Guide to wild food foraging in Scotland

Foraging rules & guidelines in Scotland

Foraging in Scotland is a fun and exciting way to get up close to nature and wildlife, and then getting to taste the fruits of your labour afterwards. However, there are a few rules to follow along the way:

• In line with the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, it is illegal to collect wild plants or fungi on a National Nature Reserve (NNR) or a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
• Be careful what you pick – some species of mushroom and fungi are poisonous and can even be fatal if eaten. Make sure to read up on the various specious beforehand, as well as ensure the information is reliable and up to date. Have a read of the Scottish Wild Mushroom Code to get you started.
• Only take what you can use – be mindful to leave enough for everyone, including the wildlife who call the forest home.

Learn more about the guidelines around foraging

Foraging for kids

Taking the kids out foraging is a great way to get them in tune with nature, teach them about their surroundings, and can also be a really educational experience. Foraging could be a great opportunity to explore a new corner of Scotland that you haven’t visited before where you can teach the wee ones about foraging; what to pick, what not to pick, where to pick from (i.e. not beside a road or place where there are dog walkers), and making sure they check what they pick with an adult first to ensure it is safe.

Read the foraging guide for kids

Foraging courses

Various places around Scotland boast fascinating courses and events that allows you get involved in foraging.

• Meet local foragers for a natural treasure hunt within the Cromlix grounds near Dunblane.
• Enjoy a coastal foraging course with Galloway Wild Foods in Dumfries & Galloway.
• Join a Wildwood Bushcraft in the Highlands, and learn what to forage and how to cook it.
• Meet the professionals at Coeur Sauvage on a dedicated foraging course and learn why they are trusted by the nation's top chefs. 
• Get out and about with a foraging walk from Curious In Nature, based mainly in and around Glasgow.
• Head to the Isle of Arran to learn all about foraging with Wild Food Arran as well as discovering this magical west coast island.

Wild mushrooms

There are literally dozens of species of edible wild mushrooms in Scotland’s woodlands, but only a few are commonly eaten. Autumn is the best time to pick them, but there are always some species growing in woodlands.

Given the severe toxicity of some species (e.g. fly agaric), be sensible and leave unfamiliar fungi alone. Better still, join a mushroom foraging course in Perthshire with Monica Wilde Foraging, or join one of her wild cookery courses. It’s easier and fun to learn what to pick and when in a group setting, led by an expert.

Popular edible varieties include cep, chicken of the woods, chanterelle, wood blewitt, hedgehog fungus and morel. Scottish Natural Heritage has produced a great guide about Scotland’s fungi to advise gatherers on best practice.

Foraged food restaurants

It’s great fun being in the outdoors and foraging for food, but in Scotland you can still enjoy tasty foraged food without getting your hands dirty or wet! Visionary Scottish chefs are harvesting wild foods and introducing them into dishes, imparting delightfully local flavours.

In Edinburgh, The Gardener’s Cottage, Forage and Chatter and Wedgwood the Restaurant are serving dishes which include seasonal and sustainable sensations. Or why not eat wild with a unique Buck and Birch occasional dining experience featuring ingredients carefully curated over many years by Head Chef Rupert Waites? Join in a cocktail making class with a foraged twist with The Botanist Cocktail Experience on Islay,

These are just some of the foraged culinary riches found in Scotland’s woods, hedges, and along our coastline, as well as in our produce. There’s plenty more to discover. All we ask is that you follow the guidance in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code and if you’re not sure how to get started, join a course and learn with an expert. Scotland’s food and drink is amongst the very best in the world, the best place to enjoy it is right here. Why not add an eco accommodation experience or a unique farm stay to your trip?