Foraging in a Northern English Wood.

Foraging in Worsley Woods

What to pick and what to leave behind

Worsley Woods was declared a Local Nature Reserve in 2006. The area is designated as a Site of Biological Importance, highlighting its significance for biodiversity within Greater Manchester

While not formally classified as a wetland, Worsley Woods contains several wetland habitat:

Kempnough Brook A stream that meanders through the woodland.
Old Warke Dam A historical reservoir
Wet Woodland Areas. Sections of the woods are wet woodland habitat, which are considered UK Priority Habitats. There are many fallen trees due to the area’s heavy clay soils, especially in combination with wet conditions and high winds. The trees often develop shallow roots since the roots struggle to penetrate compacted layers of clay.

The fallen trees and the wetlands support many types of plants and fungi.

Edible

This is more a foraging blog, rather than a guide. The links to actual recipes are the most useful part.

This page should not be used as a primary source of identification of edible plants and fungi.

Dates shown are when I have collected them. Some of the mushrooms may be around at other times than those I have spotted.

Nettles

Spring

Soup, omelettes

as a vegetable side

Wild Garlic

Spring

Pesto, soup, salads

Himalayan Balsam

Early spring to mid April for young shoots

Young shoots only: Salad

Seeds in late Summer

Ground Elder

Early spring for young shoots

Young shoots only: Salad

Sautéed, soups, stews, pesto

Velvet Shanks

Spring

Always cook thoroughly — not to be eaten raw

(Chestnut) Oyster Mushrooms

Spring

Pleurotus ostreatus

Scarlet Elf Cups

Spring

Safe and edible but with little taste. Use for decoration

Primrose

Spring

Flowers as garnish and in salads

Young leaves in salad

Bitter Dock

Spring

Young leaves in salad

Dandelions

Spring

Young and inner leaves in salad
Flowers in sweets and baking

Field Mustard

Spring

Only 1 plant found!

Leaves: sautéed or in raw in salad
Seeds: flavour in cooking or make mustard

Garlic Mustard

Spring

Dryad's Saddle

May to August

Harvest young

Wood Avens

Spring to Autumn

Young leaves in soups/stews. Roots used for flavouring, though I have not tried myself yet.

Raspberries

July

Wild Strawberries

June/July

(Pale) Oyster Mushrooms

June/July

Pleurotus pulmonarius

Sour Cherries

June/July

Cherries are not so abundant on the tress in our wood but there are a few

Pendulous Sedge

July

Remove husks, toast seeds, then grind into flour or use whole in cooked dishes.

Broadleaf Plantain

Late summer to autumn

Plantago major

Mild flavour, high in fibre (like psyllium). Use in baking, porridge, or sprinkle like chia. Grind into flour

Dock seeds

July to September

Remove husks, toast seeds, then grind into flour

Nettle seeds

July, August

Remove husks, toast seeds, then grind into flour

Himalayan Balsam seeds

August to October

Pick when seed pods are ripe but not yet exploding. Eat raw or toasted.

Blackberries

Late Summer

Honey Fungus

Autumn

I have not eaten these. Some people have a reaction. Do not eat when drinking alcohol

Shaggy Inkcap

October

This does develop a cap. These were too close to the motorway!

Risky

Cow Parsley

Spring

This is too similar to Hemlock to be safe. There is lots of Hemlock in these woods and is of course famously deadly

Sweet Cicely

Spring

Also similar to Hemlock, so be sure of ID.

Velvet Shank Mushrooms

Early Spring

ensure ID. Can be confused with Galerina marginata which is deadly! and grows in similar places.

Inedible

Bracket fungi and slime moulds

While these are inedible, some do have their uses and there are there are some who use them for their medicinal properties

Birch Polypore

Used by some for medicinal teas

Artists Bracket

Apparently so called as used to make ink. (Ganoderma applanatum)

Turkey Tail

Used by some for medicinal teas

Mystery

October

Possibly a puffball covered with a mildew fungus

Lumpy Bracket (2)

Tramates Gibbosa

Symphytocarpus

May

24-48 hour life cycle

King Alfred's Cakes

May

Kindling

Hoof Fungus

All year

Kindling

False Turkey Tail

unknown

Lumpy bracket (1)

July

Toadstools

There is no real distinction between toadstools and mushrooms. General usage is Mushrooms=Edible; Toadstools=inedible. Where there are risks of misidentification, I am including possibly edible mushrooms with the inedible. It’s not worth taking the risk.