A guided walk exploring Woolacombe, identifying and foraging wild edible plants, trees, fungi & shellfish.

A guided coastal foraging walk through Woolacombe, North Devon, exploring the long sandy beach, dunes of Woolacombe Warren, rocky intertidal zones (especially toward Combesgate, Barricane and Morte Point), cliffs and hinterland within the North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Participants will identify and sustainably forage wild edible seaweeds (such as pepper dulse, laver, sugar kelp, red thongweed/sea spaghetti and sea lettuce), coastal plants (rock samphire, sea beet, sea rocket, navelwort and others), occasional shellfish where abundant (mussels, limpets, winkles or crabs in rocky areas), and land-based finds in the dunes and nearby combes or heathland, including trees, fungi and wildflowers in season.

The walk is led by Heath Bunting, long-time local forager, organic vegetable grower and experienced guide who has run coastal wild-food walks in Woolacombe for many years. Sessions typically last around 1.5 hours in small groups and cover practical identification, sustainable harvesting techniques (“leave plenty,” cut rather than pull, take only what is abundant), and the legal/ethical framework for personal foraging on the foreshore and National Trust or other land.

Alongside the hands-on foraging, the walk also touches on bushcraft skills, cultivation methods (including seed collection/sowing and hardwood cuttings for native trees and shrubs), recognition of poisonous look-alikes, food processing and preservation techniques for wild harvests, and related themes such as rewilding and climate-change adaptation in coastal habitats.

The route includes a section of the South West Coast Path, with emphasis on low-tide access to rocks and pools, careful timing around tides, and Leave No Trace principles. Ideal for beginners and experienced foragers alike, these walks prioritise safety, positive identification, and long-term care of the habitat so that Woolacombe’s rich seashore and dune ecosystems remain productive for wildlife and future visitors.

Kids go free.

Wear seasonal clothing.

Moderate fitness required.

Dogs welcome.

Contact 07935 986 421 if lost or delayed.

Email heathbunting@irational.org for group bookings.

Description supplied by the event organiser.