Scotland’s Foraging Fortnight was a huge success this year, so it returning with a new and expanded programme for 2020.
The LEADER-funded festival aims to encourage people of all ages to become more aware of the benefits of wild plants around us. Next year’s programme will include guided foraging outings, talks, workshops and cookery demonstrations.
Events in the five participating regions will range from foraging your own pizza in the Forth Valley and Lomond area to seaweed foraging in Fife.
The Moray programme includes a foraging walk for wheelchair users, and there’s a Clyde Valley apple walk in Lanarkshire.
Orkney events will include insights into Norwegian edible seaweed harvesting and a foraging walk along the St Magnus Way.
A highlight of Forth Valley and Lomond events will be the Scottish Wild Food Festival on Cardross Estate on 9 May.
Other events across the regions will include papermaking from natural materials, wildflower identification workshops, and seashore and woodland outings.
Foraging Fortnight’s events manager, Wendy Barrie, believes that the festival is about bringing foraging back into the Scottish seasonal calendar.
She said: ‘Foraging was until recent years an integral part of Scottish life, something for the whole family to enjoy. In other countries it’s still part of mainstream culture.
‘The health benefits are particularly important. Going outdoors to reconnect with nature and the seasons is proven to improve both mental wellbeing and physical health.
‘After a hugely successful festival in 2019, we are very much looking forward to Foraging Fortnight in 2020.’
Foraging Fortnight takes place across the Scottish mainland regions in the spring, from 2-17 May, and in Orkney in the autumn, from 29 August to 13 September. The Orkney events will run 29th August – 13th September in collaboration with Orkney International Science Festival, providing with it a rich mix of talks, outings and activities.
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 across the five regions will be announced in early March, with fuller information on www.foragingfortnight.co.uk.
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