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Few activities are as typically British as searching for blackberries in our hedgerows. By late August, there will be thousands of blackberries ripe for the picking. Don't miss out, as it's an essential late summer activity.
By the end of September, a lot of the best ones will have gone, although the season can run into October in good weather. It's safe to eat blackberries found anywhere in the UK, although it's advisable to wash them and usually freeze them first to kill any bugs.
Where will you find blackberries?
The hardy brambles and their plump deep purple fruits can thrive just about anywhere. You will find blackberries in woodlands, shrubberies, parks, gardens and even in overgrown alleyways. It is an extremely common plant that can grow in various environments.
Blackberry picking is popular amongst children of all ages – it can be a bit of a competition to see who can collect the most and that’s something we never grow out of! Many adults will have fond memories of heading out, armed with plastic tubs, to collect as many as possible.
Blackberries are distinct in their appearance and easy to pick, so you can't go wrong. Usually in a tangled mass, with prickly leaves that are a reddish-green shade in the autumn; you will find them in hedges, woods, heaths and roadside verges.
How do you know they are ready to pick?
Once the blackberries have turned a deep, purple shade, looking almost black, they are ready to be picked. They are at their peak in late August and early September.
According to English folklore, you shouldn't pick blackberries after Michaelmas Day (the Feast of Michael and All Angels) on 29th September, because the devil will have contaminated them! The legend suggests he was angry because he fell onto a blackberry bush and pricked himself.
This myth may have come about because if there is wet, cool weather in October, it may have spoiled the blackberries still growing on the bushes. However, don't take the 29th of September cut-off date literally, as if the weather has been mild and warm, blackberries picked in October can be tasty too!
Are blackberries good for you?
Blackberries feature in historical medicine in various cultures. In Ancient Greece, they were believed to soothe throat and mouth infections.
Blackberry tea was said to be a cure for dysentery during the American Civil War. Temporary truces were called to allow both the Confederate and Union soldiers to forage for blackberries to make the health drink. Dysentery, a severe intestinal infection, was rife throughout the Civil War. However, the success of blackberry tea as a cure for dysentery is unknown.
In modern times, blackberries are recognised as containing an array of important nutrients such as magnesium, potassium and calcium. They also contain vitamins A, B, C and E. With powerful antioxidants known as anthocyanins, this is what gives blackberries their deep purple hue.
In the 1600s, the juice of blackberries was used as a hair dye. The English herbalist Nicholas Culpeper advised boiling the blackberries and leaves into a solution and using it to make the hair black.
Top blackberry picking spots
Although you can find blackberries in most woodlands, a few locations in Britain are renowned for their abundance of this tasty fruit.
Leigh Woods, in Bristol, offers rich pickings in terms of blackberry bushes. There are plenty of woodland paths to walk along, collecting the fruit as you go.
The New Forest, in Hampshire, is also full of blackberries and is one of the most scenic spots in England for a family walk.
Wimbledon Common, in London, is a more urban spot for blackberry picking - even an urban common can be wild enough to give brambles a chance to thrive!
The Limewoods, in Lincolnshire, is a wonderful place to take a walk on a sunny day and gather some blackberries. The rare limewood is also home to colourful butterfly species, such as the brown hairstreak and white admiral.
Haldon Forest Park in Devon is home to many magnificent old trees and is a lovely place to stroll while you pick blackberries. You might even see some wild deer while you're there.
Sizergh in Cumbria has some beautiful, wild woodlands, where you will find lots of blackberries. Chapel Wood in particular is full of blackberries, elderberries, apples and damsons too.
How do you store blackberries?
Once you take your blackberries home, wash them well in cold water. Leave them to soak for a short time with a little salt in the water to kill any creepy crawlies. Once picked, fresh blackberries will last for only a couple of days before they become over-ripe and start to lose their condition and flavour. If you place them in the fridge initially until you can eat them or turn them into a pie, dessert or jam, this will help preserve them a little longer. However, if you have a lot, you need to store them in the freezer.
After washing them, set them aside to dry. Then, spread them in a thin layer in a plastic container. Separate the layers with foil or greaseproof paper. Don't pack too many into the container. Put a label on with the date they were frozen, although they should keep pretty much indefinitely, as long as you freeze them when they are fresh.
You can also stew them, before freezing, with a little sugar and puree, keeping the finished product in the fridge if you intend to eat it fairly quickly. You can also freeze the puree. Blackberries will freeze well, and they can be used all year round in pies and crumbles.
Best blackberry recipes
There are plenty of great recipes that contain blackberries. For some ideas, simply do a Google search and there are dozens that you can try. You don't even have to be that great in the kitchen to conjure up a blackberry masterpiece.
Look out for blackberry and apple mini pies, filo pastry blackberry pie, apple and blackberry crumble, apple and blackberry sorbet, blackberry cobbler, blackberry coulis, blackberry and coconut traybake, blackberry jam and even blackberry vinegar for something different.
The weather gods are looking down on us, folks: the Met Office has just forecast another heatwave in August. I can feel a blackberry picking bonanza coming on!