Ah, the delightful season of autumn – when the ancient trees of the National Park transform into a glowing palette of crimson, copper, ochre and burnt orange. Picture-worthy landscapes, coupled with leisurely strolls to cosy thatched pubs, inviting you to relish a hearty lunch by a crackling log fire.
But let’s not forget the bountiful autumn harvest, where hedgerows, fruit trees and bushes bend under the weight of their ripe and ready-to-be-picked offerings, waiting to be transformed into comforting pies and crumbles in the kitchens of your New Forest holiday cottages.
With the summer crowds having ebbed away, the months of September, October, and November unveil a side of the region that’s often hailed as the most captivating and delicious. So, if you’re contemplating an autumn escape with a culinary twist, you’re in for a treat. Take a look below at our suggestions for some immensely satisfying foraging courses in and around the New Forest.
Forest Foraging for Berries, Fruit and Herbs
If, like us, you find joy in heading out to explore England’s woodland, you’ll find September and October gift you with acres and acres of bushes and trees dangling with bright, succulent berries perfect for crumbles, drinks, and jams. Plus, juicy sloes, damsons, blackberries, rosehips, wild plums, hawthorn berries, crab apples, and elderberries. As October progresses, the bounty extends to cobnuts, sweet chestnuts, beechnuts, hazelnuts, and walnuts. And even as the days dim to dark before the evening arrives, the forest remains generous, providing a variety of greens for hearty stews, soul-warming soups, and invigorating teas. Abundant treasures like wild sorrels, pungent garlic mustard, vibrant dandelion flowers, robust nettles, and zesty pine needles are scattered throughout the New Forest and countryside, waiting to be discovered.
Coastal Foraging for Seaweed
Venture to the coastlines of Milford on Sea, Highcliffe, and Barton on Sea during September to seize the last opportunities to pick wild samphire. Yet, the region’s shores remain adorned with a profusion of edible seaweeds and plants, waiting to be gathered throughout Autumn and into winter. For novices in coastal foraging, try a trip with Fore Adventure, which offers half-day coastal foraging and edible seaweed experiences from their Studland base in the nearby Purbecks.
Foraging for Fungi and Mushrooms
While commercial harvesting is forbidden in the New Forest, picking a few for personal use is absolutely fine. The New Forest and the surrounding Hampshire, Wiltshire, and Dorset countryside boast a remarkable 2,700 species of mushrooms and fungi. Although you can forage year-round, autumn is particularly generous, with days of sunshine and occasional showers fostering ideal conditions. From the prized Girole and earthy Cep to the gourmet Chanterelle and savoury Chicken of the Woods, the forest gifts gourmet woodland fungi aplenty.
Best Foraging Courses and Guided Walks
If distinguishing delectable edibles and potentially harmful (if not deadly) varieties is a worry, foraging trips, fungi forays, and identification walks are the answer. Take a look at The Foraged School’s Mushroom Hunting and Pizza Day, priced at £110 per person. Go Foraging offers Hampshire Mushroom Walks across various locations, including the New Forest, for £60 per person. From September through mid-November, Go Foraging and Forage London provide Mushroom Hunting and Foraging Days priced at £60 per person.
So, whether you’re drawn to the captivating hues of autumn trees, the thrill of the hunt, or the magic of transforming nature’s gifts into mouthwatering meals, the New Forest welcomes you with open arms. Find a New Forest Cottage for a foraging course – or even better, choose one with a real fire for a cosy autumn break.