOW, presented by UK pop sensation, Steps, are delighted to announce the principal cast for the UK & Ireland tour!
READ MOREAssembly Festival have announced the release of £8 tickets to shows across the Fringe programme, this May Bank Holiday weekend only.
READ MORETwo critically endangered cotton-top tamarins have been born at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s (RZSS) Edinburgh Zoo to mum Elf and dad Zecca on Tuesday 20 May.
READ MOREEdinburgh locals will have a rare chance to interact with a piece of Harry Potter filmmaking magic history on the 30th and 31st May.
READ MOREEDINBURGH’S flavour-forward beer pioneers Vault City are back with their most requested creation yet, and fans are already going wild for it.
READ MORECult Leith brewery Pilot are launching their first ever bar, Vessel, in Edinburgh today - 22nd May 2025.
READ MOREThis May Bank Holiday Pret Edinburgh and Glasgow will be giving away free sandwiches to the first 50 customers called Nick, Nicole, or anyone whose name starts with ‘Nic’.
READ MORECheck the arrivals screen and be ready with your boarding pass, because PizzaExpress, the nation’s most iconic pizzeria brand, has landing at Edinburgh Airport.
READ MOREDobbies Garden Centres is inviting children to come along to its free-to-attend Little Seedlings Club, taking place across the country this June.
READ MOREFrom Music to Father's Day, discover Virgin Hotels Edinburgh's events taking place in May and June!
READ MOREPrepare to be moved by movement at Dance Base this summer, as Scotland’s National Centre for Dance announces its 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe Programme.
READ MOREAldi Scotland is on the hunt for the nation's biggest beer lover, as it revamps its popular Best Home Bar Competition by expanding the criteria.
READ MORERefugee Festival Scotland has officially unveiled the programme for its highly anticipated 2025 edition, running from 13 – 22 June.
READ MORELimited-edition serves launched across top Scottish bars using honey from Aberargie Distillery's resident bees.
READ MOREFort Kinnaird is on the hunt to find Edinburgh's biggest Stitch fan ahead of the new Lilo & Stitch live action film coming to screens later this week!
READ MOREFilm fans, families and comic book enthusiasts are invited to rediscover the original big screen superhero team as a series of classic X-Men films return to the big screen at Vue this month.
READ MOREScottish surfing prodigy Ben Larg and elite big wave surfer Andrew Cotton recently demonstrated their skills at Lost Shore Surf Resort.
READ MORELeftfield - the Bruntsfield neighbourhood restaurant by restaurateur Rachel Chisholm and chef Phil White - has reopened its doors following a short period of refurbishment.
READ MOREThis June, Edinburgh will welcome Cafe Calton, a vibrant new day-to-evening venue perched atop the city’s iconic Calton Hill.
READ MOREThe Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo has announced they will be touring the Show The Heroes Who Made Us in Australia and New Zealand in 2026.
READ MOREFamilies can take advantage of Loganair's new Kids Fly Fare-FREE offer, allowing children aged 11 and under to travel without paying an airfare.
READ MOREEat & Drink 365 Edinburgh, The List’s new publication featuring a treasure trove of dining recommendations, launched today, and is available for free from all good stockists across the capital city.
READ MORE