Find all of these fruity beauties in the fields between Paulerspury church and Pury End.

Bramble (Rubus fruticosus)

Blackberries are now ready to pick on our bramble bushes. Growing up, we went out brambling until the first frost. We were told this was when the ‘Devil spits on them’ and ruins them. But find a bush that catches the sun and isn’t in a frosty hollow and you might keep on harvesting these delicious drupelets. There are over 2000 microspecies of bramble, so if you’ve ever sworn that your family’s favourite patch has the best blackberries, there’s your proof!

Dog Rose (Rosa canina)

I love scraping the red skin of a ripe rosehip with my teeth. The fragrant flesh reminds me of rosehip cordial I was given as a child for a sore throat. Don’t bite into the rosehip though, the hairy seeds won’t harm you but taste disgusting!

Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)

I didn’t realise until recently that haws (the berries) can be eaten. You might be able to eat them, but it takes a lot to make them taste good. I leave them for the birds to gobble up. The Redwings and Fieldfares we often see around the village in November love these!

Elder (Sambucus niger)

Don’t eat these berries straight from the tree. Uncooked they are mildly poisonous, but ripe berries cooked and strained to remove the pips make a lovely jam (it is recommended that pregnant women shouldn’t eat this though).

Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa)

These thumbnail sized dark purple berries with a opaque whitish blush on the blackthorn bushes are sloes. Unlike blackberries, wait until after the first frost before picking them. Then they will be slightly more tender. Disgustingly bitter when raw, but the nectar of the gods as sloe gin or vodka.

R. Fitter, A. Fitter and M. Blamey, Wild flowers of Britain and Northern Europe, 5th ed., Harpercollins Publishers, London, 1996.

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