Testimonials

Hi Rachel many thanks for the foraging course last Wednesday, we really enjoyed it and Dave and the boys have already been back to forage bladder rack, Irish moss and pepper dulce and made some soup! He cooked and added it to a carrot based soup!  - all made up!

Cathy, Cornwall

Just wanted to say thank you again for yesterday’s course.  It was a fascinating afternoon and I learnt a lot. Not least that my 68 year old body can still clamber over rocks (albeit with the help of some lovely people) and stay out in the rain for hours without feeling it really, except at the end!! I am also really enjoying your books. I hope you have a very successful year and that we may meet again.

Suzy, St Ives

Thanks you for such an interesting morning. I really enjoyed the information you were giving and manner in which you imparted it to the group, a lovely way to spend an idyllic few hours on a sunny Sunday morning.

Robert, Henley on Thames

We had a great couple of hours roaming the rocks of Cape Cornwall picking through the seaweeds whilst Rachel explained what to look for, the properties and benefits of each one. And then how we might cook it to bring dishes to life. We added a few coastal plants into the mix too. Who’d have thought there could be so much packed into one small area...and tastes that we’d never encountered.

Tess and family, London

Hi Rachel,Thank you so much for our foraging event, you are so knowledgeable and made the morning fun and interesting. We have become more aware of our environment and very please that there is so much Alexander in Essex as well! Our kind regards to you and Paddy.

Janet, Kevin, Alex and Virro, Essex/China

Just a short e mail to thank you for a fantastic and insightful  afternoon with my family  foraging. Finlay and Jake have already been foraging in wales at the weekend. We spotted some Alexandra , 3 cornered leeks and of course a few nettle stings for good measure. No black mustered yet so it’s possibly not made it from the south west to the Llyn peninsular yet. We plan to be out on the coast again in north wales in a few weeks so will continue the search. Thanks again and great to meet you.

White family, Wales/Cumbria

It was great to take part in one of your courses again... John Muir once wrote 'in every walk with nature one receives more than he seeks' and this I did today. The participants and you were brilliant and I learnt a lot about myself. The earth has beautiful music for those who are willing to listen  and for the first time in a long time I gave myself the space to listen.

Phillip, Devon

Thank you so much for the wonderful foraging morning last Friday at Maenporth.  The weather and setting couldn't have been better.  It is a place I have long wanted to visit and an activity that has  been on my 'to do' list for ages.  It all came together perfectly.  I found it very interesting and informative, thank you for making it such a special morning.

Chrissie, Cornwall

Hello Rachel, I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed your foraging course the other day and have been practicing ever since! I made a Japanese style broth with the seaweeds, smoked tofu, soy, chilli, rice noodles and spring onion. I floated some pennywart leaves on top like lillies - my neighbours loved it. Seafood pancakes with sorrel and wild spinach also worked well, washed down with elderflower, rose and lemon cordial. Many thanks for your enjoyable walk and talk. I shall invite you for dinner when the cottage is finished!

Beth, Cornwall

Thank you again for yesterday afternoon. It was such a perfect walk through the woods. Your 'teaching' is so good that I think I can really remember the IDs. And intend to practise all the time!

Sheila, Cornwall

Thank you so much for such a fantastic morning, Ed and I really enjoyed the walk. I can't wait to get back to Cornwall and test my foraging knowledge!

Nadia and Ed, London

Just to say it was a super day. Feel very confident now to identify and prepare and cook with Alexander’s. So thank again Penny for use of her beautiful kitchen. Such a great space.

Linda, Cheltenham

We both felt very lucky  to be part of such a great course; thoroughly enjoyed the cooking and the eating on the train back home. Happy foraging.

Anne, Swindon

What a fantastic day.  Thank you for sharing your expertise, thank you to Penny for sharing her beautiful cottage and thank you both for such a relaxed, friendly day.  You two make a great team.   I really did feel at home.  It was a lovely group day and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute.  If all of your courses are like that then you are onto a winner.  I hope to find time to do more learning, foraging and cooking.

Linda, Cornwall

We all really enjoyed the walk. It went too quickly. On Sunday we walked towards lands end and it was great to see Alexis the city girl identifying the plants you had introduced us to.

Janet and Ian, Cornwall

We have been meaning to write to express our sincere thank you for the amazingly memorable day you treated us to inCornwall. It was so immensely enjoyable, every second of it. We'll cherish it for a long time and can't wait to return and experience it all over again. Foraging was so much fun for all of us, the girls especially loved every second of foraging in the magical Cornish land, they remember it often and of course shared it in class. It was really enchanting. Thank you Rachel for the opportunity to explore and learn about the wonders of nature! We would love to learn more from you, so it was very inspiring.The food was simply spectacular! One of the most memorable culinary experiences we have ever had. I still remember all the different tastes! Thank you Fiona for this very special experience! Can't even describe in words how much we enjoyed it! It was very special.

Aza and James, New York

Hi Rachel, We really enjoyed the walk yesterday. Attached is a photo of our meal today of sea bass with stir fried foraged vegetables-sea aster and sea samphire we bought in Newlyn mixed with sea beat and rock samphire from Penberth. The salsa verde has the brassica mustard flowers in it.

Jo and Liz, London

Dear Rachel, What a fantastic and enjoyable time today. I have always wanted to do something like that and it was everything I hoped for - thank you. My seaweed knowledge is not bad but my plants is pretty poor so that was great and the recipes and food etc was inspirational. Thank you and you will most likely see other members of the family being booked onto your courses plus as as well. Wonderful,

Richard, Cornwall

Hi Rachel, Thank you so much for your course yesterday. It was really practical and inspiring... we are both very enthused! We will come on another one! Many Thanks,

Nicky & Bethan, Cornwall

Rachel, Thank you for an amazing, fun, informative morning! Can't wait till October for next forage, it was lovely to meet you.

Jan, Cornwall

Thank you so much for such a good afternoon yesterday! We went on a run this morning by the Gannel and found almost everything we foraged with you. Tomorrow we are going to do some cooking ! We both really learned a lot. I can't wait to be creative with what we find and all so close to our front door!

Sophie & Matt, Cornwall

I just wanted to say thankyou for an excellent, educational and enjoyable forage last weekend. We put our harvest to good use on Sat evening with: haddock & samphire, hummus & wild garlic, pesto & wild garlic/sorrel. Thanks again.

Catherine and family, Cornwall

'We just wanted to say thanks for our enjoyable morning out on Friday. We went to Nanjizal for the first time yesterday and tasted a bit of seaweed there.'

Andrew and Tamara, Cornwall

'Just wanted to say what a fab time we had today. We are eager to include seaweed in our cooking!'

Louise and Jonathan, Cornwall

'Hi there Rachel, Thank you for an amazing foraging afternoon in St.Mawes the other week, really reignited my foraging love again. Had a walk in Mawgan Porth yesterday and wild carrot is aplenty, there's loads of it. I ...am thinking of coming to visit you on a foray again if there's room. Will be in touch nearer the time though.'

Samantha, North Cornwall

Hi Rachel, thank you for an amazing afternoon and the delicious meal you prepared for us. You're inspirational and I loved every moment of the afternoon, Laurie and I also found you to be SUCH a relaxed, calm person to share our time with and have passed your details on to friends and family. I'd love to attend the launch of your new book, Thank you again,

Hillery and Laurie, Cornwall

What a fabulous walk you led today. Thank you for inspiring me and giving me the confidence to try our local seaweeds. My rock pooling forays are changed for ever (for the better)! I've just rinsed my samples and am about to dry them. Thought you'd like to see the evidence... Thanks again for providing the tasty treats... I can't wait to learn how to recognise hogweed so I'll definitely book up for another walk in late summer or autumn. And I'll be recommending your walks to everyone I know.

Mandy, Truro, Cornwall

Hi Rachel, Just thought you would like to know that Liz and I did some cooking after the course with you last week in Prussia Cove. We both really enjoyed the afternoon and found it both useful and so nice to meet other people interested in nature and all it can offer. We cooked cucumber and dill salad with black mustard flowers, Scallops with crispy seaweed, Crab cakes with gut weed served with samphire but we had to buy the samphire! All the best,

Jo and Liz ( now sadly back in London)

Hi Rachel, Just wanted to say thanks again for taking us out for a forage! I was down at Marazion beach yesterday and found myself a couple of cheeses and black mustard flowers to munch on, so I clearly learnt a few things!

Doug Howard, West Cornwall

What a wonderful walk. It was just great to be out in the sunshine learning new stuff about some of our local and less local plants. Rachel I was so impressed by all your culinary and botanical knowledge. That evening I searched in vain for Scurvy on our patch of coast so I will have be go out hunting!

Emma Stratton, North Cornwall

thanks again for a great seaweed trip. Our algae is still drying in the kitchen but we'll use the pepperdulse in a paella this weekend!

Regan Early, Cornwall

Thanks very much for today we all really enjoyed it!

Ruth Waterhouse and family, North Cornwall

Rachel makes wild food accessible and tempting to taste with all sorts of culinary suggestions.

Jessica Milne, Cornwall Today

The Cornwall based Wild Food expert and Natural Healer, Rachel Lambert, is a relaxing person to be around with boundless knowledge of the most plentiful hedgerows. ...Our dinner was a nightly highlight and always exceeded expectations. Even the breads incorporated our wild finds... After foraging for my own meals, dining out in London's top restaurants will never be quite the same again.

Sudi Piggott, The Daily Express

Even though I've been on the islands for a few days, and only a matter of hours foraging, with Rachel's guidance, I've been able to take a close, concentrated look at the landscape. Where I might have otherwise strolled blithely past, I've stopped, looked, smelled, touched and tasted. I've been amazed at the variety and intensity of flavours available for free of charge to those with enough knowledge of what's safe to take back to the kitchen or enjoy there and then on the spot. Any trip to the Isles of Scilly would be memorable, though this one will remain on my taste memory too.

Andy Lynnes, The Independant on Sunday

Thanks Rachel for a great morning, the children loved it and were really engaged with all of it. The rain made it all more atmospheric - that church porch was such a good find! We look forward to cooking our feast later, and I'm sure we'll be able to spot most of the foods again during our stay.

Amanda, Raji and family, Kent

Thanks for a great afternoon. It really was a blissful moment in our holiday. You were such relaxing company and taught us with such ease about the wild foods we were passing. I loved the area you chose too - we'll definitely go back there, and hopefully the samphire will get cooked for dinner tonight too!

Helen and Martin, London

Just wanted to say a massive thank you for the foraging on Thursday. Rosie and I really enjoyed the morning. We both felt that it was the right level of informative (without being overwhelming), the right distance (so not too tiring) and that you had a lovely, gentle demeanour to want to spend three hours with.

Katy, London, Rosie, N. Cornwall

I just wanted to email to thank you for such a wonderful foraging afternoon earlier this week! You were so generous with your time and we are all absolutely invigorated by the experience. It was just a perfect afternoon really. That evening for dinner we had hawthorn sauce with our slow-roast lamb, and a side serving of rock and marsh samphire with fennel seeds. The meal was sensational. Then yesterday we started the evening with a glass of sea buckthorn prosecco (like a kir royal but using a sea buckthorn coulis).

Josh, London

Thank you for a super informative and fun day out on saturday. I learned a lot and warmed up eventually afterwards!

Giles, Cornwall

Just to say thank you for a truly wonderful afternoon yesterday spent down at Gwithian. Very informative and relaxed presentation with a fabulous host. Still can't believe I've had mustard growing wild in my bottom (as yet unrenovated and landscaped), garden. Needless to say, I was rather keen to show off my new identification skill with this plant and promptly harvested a batch for last nights supper salad. Hope to be joining you again, maybe for a spot of hedgerow foraging.

Kev, Cornwall

Hi Rachel, Thank you so much for yesterday - everyone had a great time and found it really interesting. It's not easy to find an activity that is both accessible and attractive to the whole team and I think we managed it yesterday - well done!

Sam Kirby, Penwith & Truro College Business Centre

Hi Rachel, We had an amazing time on the walk yesterday and will post photos and experience of our almost entirely foraged dinner last night later on today. From an excited

Rachel & Anja, Cornwall

I just wanted to say thank you again. Perfect day out and quality time with mum. Would love to do some more walks in the future, when I'm down in Cornwall next.

James, Essex

Just wanted to say how much we all enjoyed our forage walk with you yesterday. It was so interesting to find out the edible plants that had been at our feet all this time!! We'll definitely be back!

Amanda & family

Just wanted to thank you for a wonderful forage last Sunday. All family members were engaged and we went on to make 3 cornered leek bread, nettle soup and fried lava seaweed. Georgia is still going on about how to eat a nettle leaf!

Julia & family, Reading

Hi Rachel, just wanted to say thank you for our walk yesterday we learnt a lot and I loved your passion and infectious enthusiasm. I picked some three cornered leeks and mixed it into butter and put it in the freezer. I feel like it has given me a new lease of life in terms of picking wild food as I am constantly on the look out on my walks to work. I have stuck with the safe plants I know like sloes, parsley, sea beet, wild asparagus and wild garlic so far and now of course I can see pennywort everywhere, awesome. It has also bought back memories of me doing cooking demonstrations in Lincolnshire trying to get people to eat whats available through the seasons and using things like wild garlic through the 'hungry gap'.

Jane, North Cornwall

Thanks also for being so patient with the children. They really enjoyed the experience, and Billy is still amazed that you ate a whole stinging nettle leaf without being stung!

Amanda & family

Many thanks for an inspiring Saturday afternoon!'

Jill, Canada

Rachel, thank you so much for a wonderful morning of foraging. Not only was the walk informative and fun but we went on to make some wonderful nettle soup, 3 cornered leek bread and fried lava seaweed using your recipes. Considering the age range in our party, from 7 - 71 years, everyone was engaged and Georgia (the youngest) is still going on about how to eat a nettle leaf! Our countryside walks will never be the same again! Thank you for opening our eyes and sharing your wealth of knowledge.

Julia, Berkshire

Since our walk I have really got the bug and where I live within 300 yards there are a multitude of plants it's just like having them in the fridge. I make lots of pesto with the wild garlic which is very abundant this year both the broad leaf one and the one that I think is called wild leek.

David, Cornwall

A belated thank you for the Mousehole trip which I greatly enjoyed despite the cold... Have you ever thought of doing a book? I like the wellbeing angle.

Mike, Cornwall

Dear rachel, That was great many thanks (our private wild food walk for the family). Learning, good company and if a little chilly, lovely afternoon. I love being with people who are passionate and knowledgeable about their subject, so many thanks

Richard, Cornwall

'I really enjoyed my first "Forage and Cook" walk at Marazion [private Hen Party] so I booked onto a "Forage, Cook and Dine" at Glendurgan Gardens with Rachel. Her walks are very informative and organised. I now feel confident in identifying plants and flowers we collected, and I have even used some in dishes at home! Rachel's' knowledgeable and passion for her work is certainly felt by all who attend her walks. Every season there are new plants, flowers and bulbs to collect, and I hope to join her for a walk every season!'

Tammy, North Cornwall

'Thank you very much for a lovely wild food walk last month, everybody enjoyed it couple of hours yesterday afternoon. Your talk was so informative and has opened our eyes to what is around us which we may, sometimes, ignore or take for granted. I think your passion for wild food has ignited our desire to forage ourselves and take advantage of what can be found very close by.'

Jo, North Cornwall

'Our recent forage on Bryher (Isles of Scilly) gave us a whole new experience to holidaying and eating on the islands,which was made all the more enjoyable by being with a like minded friendly group and having a very knowledgeable nubile guide.'

Eric & Diane, Sussex

'Just to say a HUGE thank you for today. Kim and I had an absolutely wonderful morning and I'm sure I'll go to sleep thinking about the different amazing flavours we sampled today. I've had a look and I think those amazing birds of prey were kestrels, which seem to have yellow legs and a black band on their tails. Thanks again for opening our minds to all sorts of new food ideas and I'm sure we'll see you again.'

Binna, Cornwall

'Just thought I'd email you to say again how much we all enjoyed the wild food walk the other day... one of my earliest memories is of picking tiny wild strawberries outside our cottage in Scotland, I remember the excitement of finding my own size of food... and I've been foraging ever since. But I still tasted some new things on Tuesday and it was lovely to meet you.'

Charlotte, N.Cornwall

'Thank you so much for making Wednesday such a special day for us all. Your knowledge and enthusiasm of the plants and their properties made the foraging both fun and informative. I'm sorry you weren't able to stay to enjoy the rest of the meal with us. It was delicious - we all agreed it was the best meal we'd had in a long time. I realised later how simply everything was cooked (just as well with 5 of us in the kitchen!) - letting the flavours of the food speak for themselves.'

Louise, London

'I just wanted to email and say thanks again for a great afternoon yesterday. Alex and I both had a lovely time and have already started sharing some of what you taught us with friends and family. We had the wild cabbage with our dinner tonight (very tasty!) and can't wait to get out and about and try some more wild food. Thank you very much!'

Jess and Al

'I just want to say how much I enjoyed the Wild Food Forage with you last week!! The whole experience was so enjoyable and the company great. The food was outstanding and it is certainly something I would encourage others to do! Cotna couldn't be a more beautiful place - perfect for such an experience. I shall certainly go for walks with my eyes wide open in future and I know I shall purchase some books to widen my tiny knowledge. Thank you so much for a truly special afternoon and evening.'

Sally, Manager, The Vean

'Thank you so much for the wonderful morning we spent with you on the Wild Food Walk. I have seen a number of the staff who attended the day and they have all been so positive in their feedback. Pam has incorporated sea radish into salads, while Rachel used some samphire in a risotto. I have a feeling that our cooking will never be quite the same again!'

Maureen

'Rachel the wild food expert was knowledgeable & enthusiastic you just couldn't help get caught up in the foraging frenzy. It felt like we all learned loads, have fun, got some fresh air and exercise. More please & thank you so much.'

Sarah

'What a fantastic day, certainly more than I hoped for. I'm definitely hooked & ... can't wait till we get to the bountiful season & feed like kings on sea food and samphire.'

John

'Just a quick note to say how much we all enjoyed our time with you. We all agreed it was very relaxing and we learnt a lot. We tried some of the recipes; the risotto was fine, as was the pudding. We will reserve judgement on the larver bread, though!'

Naomi

'Since the walk with you, we've since had mothers phoning us up to say they've been blackberrying with their children for the first time!'

Volunteer Cornwall

Fantastic morning - samphire risotto tonight! Great day - Thank you. Very interesting, and helpful for being healthy in the future. Most interesting and enjoyable morning. Thank you.

West Cornwall Women's Aid

'I have just been on one of Rachel's wild food walks and thoroughly enjoyed it. Rachel explained everything perfectly, the characteristic signs to look out for to make sure the plant is the right one, where they can be found and dishes they could be used in. It was a very beautiful walk, it was not hurried and everyone had a chance to ask any questions. I was really glad I went and have learnt so much I would recommend it to anybody. I am planning to go on more of her walks in the future so that should speak for itself.'

Lloyd Burchell, Cornwall

'I really enjoyed last Sunday & the food was amazing! Book me on the next one please, and I look forward to learning more.'

Janet

'I sent a few from my tours on your walks, and one guy who came back to do my art tour yesterday was saying to my whole group how fascinating you were and 'with what grace' you did the walk. Another said that you had a gift to impart plant knowledge and enthuse people. I expect you get compliments all the time, but this is still nice!'

Valerie Hurry, www.guidedtoursofstives.co.uk

'We had a fantastic 2 hours with you last week at Gwithian - and hope to come on another walk again before too long. In the meantime I am focusing on the three I remembered (and liked): Three-cornered leek, Sorrel and Black Mustard.'

Gill Cooke, Cornwall

'Thank you for a fantastic day last wed, we have been telling everyone about it!! We had some friends round for dinner on Friday and they had a large gathered salad for starter - they loved it- and we are all still alive and well!!! Thanks again best wishes jen.'

Jenny and Tim Atkinson, Cornwall

'It was your wealth of knowledge and deep interst in your subject combined with your lovely approachable manner which made the walk so enjoyable. We also really liked the way in which you asked us to absorb not only the look and taste of the plants, but also the feel and scent of them. Using the senses is such an excellent way to remember.'

Maureen

'Rachel Lambert leads interesting, informative and relaxed walks. She gives the impression of going on a ramble with friends and at the same time imparting her considerable knowledge so skillfully, that at the end of the walk you are surprised by how much you have learned in such a short time!'

Debbie Rogers, BF Adventures, Cornwall

'Just a quick note to say a massive thank you for the most perfect birthday morning walk. Lovely company, gorgeous weather and really interesting chat. I have told all my friends about your walks so I am sure I will see you again soon. I can't stop going on about gorse flowers! Congratulations on a fab company.'

Sarah Milligan, Unique Home Stays, Cornwall

'Just to let you know how appreciative my holiday guests were of the Sensory walk they went on with you this week . You rate with the Newquay Aquarium as highlights of the holiday, which is pretty impressive! It was just perfect for them- isn't that nice!.'

Angie Butler, Cornwall

'I've had a small interest in wild food gathering for a number of years and never got myself involved in any organised events - I now know what I've been missing. I look forward to coming on more walks so I can experience different habitats and learn about more plants.'

Allan Collins, Carpenter, Cornwall

'The Falmouth Lighthouse Growers group had a fantastic afternoon, learning how everyday plants in their gardens could be used for food and medicine. Rachel put everything in simple terms, so even the children could understand and suggested recipes to make the weeds more useful in the kitchen. There was a really great vibe from the group afterwards and many have since said how their children have pointed out 'food for free' on the way to school.'

Claire Brown, Environment and Community Learning Manager, CN4C

Thanks for a great walk on Sunday, it was good to see what was growing on our own land. I'm now seeing Garlic Mustard everywhere, plus all the edible flowers you showed us, and we now know it's on our doorstep! I'll never look at our hedgerows quite the same way again.

Leza Wilson, Helsbury Park

'Thank you for a great morning, I only wish we could have gone on for hours (several people said the same!). You spoke so interestingly and well about all the plants and I was amazed how you pointed out plants that I have been walking past all my life, never even NOTICING or knowing what they were or what for ... The children too seemed to pick up on the atmosphere and want to listen as well!'

Charlotte Marsden, Roseland, Cornwall

'We shared a wild food walk with Rachel a few weeks back, she is a font of knowledge, providing inspiration and joyous interaction... What I liked was that for a slightly increased fee, Rachel will come to your own place of living, so you go around your familiar and local environment, which really worked for me, and I didn't feel intruded by having to be socialable with a group I didn't know.'

Ruth Allen, Healthy Living Consultant

'Many thanks for a fascinating walk around the site at Geevor. It certainly gave everyone an insight into what miners may have foraged for and eaten.There has been all sorts of wild and wonderful things appearing in my salads! Very enjoyable morning and great company!'

Claire Scott, Learning Development Officer, Geevor Tin Mine