The Wild Side of Life
Is it right for your group?
Best for
- Groups staying in a hen house or hired venue: the provider comes to you
Consider before booking
- You will need a hen house or venue for the session to take place in
- No fixed price is published: your quote is confirmed when you enquire
- Based near Hampshire, covering Wiltshire and Bournemouth: groups further afield may not be covered
Hen party tours and tastings in Wiltshire
Run by The Wild Side of Life
Vetted Hen Hideaways activity provider
Hen friendly
The Wild Side of Life is Frederick Gillam's ('Fred The Forager') Wiltshire wild food school, founded twenty years ago: over three decades of foraging experience, thousands taught to forage safely and sustainably, author of Poisonous Plants in Great Britain, founder of the UK & Ireland Medicinal Mushrooms Conference, featured in BBC Countryfile Magazine's Top 10 Foraging Courses and The Sunday Telegraph's Top 5, and voted Best Food Foraging Education Provider UK South (North Devon Forager's Retreat). Seasonal courses and events cover wild food, plants and fungi, with medicinal-mushroom training and wilderness skills; prices and dates are confirmed on enquiry. Private groups: fred@thewildsideoflife.co.uk.
Meet on location
Wiltshire
About The Wild Side of Life
What makes this a great fit for your hen weekend
The Wild Side of Life runs seasonal foraging courses and wild food events in Wiltshire. countryside experiences booked by email and shaped by the seasons. Foraging with an expert turns a country walk into a treasure hunt: hedgerows become ingredients, and the group learns skills (and tastes things) they'll talk about for months.
Seasonal scheduling means every course reflects what's actually growing. It's a wonderful slow-day centrepiece for a Wiltshire hen weekend. fresh air, fascinating knowledge and food with a story.
For hens who love food, nature and learning something new, The Wild Side of Life is a walk worth taking.
What this experience offers
Frequently asked questions
What courses do you run?
Seasonal foraging and wild food courses in Wiltshire with Frederick Gillam - 'Fred The Forager' - who has over three decades of foraging experience and has taught thousands to forage safely and sustainably. Fred founded The Wild Side of Life twenty years ago, authored Poisonous Plants in Great Britain, and founded the annual UK & Ireland Medicinal Mushrooms Conference; our courses have been featured in BBC Countryfile Magazine's Top 10 Foraging Courses and The Sunday Telegraph's Top 5.
Can we book a private hen group?
Courses and events are seasonal and shaped by what is growing - email fred@thewildsideoflife.co.uk with your date, location and group size to arrange a private wild food experience for your group.
How much does it cost?
Course prices vary by season and format and are confirmed when you book - contact us by email for current dates and prices.
Is foraging safe for beginners?
That is exactly what we teach: safe, sustainable harvesting, how to avoid harmful mistakes (Fred literally wrote the book on poisonous plants), and the medicinal and culinary uses of plants and fungi growing all around us. Bring your camera, notepad and mind.
What ethos drives your courses?
An ethical business connecting people with the land to build a sustainable future - our work has supported everyone from the National Trust, BBC and Carfest to the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and the Federation of Women's Institutes.
Where do courses run?
Across Wiltshire and the surrounding countryside (we also run a North Devon Forager's Retreat, voted Best Food Foraging Education Provider UK South).
When do Wild Side of Life courses run?
Courses follow the wild calendar: spring foraging discovery days when the hedgerows wake up, and mushroom discovery days and clubs in autumn. Dates are seasonal and bookable by email. write to fred@thewildsideoflife.co.uk for the current Wiltshire course dates.
Where you'll be
Wiltshire
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Listed on Hen Hideaways October 2026Listing updated 25 October 2026
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