Who's up for a foraging stroll by the Medway?

[chickenofthewoods]

That's it..... I've been going stir crazy on account of the weather and missing the last Littlehall meet, so today we went down by the River and had a little wander with basket in hand.

Returned with Seabeet, Samphire, Wall Rocket, Halbard Orache, Common Orache, Sea Purslane (with the biggest most succulent leaves I've seen in ages!), some wormwood, yarrow, garlic mustard and a pile of fennel. If you have a brave constitution there are winkles on the shore and maybe cockles too if you don't mind digging in Medway mud.

Basically, there is an abundance of good foragables out there right now, both easy to find and to use. So, who fancies a gentle stroll along the sea wall with maybe a little light cooking thrown in at the end? The bit down by Hoo Marina is excellent, quiet but acessible and very near some small shops & a pub or two should you feel the need. If any of you are up for a wander around, just let me know and we'll see if we can't sort something out!

 

[Mad Mike]

Sounds good to me,On a good day I 'might' recognise 5 of your found list if I fell over them.it will be good to get in a bit of practice.Lets sort something out.

Mike

 

[chickenofthewoods]

Great, so what about next weekend? We need to catch stuff before the weather gets too warm (ha ha... ) or things go to seed & get past it.

I'd suggest weekdays, co's we're always about but I know that wouldn't suit everybody (but if you tell me different that's fine!).

Bring handbooks or whatever your favourite guides are & maybe some binoculars if you're into birds and stuff.

I'll bring a little stove and some pans etc. Let's see what we can find!

 

[Simon H]

I'm could be interested too, if that's ok.

Will have to check and see if the wife has any plans yet, but definitely interested. My plant knowledge starts and ends with stuff I've grown to eat!

 

[chickenofthewoods]

The more the merrier, it's an open invitation as far as I'm concerned. Hopefully we can all have a nice stoll and learn a bit from each other along the way.

 

[nickg]

COTW thats a brilliant idea I acutally camping this weekend but please keep me in touch as i live in walderslade and would love to go for a wander - my forage skills leave a lot to be desired. if you do an evening post 7:30pm ill be there

Cheers

Nick

 

[chickenofthewoods]

Hi Nick

No problem! We are always up for a wander as I don't need much of an excuse to get out and hone the bits I do know & see what new stuff I can learn about.

Anyway. Because we Home Ed. and are flexible that can be weekdays as well as weekends, plus there are plenty of little places and varied terrains I know hereabouts that would suit. (In fact, I think we're pretty lucky in that respect). For example there's a good place down by the river that's not a million miles from Walderslade that we've been exploring recently - has samphire/beet and all manner of other goodies that would probably interest you.

I'll pm you our number and if you ever have a spare moment, just give us a call. And that goes for everyone else up this way too. If you fancy a forage don't be shy, just give us a pm & we can get out and do some stuff.

 

[Too Much Kit To Carry]

Hi,

I'm very interested to come to this and finally meet some of you guys.

I'm away from tomorrow until late on Monday 9th - so worries if you plan to go before I get back though

Cheers,

Phil.

 

[chickenofthewoods]

Hi Phil, same invite applies - if you're ever about and at a loose end just pm me and we'll try to organise something. I never need much of an excuse to get out and do some foraging!

 

[bert333]

I'd love to come if foraging newbies are allowed (any time this week and w/end)
I am in Bromley so not a million miles away

 

[Twoflower]

I'd be interested.

 

[Too Much Kit To Carry]

Hi Phil, same invite applies - if you're ever about and at a loose end just pm me and we'll try to organise something. I never need much of an excuse to get out and do some foraging!

Lovely offer and I will certainly take you up on that.

Could perhaps organise a meet at the 43 acre site I have access to near Charing, Ashford sometime in the near future.

Phil.

 

[chickenofthewoods]

Hi Bert You'd be very welcome. In fact, at some point it might be good to have a mooch about up your way too. I used to haunt High Elms Golf Course in my youth, lots of lovely beech woodland & a different set of habitats altogether!

I guess if this weekend is to be a go-er then I need to pin down a day and time. How's about we look at this Sunday (8th) for starters, maybe 10.30/11 am-ish, and plan to have a leisurely stroll looking, id'ing and picking what we can find, with a pit stop for a little light cookery once we have a reasonable haul? It'll be informal and flexible though.

I'll need to have an idea of how many there will be too, so please post definite interest on this thread by creating a list of names (including anyone you may want to bring along please).

I'll bring a small gas stove & some pans etc. and I can, if anyone really wants to be bored witless, bring along some of the books from my personal collection to browse at the end as well.

So. Bring yourselves, some decent boots (there may be mud!), your favourite guides and something to carry your forage in (I use baskets and cloth bags, plastic can get sweaty and nasty). If you plan to bring edged tools, keep them small & please be discreet as we'll be sharing a broad footpath area where we're likely to encounter other members of the public.

And finally. Please everyone remember you'll all be reponsible for the safety of yourselves and anyone you might bring along with you. Participation will be at your own risk.

Hope that's all ok!

P.S. In the time it's taken me to write that little lot, I see more interest! As I said, anyone welcome, if not at this weekend then we can always do another - and Phil, 43 acres is an awful big playground. That would be a very definite yes, no way can I resist an offer like that!

 

[Twoflower]

Unfortunately this weekend is out for me I'm afraid Count me in next time though.

High Elms is a 5-10 minute walk for me although I stay clear of the country park due to the numbers of people that use it as a dog toilet now

 

[chickenofthewoods]

High Elms is a 5-10 minute walk for me although I stay clear of the country park due to the numbers of people that use it as a dog toilet now

Understandable! It has been a good few years since I was last there. Do you know of any other places locally that we could have a wander about? I seem to recall some very promising footpaths across the fields & woods by the back of Biggin Hill (near Downe Village?). It doesn't have to be anywhere fancy, you'd be surprised at what can be found once you have your eye in & you're a little off the beaten track.

Don't worry about this weekend, there'll be another one soon I guarantee it! (Basically folks, I'm an obsessed forager as some of you may already know).

I'm usually prepared to have a mooch about anywhere at pretty much any time. All that's needed is a heads up via pm.

 

[Mad Mike]

This is OK for me - How about a meeting point. Parking would be good for those coming some miles

Mike

 

[chickenofthewoods]

Copied this across from a reply to a pm as it should answer some of your questions chaps - any others that occur to you please ask away.

First up, the distance. Don't worry about asking! I have a dodgy knee from an injury last year so I understand.

It'll be really minimal. The idea is to throughly explore a relatively small area at a gentle pace and spend as much time as poss looking/discovering. Apart from one stile, the terrain is pretty easy, although if you go down into the area below the sea wall to the river it can be a little bit lumpy & bumpy as you might expect from a periodic marshland. Also getting back up the sea wall can be difficult in places where it's steep. Apart from that the rest is a doddle. Do a multimap search for ME3 9EL and pull it up as a satellite image/map overlay. The area I'm proposing to walk from is at the bottom of Vicarage Lane (right hand branch) along the sea wall & right next to the Medway.

I will bring a couple of litres with me for washing/cooking things& it'd probably be a good idea if everyone did that too. I'll also bring along a little butter & oil, seasonings, couscous, stock powder - stuff like that. The kinds of things you might have with you if you were planning some backpacking cookery, nothing complicated. Obviously if anyone else whats to do something like that too, that'd be great. Then the brave among us can have a little fun experimenting.

Parking can be in the village and walk down, or at the bottom of Vicarage Lane there is a small area where people park. However, it is small and at a weekend may have a few cars there already (it's next to a boatyard). If anyone can or wants to share cars so much the better. We could even park in Hoo village and drive down in one or more vehicles, or walk from the village it's no distance. Once we have a clearer idea of who's coming from where, I can tie down the details a bit more.

 

[bert333]

Is this also a 'fishing rod' moment I wonder?
Just a wee bump

 

[chickenofthewoods]

Bring your rod by all means, but if the tide's out, I think you may have a fair walk to reach the water!

But seriously. In this part of the Medway I'm not sure I'd fancy either the shellfish or fish from the river in spite of finding evidence that someone is making use of it. Although the seawall is not obviously attached to outfalls there may be some in the area that I'm unaware of.

Probably easier to just buy a fish.

Tomorrow I'll nip down there and search out a good parking place & then post some final details for those who are interested.

 

[Mad Mike]

forums back!
I am working on 10:30 for 11:00 vicarage lane, Hoo
Look for the Landrover
will check for changes before I go