Sauntering down country lanes armed with old Tupperware containers, long sleeved shirts and high hopes, many of us have brought out our inner forager at least once in our lifetimes. And if you haven’t, then you’ve been missing out!

Picking your own wild berries from the hedgerow is a seriously fun activity – no matter your age – and results in a glut of delicious, juicy fruits you can eat fresh, freeze or use in a variety of scrummy recipes (homemade blackberry ice cream is a personal favourite). We’ll be showing you everything from the kinds of berries you can expect when foraging, where to find them, equipment you’ll need and much, much more.

Jump to:

• What berries can you find?
• Where to look for wild berries?
• What to watch for when foraging?
• What do you need to take with you when foraging?
• When is the best time to forage for wild berries?
• Poisonous berries to avoid

What berries can you expect to find?

Britain is home to a wealth of delicious wild berries, from traditional hedgerow classics like blackberries (bramble) and sloes (blackthorn), to lesser-talked-about fruits, such as the vibrant orange berries of sea buckthorn (perfect for jam) and the glossy black berries of the elderberry plant, ideal for wine-making. These are by no means the only edible plants you’ll commonly find in hedgerows, however. Below, we’ve listed some more of the fruits you can expect to find on a foraging trip in the UK:

• Rosehips (dog rose)

• Hazelnuts (hazel)

• Haws (hawthorn)

• Crabapples

• Wild cherries

• Damsons

• Wild strawberries

• Gooseberries

• Wild raspberries

Where to look to find wild berries

Hedgerow is a term used to describe the mixed tree and shrub hedges which border fields, roads and properties. While you may find wild berries and fruits elsewhere, such as in woodlands and heathlands, the humble hedgerow is the easiest (and most convenient) place to begin your search.

A 2024 aerial survey conducted by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology found that there were almost 400,000 kilometres of hedgerows across England (and this just accounts for hedgerows along field boundaries). So, the chances are that if you take a trip out into the local countryside – at the right time of year (which we’ll come on to) – be that along the winding lanes or out in the fields, you’ll find some berries worth picking.

What to watch out for when foraging

There are two main risks posed by foraging. Firstly, the threat of scratches to your arms and legs. Many of the plants we’ve referenced above (like blackthorn and bramble) have spiny, thorny branches, often growing in a big tangled mess that can be difficult to navigate without brushing against.

The other major thing to consider is avoiding toxic or poisonous berries. It’s important you can identify the fruits you’re picking, and if ever you’re unsure, err on the side of caution. Don’t worry, though, we’ll be delving into the berries you should avoid later in the guide. Oh, and lastly, if you’re picking berries from a hedgerow that you think might be frequented by local dog walkers, then it might be best to steer clear of any berries at leg-cocking height…

What to take with you when foraging

If you’re planning your first foraging trip, there’s a few things we recommend taking with you to ensure the experience is as enjoyable as can be. First and foremost, we’d advise wearing trousers, rather than shorts, and a long-sleeved top; wear a short-sleeved tee and cargo shorts and you risk your skin coming under fire from the sharper parts of the hedgerow, leading to nicks and scratches all over your body.

It might also be worth taking a walking stick with a crook handle (or even a litter-picker/grabber). This way, you can use those many years of fairground hook-a-duck experience to marshal those hard-to-reach, larger stems under your control, bending them down for easier (and less scratch-prone) berry picking. Take a big container to collect your fruit in, a sharp knife or secateurs (not to be given to children) and a pair of heavy-duty gardening gloves to protect your hands.

Given the time of year in which much foraging takes place, namely summer and early autumn, it’s also worth taking a water bottle to stay hydrated in hot weather, sun cream to protect against sunburn, and a GPS device if you’re planning on going a little further off the beaten track. The latter not only keeps you safer in the event you get lost, but also enables you to record with accuracy where exactly you’ve been foraging – perfect for repeat visits to the hedgerow. Alternatively, if such a device is out of budget, then downloading an app like What3Words is a good backup.

When is the best time to forage for berries?

While it depends on the fruit in question, most wild berries are ready to pick from late summer through autumn:

• Blackberries: late July to early October

• Crabapples: late September to November

• Damsons: August and September

• Elderberries: late August to October

• Gooseberries: June to August

• Haws: September to October

• Hazelnuts: September to October 

• Rosehips: September to early December

• Sea buckthorn berries: September to October

• Sloes: September to November

• Wild cherries: June to July

• Wild raspberries: July to September

• Wild strawberries: May to August

Poisonous berries to watch out for

It’s crucial you know which berries to avoid picking and eating when out on your foraging adventures. Fortunately, most are pretty easy to identify, however as we mentioned earlier, if you’re ever unsure, don’t take the chance. If you’re concerned that you (or your child) has consumed a poisonous berry, ring 111 (if illness doesn’t seem severe) or 999 (if illness seems severe).

Yew

Yew (Taxus baccata) berries, or to give them their technical term ‘arils’, are highly toxic. With a bright red appearance and distinctive opening at the top – not dissimilar to a pitted olive, these berries are easy to steer clear of. For further identification hints, look to the plant’s foliage; the green coniferous leaves are flat, needle-like and arranged in two rows on either side of the twig.

Spindle

Spindle (Euonymus europaeus) is a cheerful and colourful tree, whose pink fruits and vibrant orange seeds are a dead giveaway when it comes to pinpointing what you’re dealing with. These fruits will be produced in autumn after the yellowish cardinal-point flowers.

Ivy

Commonly found on hedgerow trees, ivy (Hedera) produces ball-like clusters of small, black berries; the common ivy (Hedera helix) berries are bigger and have more of a glossy sheen than those of the Atlantic ivy (Hedera hibernica).

Deadly nightshade

The clue’s in the name with this one… This plant might be in the same family (Solanaceae) as the humble spud and tomato, but you don’t want to be chowing down on its berries, that’s for sure. Deadly nightshade (Atropa bella-donna) is identifiable through its deep purple, bell-shaped blooms and glossy black berries the size of small cherries (roughly 1.5 centimetres in diameter).

Holly

Holly (Ilex aquifolium) is a festive favourite in the UK, its thorny evergreen leaves and brilliant red berries a staple of wreaths and table decorations the nation over come Christmastime. But while those berries might look appealing, don’t be tempted.

Final thoughts

Foraging is one of the most ancient skills out there – in fact, it’s the most ancient, forming the ‘gatherer’ in hunter-gatherer. In today’s world of processed foods and out-of-season produce available all year, it can be easy to forget those ancestral roots. So, get in touch with your human heritage this year, and take a berry or two from the local hedgerow.