Ever wondered what it’s like to dine at the UK’s most remote pop-up gastropub?
Nestled away in rural East Sussex, The Foragers Arms takes immersive dining to a whole new level.
Only accessible by hiking off-grid to get to your table, guests are required to forage for their meal on the journey in.
Diners must delve deep into the ancient woodlands of the South Downs National Park to source wild ingredients for a three-course tasting menu before the meal is prepared and cooked on fires in front of them.
The experience is led by chef, author and foraging expert Nick Weston, founder of Hunter Gather Cook, who has partnered with Columbia Sportswear in a celebrating of outdoor culture and the launch of their new KONOS walking shoe.
Amongst the ingredients patrons will forage on the forest floor are wild garlic, Alexanders, ground ivy, hawthorn, cow parsley, hogweed and jelly ear mushrooms.
Dinner guests can expect an elevated menu inspired by Weston’s passion for wild, sustainable British ingredients that wouldn’t be out of place at even the most exclusive restaurants in the capital.
The launch of The Foragers Arms follows an explosion in popularity of foraging fuelled in part by viral meme social media accounts satirising the trend for wild garlic foraging amongst London hipsters.
Google search data reveals that searches for “foraging” have grown by 93% in the last five years with a 62% increase in the past year.
Weston believes it’s so important to understand the natural world around us.
“We are all descended from Hunter-Gatherers otherwise we wouldn’t be here – it’s amazing when you open you open your eyes and actually see the wild larder that is around you and the flavour profiles of the plants that you have never experienced.
“There’s something very primal about foraging that helps us reconnect with our surroundings. Spring is my favourite time to forage as the countryside really bursts into life.”
It is believed that there are over 200 edible wild plants in the UK with nettle, wild garlic and dandelion being amongst the most common, but Weston advises its best to do the research before heading out into the undergrowth.
“It’s important to know your hogweed from your hemlock water dropwort.
“Both are similar looking plants, but the latter is the UK’s most poisonous. They’re both members of the carrot family. If you ingest Oanthia Crocata (hemlock water dropwort) the Oenanthetoxin will have you at the undertakers 12 hours later.
“If you want to sample the lesser-known ingredients, it’s best to go with a guide and have a foraging handbook.”
For Brendan Clayton, a Columbia Hike Society ambassador and landlord of The Foragers Arms, it’s the culinary journey it takes guests on that makes it a magical experience.
“It’s a real education to try new flavours and experiment with ingredients that can often be found on our doorstep. Things that have been foraged on the way to your table have no right to taste this good.”
“For me, there’s nothing better than a good hike, top pub grub and pint – we’ve got it all.”
The Foragers Arms is part of a series of hiking experiences by Columbia Hike Society, to take part in a future event, visit columbiasportswear.co.uk.
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