Top spots for picking blackberries

During autumn, the blackberry bushes near the Chinese Bridge at Croome are brimming with shiny black fruit. This walk around the park will help you work up an appetite for eating berries straight from the bush, or you could collect a few to make a delicious autumnal recipe at home.

Most visitors to Brimham Rocks will be amazed at the collection of balancing rock formations, but it’s worth taking a closer look to find treasures on a smaller scale. If you visit in early September you might catch the tail end of the bilberry season, and as autumn progresses there will be plenty of blackberries to gather too.

Among the oldest hunting woodlands in Europe, Hatfield Forest is home to spectacular ancient trees and wildlife. In autumn there are also swathes of blackberries to be found, so you won’t need to look too hard.

Sizergh’s woodlands also bear lots of sweet berries. In autumn Chapel Wood provides an excellent location for picking blackberries and elderberries. If you’re lucky you might find some damsons and apples too.

If you need an excuse to spend a day by the river, then why not take a walk to hunt for blackberries? There are plenty of bushes along the riverbank, and it's a great way to get one of your five a day.