Foraging Experiences with James Hill

Rooted in the Yorkshire landscape and shaped by James’ lifelong connection to nature, these immersive events invite you to slow down, step outside and discover the ingredients growing quietly around us.

There is something deeply grounding about properly noticing the landscape around you. The scent of wild garlic hidden beneath woodland paths. Blackberries warming in late summer hedgerows. Field mushrooms tucked beneath damp grass. Nettles carefully gathered for soup. The quiet satisfaction of discovering ingredients growing entirely unnoticed in plain sight.

Growing up on a farm in North Yorkshire, James was immersed in nature from an early age. Some of his happiest childhood memories were spent walking through the countryside with his family, observing wildlife, soaking up the trees and gathering ingredients for the kitchen table. For James, foraging is about much more than identifying edible plants. It is about remembering our connection to the natural world. He often reflects on the idea that children seem instinctively fascinated by bugs, leaves, berries and trees - and that perhaps, as adults, we do not need to discover a love of nature so much as find our way back to it.

As a young boy, he would pick plums from his family’s trees and sell them at the side of the road - his first taste, as he puts it, of both foraging and entrepreneurship. More than thirty years later, there’s something rather poetic about the fact that he now spends his days doing both once again: sharing the landscape, its stories and its produce with others.

Across each event with James here at Newsham, guests will be welcomed with tea and coffee before heading out on a guided 2.5-hour foraging walk through the surrounding landscape. Along the way, James will share his knowledge of seasonal ingredients, edible plants, hedgerow finds and the stories woven through the Yorkshire countryside itself.

Following the walk, everyone will enjoy a relaxed seasonal lunch from The Peckish Kitchen.

Whether you arrive already fascinated by foraging or simply curious to learn something new, these events with James are a natural extension of the land around us here at Newsham - an invitation to step outside, look a little closer and discover what has been there all along.

Event Dates

Monday 19th April 2027

Monday 5th July 2027

Monday 11th October 2027

£60 per person

Includes tea and coffee on arrival, a guided foraging experience and seasonal lunch.