Welcome to my Fourth Blog: Herb Walking. Enjoy!
Are you ready to unlock a whole new dimension to your countryside rambles?
Would you like to transform your perception of rural green into a sensory explosion of unique textures, smells, tastes?
I would like to introduce you to your local, fascinating plant characters, with abundant gifts and stories to tell… Welcome to my world of Herb Walking!
Deep Reconnection to our Planet through her Plants
I am a professional Medical Herbalist, with a first class honours science degree in Herbal Medicine. I have lots of lovely, loyal patients, but I would not do well sitting in a consultation room all day. I am an active, outdoor girl, who has lived very close to nature for the last 25 years. I have been gathering plants from the wild for as long.
These days I share my knowledge in the hope of helping people reconnect, on a very deep level, to our earth and her gifts.
Many people really care about the future of our planet. We desperately need to, without her we are nothing! But most people hardly know her anymore. I sometimes feel like a walking museum, trying desperately to hold onto the dying knowledge of our intimate connection to the plant kingdom. So much is already lost.
The Ancient Ogham Alphabet: Every Letter a Plant
There is an ancient Celtic alphabet, called Ogham. Every letter is a tree or a plant, except for the sea.
That is how important plants used to be to us. They gave us food, shelter, clothing, dyes, medicine, soap, stories, companionship, knowledge, inspiration, protection, light, fire, warmth, paper, ink, & soul sustenance with their beauty...
In folklore and mythology, it is common for people to be transformed into plants and plants into people. We were deeply connected, through practical necessity and in spirit.
In Nature, You Can Never Walk the Same Path Twice
Nature's path is constantly changing. The time of day, the weather, the seasons, slant of the Sun, clouds and shadows, rain, fog, moonlight…
You may walk in different company: animals, insects, birds, trees, fungi...
One autumn morning, across your path, a dew drop laden cobweb.
Spring sunrise rainbow prisms clinging to wet grass underfoot.
It's a question of perspective.
Natures Harvest: When and Where To Gather Herbs
Natures harvest is also evolving with the seasons. Spring shoots, leaves, flowers, summer fruits, autumn fungi, winter roots…
I have learnt when to gather the herbs I need, and where they grow.
My harvest is never guaranteed. It depends on the weather, the soil, and whether the plants have thrived. Sometimes another creature has beaten me to it!
Your World Will Never Look the Same Again
Some people book on my Herb Walks, expecting to be guided to a few special herbs. They are astonished just how many fascinating plants there are, everywhere you look! I help open peoples eyes, hearts and minds to the awesome detail, to the wonder of each plant, large and tiny. I open a door to their gifts, their character, their folklore, their history...
To many, the world will never look the same again!
Hundreds of Wonderful People from Around the World
I have led Wild Herb Discovery Walks around the Peak District for nearly seven years now.
Through the Airbnb Experience Platform, I have met hundreds of wonderful people from all round the world. I think I can honestly say, I have learnt something from every person I have met!
"What is a Herb?": a Plant with a Gift!
I have led Wild Herb Discovery Walks around the Peak District for nearly seven years now.
Through the Airbnb Experience Platform, I have met hundreds of wonderful people from all round the world. I think I can honestly say, I have learnt something from every person I have met!
One question I will always remember, which made me laugh, was: "What is a Herb?".
Eight years hard study to get my BSc. Hons. First Class Degree in Herbal Medicine, and I had never paused to ask myself what a herb actually was!
I had been teaching people about the medicinal qualities of our local wild plants. When I looked up the definition of a herb, it said: "any useful plant"... Hallelujah! We could talk about nearly every plant we saw!
Now Herb Walking would be even more fun!
But I was not comfortable with that definition. As a Medical Herbalist, working so closely with plants, I see, so often, their gentle, yet incredibly profound, healing powers. I needed a definition which included reverence and respect for my plant colleagues. I shared my dilemma with people who came walking with me, and over time, we came up with a definition I like much better: "a Herb is a plant with a gift!"
Friendly walks, personally tailored to your interests.
Each walk starts with a friendly gathering at a prearranged meeting point. We introduce ourselves and discuss what we're hoping to get out of the walk. I like to get to know people a little at the start: their interests, knowledge levels, physical ability and energy levels. We choose our route together.
Welcome from all Walks of Life
Every single walk is different, just like every person is different. There is no set text. Some people are interested in culinary herbs, some want to learn basic self-help remedies. I have walked with Pagans hungry for magic and folklore, doctors focused on medicine and science, mothers collecting stories for children...
Some people use the opportunity to learn about their own health conditions, or those of their loved ones. Others have no idea why they have come, or get dragged along by a loved one. They still usually get a lot out of it....All are welcome!
Great for Singles, Couples, Families and Groups
I have had a lot of fun leading themed walks for weddings, hen parties, stag dos, Yoga Retreats and walking groups. I have lead walks for nature reserves, and local district councils.
Solo travellers, local folk, couples and families all enjoy these walks.
Herb Walking can be a very bonding experience, opening the door to a shared, lifelong discovery adventure into the kingdom of plants.
My faithful best friend and companion Pepper-dog loves people, especially children, and is happy to entertain anyone who is less focused on the flora. He welcomes other dogs on leads.
Forage safely
One thing every walk has in common, is basic guidelines to help people forage safely and responsibly.
Natural does not always mean safe. Europe has an abundance of helpful plants. There are also harmful ones, including a number of skilled and merciless assassins. Some plant toxins have no antidote even if you are rushed straight to hospital. It is vital to know with total certainty the identity of a plant, as well as its edibility status, before ingesting anything.
You also need to think what has passed along the path before you. Is the plant clean enough to eat? Has anyone sprayed it with herbicide?
Looking after our Planet: a Network of Plants
And it's not just about looking after ourselves. It is now more urgent than ever, that we look after our planet. "Planet": our "network of plants" that has increasingly gaping holes in it!
Before we harvest anything from the wild, we need to know whether it is endangered, either locally or nationally. How does it reproduce? How will picking it affect its ability to thrive?
I only ever pick a very small proportion of what I find. I want the path I tread to be as beautiful when I arrive, as when I depart. I leave plenty for those who follow, including wildlife.
I need to look after my plant colleagues, so I can gather my medicines again next year to do their healing work!
Soulful Connection
And then there are the extra dimensions. The non-verbal communication and touch of magic. That deep, quiet, connection with nature, that feeds the soul.
When practicing modern Western Herbal Medicine, science is extremely important. But getting to know a plant is much more than just words and knowledge. It's about touching, smelling, tasting, feeling, intuition, dreaming, history, folklore, experience...
Sensory Awakening
A whole new world of sensory awakening awaits!
The velvet soft leaf of Foxglove, downy Mullein, soft bristly comfrey, neoprene-like coltsfoot, waxy-smooth Holly, cool-fresh chickweed.
Powerfully cleansing scent of Pine, relaxing calm of Lavender.
Ribwort's green, mushroomy taste, Granny Smith Sorrel, lemon-curd Mahonia flowers…
One tiny little Hogweed seed gives a baffling combination of flavour explosions: tangerine peel? liquorice? toothpaste?! the truth is, nothing you have ever tried tastes quite like it!
Talking to Plants is Simple
I am no longer shy to share, that I always ask a plant before picking. I quiet my rational mind and listen to how I feel. If I don't feel comfortable, I don't pick: simple. If it feels it's okay, I ask for guidance which part to pick, and how much. I ask if the plant wants any help in return, and I always give thanks.
It is about tuning into yourself and your surroundings, listening with your mind, heart, body & soul. Harvesting with awareness, sensitivity and connection makes better medicine!
Pepper-dog Co-leads the Walks
Pepper-dog is my business partner, in charge of PR. As Herb Walk co-leader, he is in charge of timekeeping, route planning, and cuddles where appropriate.
He is brilliant at what he does, though occasionally we have to negotiate, when he tries to lead us all down a badger hole.
I often ask people, at the end of my walks, what their most memorable moment was. It's surprising how often, despite all my efforts, it is the foraged herb tea and my dog! He has fans all round the world!
Tempted to Don your Walking Shoes and Join Us?
Have I tempted you to dig out your walking shoes and come out to meet all these amazing herbs, with so many gifts, just waiting to be discovered? I really hope so!
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