Food for free: how to properly forage for blackberries

If you’ve ever tried to handle brambles in your own garden, you’ll know they can be tricky. And prickly. It makes sense to protect your hands and forearms if you intend to go blackberrying in the wild. 

“Wear long sleeves, trousers and gloves,” advises Esther Frizell-Armitage, Team Wilder community ecologist for Avon Wildlife Trust. “Using a litter picker, walking pole or stick can help you reach the most tempting treats. Some thorns can harbour diseases, and puncture wounds can cause infections if not treated as soon as possible.” 

A lightweight pair of thorn-proof gardening gloves should do the job. 

Depending on where you live, your local hedgerows and bramble thickets might be along roadsides. (Though these might not be the best fruit to forage due to pollution and dirt, especially on busier roads.)

Knowing how to pick blackberries safely will mean you can enjoy the fruits of your labour without injury or affecting the natural environment around the plants. 

“Do try to avoid busy roads and blind bends for your safety,” says Frizell-Armitage. And it’s important to know where you’re putting your feet, especially if you’re in a forest or on a coastal path.  

“Please don’t trample an orchid [if you’re foraging earlier in the season – but be mindful of all wildflowers] in your efforts to reach a clump of berries,” she adds.

“Also, do be aware that the brambles provide shelter for small mammals, birds and insects, and the thorny thickets protect new tree seedlings from the attentions of deer and other grazing animals. Try to minimise how much impact your foraging has on the surrounding habitat.” 

No one wants to eat fresh, wild berries that are covered in chemicals or dog pee. Make sure your blackberries are safe to eat by choosing your foraging spots wisely. Blackberries growing along roadsides will likely be polluted with exhaust fumes and dirt thrown up from passing vehicles.  

“Be aware of hedges along fields of crops, which might have been sprayed with insecticides or pesticides,” says Frizell-Armitage. “Seek out bramble bushes in parks and along the edges of woodlands where possible.   

“Pick berries from higher up the bush – if you’ve ever followed a dog along a hedge, you’ll know why! Wash the fruit when you get home by soaking it for 20 minutes and then draining and drying the berries on a paper towel.” 

You’ve discovered an ideal thicket of brambles in a safe spot, laden with ripe berries. But before you clear the entire bush, spare a thought for the other creatures feeding on the fruit.  

“While it might be tempting to strip the brambles of all the ripe blackberries, do consider that common garden visitors also enjoy these juicy dark fruits,” says Eric Michels, head Vivara Pro at CJ Wildlife. “Blackbirds, thrushes and finches all enjoy a beak-ful of blackberries. 

“Blackberries are naturally high in vitamin C, giving birds a boost of energy and sustenance during a time when insects might not be in abundance. As the colder weather creeps in, insects become difficult to find, especially if a frost is due.   

“Once digested, any seeds present within the fruit will pass through the bird’s stomach and be dropped in new locations. If conditions allow, they will grow into new brambles elsewhere.” 

“Blackberries are a valuable food source for a range of species, including badgers, foxes and rare mammals, such as the hazel dormouse,” says Frizell-Armitage. “They help to fatten up these animals, so they can get through the winter. Bramble flowers also offer a large amount of pollen and nectar for pollinators including bees, hoverflies and butterflies.  

“Dense bramble bushes even ensure protection and shelter for nesting birds, reptiles such as slow worms and grass snakes, and small mammals.” 

Not all berries are created equal. A huge part of understanding how to pick blackberries well is identifying the ripest, tastiest fruit. 

“These luscious delights have a deep purple-black colour and a glossy sheen,” explains forager James Wood from Totally Wild UK. “They are round and plump, with a cluster of tiny seeds hiding within. To ensure you’re picking the ripest berries, gently give them a squeeze. If they yield slightly and feel soft, you’ve hit the jackpot! Avoid any berries that are hard, incredibly mushy or have visible signs of mould. Trust me, your taste buds will thank you later. 

“As they get older, they become sweeter, so there’s a bit of a game to be had in finding the plumpest ones that look like they’re just ready to burst.” 

Wood says when he doesn’t have his trusty basket made with bramble stems to hand, he sometimes picks straight into a plastic freezer-safe tub, so the juice doesn’t leak everywhere. 

Keeping the ripest, fit-to-burst blackberries intact can be tricky. It’s a known issue for professional and commercial pickers, too, so if you find yourself in a bit of a mess, you’re not alone. Luckily, we’ve some expert techniques to help you along.  

“Use your thumb and first two fingers to encase the blackberry and keep even pressure on each finger,” advises Wood. “Pull only the fruit away from the stem in a straight line (directly away from the stalk, as though the fruit were a sock you’re taking off your foot).  

“The stem will stay on the bush, and you’ll have a lovely intact blackberry. What you do next is your choice, whether you pop it straight in your mouth or in the basket is completely up to you. I usually follow the rule of one for me, one for the basket.” 

Heading into the great outdoors isn’t for everyone. You may need a more accessible route to pick blackberries safely or would prefer to visit a venue with plenty of other things to do if you’re entertaining children.  

Thankfully, there are swathes of pick-your-own farms dotted around the UK. As well as blackberries, the farms and orchards often have other crops you can gather yourself, depending on the season. 

A useful online source if you want to find somewhere near you is pickyourownfarms.org.uk. 

Now you know how to pick blackberries, you might be hungry for more expert insight. If so, we highly recommend signing up to a guided foraging course. This is also a great idea if you’re feeling a little timid about setting off on your first foraging trip and would prefer to explore nature’s bounty as part of a group activity.  

Wood agrees that joining a professional is “by far the easiest way to learn”. A quick Google search should help you find local, seasonal foraging trips near you. You can also find the courses available from Totally Wild’s website.  

If you’re less mobile, don’t feel confident tackling the hedgerows or don’t live near a thicket of brambles, you can still get in on the blackberry-picking fun. Saga Exceptional’s gardening editor Simon Akeroyd is fond of growing his own blackberries at home.  

“The fruits are usually larger and sweeter than the brambles growing out in the wild,” he explains. “They have been bred for their improved flavour, too. Many plant nurseries sell compact varieties that are ideal for growing on a patio. There are even some almost ‘thorn-less’ varieties to try, which your hands and forearms will thank you for.  

“The best way to grow a blackberry is in a pot on the patio. I’ve even grown a blackberry in an old dustbin with holes drilled in the bottom as drainage holes. You could plant it in the ground but be aware it’s basically a bramble. It can become invasive and spread through the rest of your garden if you’re not careful.” 

Akeroyd recommends choosing a compact blackberry variety, such as ‘Tiny Black’, ‘Opal’ and ‘Little Black Prince’.