Foraging around Stoke on Trent

[Cleanfreak UK]

Hello to everyone

New member on here and there may be a place for this but I am looking for anyone in the Stoke on Trent region or roundabouts who is an experienced forager.

I have some self taught experience and am not shy to get out there but wisdom is useful and I am sure that foraging is more interesting with others.

Rob

 

[xylaria]

Welcome to the forum, make yourself at home.
Next time we go out with bunch of people I will send you private message. I live in Fenton and do quite a bit of foraging. The bilberries should be out soon around your way.

 

[badgeringtim]

howdy folks,
Im not up there any more, but borne and bread in stoke, so would love to know some areas up there. I can think of a few spots for blackberres, rosehips and elderberries and i think im right in saying there are bilberries in hanchurch woods - although not plentifull if i recall rightly.
Still Id be really interested to see whats going on up there! might even come back for a trip!

 

[Cleanfreak UK]

Xylaria

Thanks for the reply. I get out all the time, sometimes on foot and other times on the mountain bike. already been out and picked enough Elderflower to make a 20 litre batch of Elderflower champagne, got the yeast from Eastgate homebrew in Stafford, picked up some Jews Ears whilst picking the Elderflower. I also picked a mass more for drying out and using later on in the year.

Went up to High Shutt and had some Bilberries the other day, been up onto Park Hall for the Rose hips, not ready yet, just debating whether I should get a load of Rose petals and get another wine brewing.

Cheers for the invite.

Badgeringtim I've still got Blackberry in the freezer from last year - about 30lb and will bag a load more just up the road from me.

Rob

 

[xylaria]

OOoo the bilberries are out we go mow cop or the roaches for ours. I made rose petal sryup from park hall last month, it was suppose to be rose petal jam. The house reeked in a good way but I couldn't get it to setting point. Those japanese roses have a really long season. I get my bulrushes from park hall as well. I walk past this thicket on the school run that has at least 15 plum trees and a few pear trees. This year they are crammed with fruit they will be ready in august, but the cherry trees off anchor road should be out soon. I never got around to getting across to the water couse between werrington and abbey hulton, to get the bistort. My local stream sources from the old landfill, so I don't eat whats there.

I tell what my biggest problem at the moment is peak leasure in hanley has closed:sadwavey: . It wasn't lack of costom it was cash flow and credit crunch. Do you know of an outdoors shop that is good as them that is local? Millets and blacks sell over priced tat imo, and the quater master stores doesn't hold a full range, there is a place in stafford is there any where else?

 

[Cleanfreak UK]

I have been working on a contract in Cobham - Surrey and the cherry trees down there are stuffed full, missed a couple of weeks but am back down there on Monday and they should be ripe.

The shop in Stafford is Outdoor Leisure on Mill Street, they are a good bunch in there and know what they are doing, they never try to oversell you. I don't know anywhere else.

I did pick Bilberries but the bushes weren't loaded and I had to look for them. Too long ago I went through a jam making and chutney stage but I could never get the jam right and ended up with lots of syrup!!!.

I was surprised how many different things there are on Park Hall, there are about 4 or 5 Sweet Chestnut trees right in the middle and I know where your bulrushes are. I am going to have another wander round up there over the weekend, if time allows, before I have to go south. The ripening season is much earlier further down the country, by a good couple of weeks, if not more!

Rob

 

[SMOKOE]

Hi Xylaria and Cleanfreak,

I live in Baddeley Green if you want to get together on a foraging foray I'd love to come along if that's ok with you guys

ATB

Rich

 

[BIG_emu]

depending on where you are in Staffordshire you could go to Campfour in Maccelsfield, IMO it's 100x better than High peak was, the staff definitly know there onions (and camping/climbing equipment ).

http://www.campfour.co.uk

no relation to company just a happy customer blah blah blah

Ben

 

[wildman695]

never had time for foraging before so all new to me, what do you use the bullrushes for? baskets or decoration?

 

[Cleanfreak UK]

Wildman 695

The base of the stem can be eaten. I am almost certain that I remember Ray Mears chomping away on one!!!

Smokoe

The more the merrier as far as I am concerned, if you want to pm me your contact details I am sure something can be arranged.

Rob

 

[Nina Jane]

I know that this is an old post, but does anyone know of anywhere else apart from park hall, that is near Longton, that a first timer could forage? Really like the idea of getting out, and getting the kids some knowledge, as well as being able to make something nice out of it.

 

[chimpy leon]

I know that this is an old post, but does anyone know of anywhere else apart from park hall, that is near Longton, that a first timer could forage? Really like the idea of getting out, and getting the kids some knowledge, as well as being able to make something nice out of it.

Hanchurch Park usually has a decent amount of Bilberry dotted along the main tracks this time of year. Its a really nice and quite place that has a variety of wildlife too - I often see hare and deer amoungst others there. Its about 7 miles away from Longton.
Barlaston downs is good too for raspberry but its much more busy.

 

[xylaria]

I know that this is an old post, but does anyone know of anywhere else apart from park hall, that is near Longton, that a first timer could forage? Really like the idea of getting out, and getting the kids some knowledge, as well as being able to make something nice out of it.

I havent live in stoke for four years so stuff might of changed. Behind clarance cliff school golden hill road there is more plums than you can pick, and conference pears. There is multiple types but they are over by the end of august so hurry. Behind the catholic high school there is culvert. Along the path towards trentham there will be hazelnuts in september. There is some wierd apples in same area. I am cant remember the name of the nearby road but it was something like staple hall road or something. On the edge of the a50 there is sea buckthorn.

 

[Matt42]

Welcome to the forum

I too am from stoke however im away at uni for a long time now, the best place i can recommend is along the canal by westport lake heading towards the tunnel. its full to the brim with fruits and berries and is also an excellent place to bird watch so dont eat to much