The first walk on Saturday was around a local reservoir. We found a few hawthorn trees on the main route around, but surprisingly the blossom did not smell or taste that nice. In fact it had a slightly burnt taste. Half way around the reservoir we decided to extend the walk by heading into the woods. We found a little apple tree that may need another visit in the future. An enjoyable day but only 1/10 on the wild food Richter scale.
Now our Sunday walk was a different story. We headed to the moors and came across lots of bilberry bushes. There are acres around but these are the nearest to my house I have found yet, a good find. As we headed away from the open moorland and down towards a reservoir we found a hawthorn tree. Now this hawthorn was very different - strong, rich almond fragrances. In fact I have never smelt such a nice blossom. We collected some and they have gone to some good use... I will talk about that later this week.
The next stage of our walk was an eye-opener. We found the most amazing forest. The whole floor was covered in bluebells. I found loads of wild garlic, which made me very happy. And the biggest beech trees I have ever seen. Over 4m in circumference! I want to try and harvest these come autumn. I also found Yellow Archangel, part of the dead nettle family, which can be put in salads or stir-fried. I must remember to get a photo next time.
Heading home we found an area that looked like it was once an orchard. Two surviving apple trees may yield some nice fruit one day. I also spotted a tree I could not identify. I now know it is a Wych Elm. Several healthy specimens, a wonderful sight to see. What a great weekend.
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