Scotland Wild Food: foraging classes & wild cooking in Scotland

Across Scotland, a growing number of expert foragers, chefs and bushcraft instructors now offer guided foraging walks, hands-on wild cookery classes, coastal forage-and-cook days, fire-cooking workshops and multi-day courses.

Some focus purely on plant and fungi identification, while others combine ethical harvesting with open-fire cooking, wild feasts or seasonal tastings.

Whether you’re looking for a half-day introduction near Edinburgh, a coastal shellfish foraging experience in Argyll, or a full weekend bushcraft and wild cookery retreat in the Highlands, Scotland offers experiences for beginners and seasoned food lovers alike.

Below, you’ll find the best wild foraging classes, courses and events currently running across Scotland.

Would you like to be added to the directory? Get in touch.

You might also like: the best field to fork restaurants in Scotland.

Wild food cooking and Scotland foraging events 2026

• Early Spring Forest & Hedgerow Foraging Walk & Wild Food Picnic (Galloway Wild Foods) – this guided forage in Galloway explores early spring plants, tree saps and fungi, followed by a wild food tasting picnic. Multiple dates are scheduled for spring 2026, with seasonal edible exploration and culinary sampling included. Find out more.
• The Coastal Forager – Low Spring Tide Foraging Walk & Wild Food Picnic – also part of the Galloway Wild Foods calendar, this event is timed with low spring tides to forage coastal greens, seaweeds and shellfish, finishing with foraged tasters throughout and a wild food picnic. Scheduled for April 1 & 2, 2026. Find out more.
• Forage & Cookery Course in Dumfries & Galloway (Totally Wild UK) – a foraging and cookery walk around Moffat Community Nature Reserve, led by professional foragers. This 5–6 hour experience in Spring 2026 mixes plant and herb identification, seasonal edibles and a communal wild food meal that celebrates what has been foraged. Multiple dates.
• Bowhouse and Balcaskie Estate – Grass to Grill Tours 2026 (multiple events May-August) – take a tour of Balcaskie Estate in Fife to learn about their regenerative farming methods, then return to Bowhouse Butchery to discover their sustainable, grass-reared meat. Finally join the team for a long table fear which will include local, seasonal produce from the Estate. Find out more.
• Scotland Wild Food Festival (19-20 September 2026) – a festival-style programme of guided walks, wild food seminars, plant ID sessions, seaweed tastings and themed events across Scotland during the autumn season. Held at Tir na nOg, Balfour Station. Website / Event Listing
• Ballintaggart Smoke and Fire classes – classes held throughout the year at Ballintaggart Farm, teaching the art of cooking over open fire. Book classes.

Foraging courses in Scotland

The Little Foragers Kitchen
Seasonal foraging courses and wild food cookery sessions announced primarily via Instagram. Expect small groups, woodland learning and hands-on preparation of gathered ingredients.
Website / Instagram
Region: Various (Scotland-wide events)

Edinburgh Forage & Eat
Led by expert forager Judith Lamb, these guided foraging walks often end with tastings or wild food preparation. A brilliant introduction to Scotland’s edible landscape.
Website / Instagram
Region: Edinburgh & Lothians

Wild Food Story
Foraging and wild food teaching content with seasonal course announcements. A strong account to follow for limited-date wild food workshops.
Website / Instagram

Mark Williams
Wild food teacher sharing harvest, preparation and cookery content (@markwildfood). Courses and field sessions are announced seasonally.
Instagram

The Wild Cooke
Wild foraging experiences and workshops run by forager Lucy Cooke in the Highlands and Ardnamurchan region. Courses include seasonal species identification, harvesting ethics, preservation techniques and a wild food picnic featuring dishes made from foraged ingredients.
Website / Instagram
Region: Highlands

Wildwood Bushcraft
Coastal foraging day courses on Scotland’s rugged west coast near Moidart, where participants learn to forage for edible shellfish, seaweed and woodland plants. The course includes instruction on safe and responsible foraging and cooking your wild lunch over a beach fire.
Website
Region: West Highlands/Coast

Galloway Wild Foods
Offers a range of events and guided walks in Galloway, including early spring forest and hedgerow foraging with wild food tastings. They also offer private booking options focused on specific themes such as seaweeds, fungi or foraged cocktails.
Website
Region: Galloway & SW Scotland

Frequently Asked Questions about wild food & wild cooking in Scotland

Do I need experience to join a foraging class?

No experience is required for most beginner-level courses. The majority of guided walks and wild food workshops are designed for complete beginners. Instructors will teach plant identification, safety principles and sustainable harvesting from scratch.

Some immersive weekend courses or bushcraft programmes may suit those wanting a deeper dive, but they are still typically accessible to newcomers.

What happens during a foraging course?

A typical experience may include:

• Guided walk identifying edible plants, fungi or seaweeds
• Discussion of safety, lookalikes and ethical harvesting
• Sustainable picking of small quantities
• Tasting wild ingredients
• A wild snack, picnic or cookery demonstration
• In some cases, hands-on fire cooking or meal preparation

Is foraging legal in Scotland?

Yes — Scotland’s access laws allow responsible foraging under the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. However:

• Only take what you need
• Avoid uprooting plants unless permitted
• Never forage on private land without permission
• Follow all local conservation guidance

Reputable course leaders will always teach ethical harvesting and sustainable practices.

Are wild cooking and fire-cooking experiences different from standard foraging walks?

Yes. Some experiences focus purely on plant identification and learning about edible species. Others go further and include:

• Open-fire cooking
• Shoreline shellfish preparation
• Wild bread baking
• Foraged ingredient tasting menus
• Chef-led wild feasts
• Regenerative farming demonstrations

If you’re particularly interested in cooking, look for “forage and cook,” “wild kitchen,” or “fire cookery” in the course description.

When is the best time of year for foraging in Scotland?

Foraging runs year-round, but highlights include:

• Spring: Wild garlic, young greens, coastal herbs
• Summer: Berries, flowers, shoreline plants
• Autumn: Mushrooms and fungi season (very popular)
• Winter: Seaweeds, roots and preservation-focused courses

Autumn mushroom courses often sell out quickly.