Rewilding Salad

On Dartmoor with Robin Harford

By The Bimbler

It’s been forever since I walked on Dartmoor so was anticipating knee deep bogs and Big Cats, but as we approached our destination the landscape rendered me speechless… it felt like arriving at Hobbiton.

This Ancient Oak Woodland is a relic of an ancient landscape which once covered much of the Moor.

Granite boulders covered with Sphagnum Moss carpet the ground and bearded Lichens drip from trees.

Robin Harford is an Ethnobotanist who specialises in wild edible plants… his knowledge and delivery style is second to none.

He’s also a good friend who I’ve known for over 20 years but has now gone up even further in my estimations by sharing such an amazing venue.

After setting up our tents next to the crystal clear river I followed Robin as he switched to foraging mode. Lacking his extraordinary ability to identify the tiniest of edible plants from ten paces I needed a Macro lens to study the fine detail.

1: Sheep’s Sorrel

2: Stonecrop

With the Sun descending I headed back to light the wood stove and filter water for hot drinks

Once done I sat by the waters edge wondering who might have passed through these woods a hundred years ago… a thousand years ago…

In a timely manner Robin drifted back with a selection of six different edible plants for us to try

Common Sorrel

Sheep’s Sorrel

Wood Sorrel

Stonecrop

Violet Leaves

Bramble Tips

As well as looking incredible it was one of the best green salads I’ve eaten. The Bramble tips added texture but fortunately their tiny spikes were downy soft, the Sorrel tang balanced with the earthy flavour of Stonecrop and the Tamari & Ginger dressing I’d made earlier.

Nourished but still hungry I rustled up Dahl & Rice cooked over a fire then we sat around chatting and listening to the river flowing past until the skies turned black and unpolluted stars and planets glinted through the tree canopy.

The following morning was perfectly sunny so after coffee and a leisurely breakfast we packed away the tents, sat around chatting for another hour or two then not really wanting to leave so soon… slowly made our way to the starting point and back to the other world!