Foraging trips along Llangollen Canal organised

Leah Apostolou, the founder of Living Wild, has arranged a series of foraging walks along Llangollen Canal in the near future. 

Living Wild delivers workshops which educate and inspire people to reconnect with, and protect our environment and empower people by teaching skills like foraging and bush craft to bring them closer to nature and promote wellbeing.

The first walk of the season is coming up on Sunday March 26, followed by a few more over the Easter holidays. Summer dates will be published at a later date.  

Meanwhile, to whet the potential forager's appetite, Leah has written a special article for llanblogger showing five beginner-friendly wild foods to look out for.

1 - Stinging Nettle (Urtica Dioicia)

This mighty little plant is often overlooked because of its prickly nature, but don't be fooled into thinking this plant is anything but wondrous! The Stinging Nettle is one of the most nutritionally dense, wild foods growing abundantly around us rich in vitamins A, C & K, and packed with iron and protein. There is so much to say about Nettles it won't fit in this little paragraph. Use them in bread, cakes, soups, pestos, juices and teas.

2 - Cleavers (Gallium Aparine)

Also known as sticky weed, goose grass and sticky willy because of its entertaining ability to stick to anything! In Spring, our bodies are waking up and shedding the toxins accumulated from dormancy and indulgence over the Winter months. This wonderful little plant is the perfect ally for detoxification. Collect a good handful and leave it to steep in water for a few hours, for a refreshing cucumber tasting water which stimulates the lymphatic system.

3 - Primroses (Primula Vulgaris)

These dainty little flowers are a wonderful addition to salads and as a decorative garnish.They can be sugared and used to decorate cakes beautifully. The fresh green leaves are also edible and can be eaten cooked or raw. In Scottish legends it was said that if you ate Primroses you would see a fairy!

4 - Wild Garlic (Allium Ursinum)

A firm foragers favourite, it’s versatile, delicious and nutritious! This potent wild herb grows abundantly from mid February through to May. It loves shady damp spots in woodlands.. Careful not to confuse this one with Lords and ladies - Arum Maculatum which grows in amongst wild garlic. Harvest selectively and make sure you have that strong garlic scent to confirm your ID.

5 - St Georges Mushrooms (Calocybe Gambosa)

St George's are so called because they tend to appear around St George's Day (23 April). One of the only white mushrooms growing at this time of the year they are fairly easy to identify for beginners. Check for a cream/buff coloured cap, white/cream gills, a thick stem and a cucumber/flour smell.

Leah's messages to potential foragers are:

* Always be 100% sure of your identification before eating anything!

* Remember to pick mindfully and sustainably, these plants and fungi are part of a winder ecosystem which we need to protect.

Learn how to safely and sustainably gather wild food during the 2.5 hour Introduction to Foraging walk along Llangollen canal.

* Get in touch with Leah at www.livingwild.uk for more information or you can follow her for foraging hints and tips on Instagram @livingwild.uk