Foraging at Dalemain Mansion

About

Dalemain Mansion is one of the most beautiful and impressive stately homes in the northwest of England and is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Situated in the heart of the Lake District, Dalemain is only 3 miles from Penrith, 2 miles from Lake Ullswater and the lake steamers and is very close to the Pennines and the mountains of the English Lakes. The name Dalemain means 'manor in the valley' and there's been a settlement here since Saxon times. The first ever mention of a building on this site, is of a pele tower, (a small, fortified keep, built along the English and Scottish borders), in the reign of Henry II.

Dalemain is also the centre of the world for marmalade! Jane Hasell-McCosh founded the Dalemain World Marmalade Awards & Festival, with entries arriving from as far away as Japan, Australia and India. In the Dalemain shop you can taste marmalades that have been officially named the finest in the world, as well as Dalemain's own range, which includes a 17th century recipe from the estate's archives.

The varied habitats of the Dalemain Estate parklands and gardens area provide a rich, year-round array of plants, trees and fungi for us to explore.

Our Foraging Courses begin with a short introduction to Wild Food UK, what to expect from your day and a brief summary of the general countryside codes, including our Foraging Code.

Heading off at a leisurely pace around the grounds, your instructor will teach you how to safely identify the different species of edible and poisonous plants and mushrooms that you discover. This exploration will take about 2.5hrs, during which we'll take a break for a homemade refreshment, such as our warming Hogweed & Wild Garlic Soup or Elderflower Champagne!

After the walk we will end the day with a tasty wild food meal. This will include a selection of foraged homemade treats created by your instructor, and a dish made with what we have collected during the walk.

Our food is seasonal, so what you are served depends on what is growing at that time of year. In Spring we will be making use of the fresh wild greens and in Autumn, the array of tasty wild mushrooms that the area has to offer.

You will receive a comprehensive set of Wild Food UK 'Course Notes' a few days after your course. This email will contain links and articles relating to the plants and mushrooms we discovered or discussed during the day.