Happy Midsummer's Day!

The summer solstice happened here at exactly 3.42am - this is the point of the day when the earth's axis has rotated the most, when the sun is directly over the Tropic of Cancer. Were you awake with the birds at 4am too?

This is the time of the year that the eye mask and ear plugs come in handy if you want that extra few hours sleep!

In Pembrokeshire, it also marks a time when the hedgerows change. We had a great elderflower harvest a few weeks ago, but now the hedgerows have less flowers and more greenery. We are having a bumper harvest of currants and berries though, which will be great for making some summer puddings. See below for some ideas on foraging for camp cuisine.

As the hedgerows lose their variety of colours, our meadows spring into life again - clover, ox-eye daisies, orchids, thistles, buttercup and yellow rattle are ones we often see, especially in the meadow towards willow and alder pitches. We leave our areas between pitches grow wild for bees and pollinators, as well as to provide screening and privacy for each pitch - nature isn't neat!

The chives have also grown beautifully and are spreading outside the herb bed - look at this lovely bumble bee enjoying the flowers! Our herb bed is in front of reception - free to use for our campers - just come and pick whatever you need - bay, parsley, sage, thyme, mint and loads and loads of chive.

Elderflowers - pick and wash the flowers under water (leave some flowers on the tree for nature). Boil some water and sugar. Place the flowers in the boiled water, cover and steep overnight. Drain the following day - Elderflower cordial - mix with water to taste. Elderflowers can also be dipped in light batter and fried! We have a few pink elderflower trees in the garden - equally delicious and give the cordial a different colour.

Wild Garlic (ramsoms)- most of our local wild garlic has 'gone over' but there are still some patches in the lane running passed the site. Although the flowers have gone, the leaves can still be used for soup, pesto or adding flavour to a salad. Just wash them off first.

Let us know your seasonal foraged camp cuisine favourites.

Always forage responsibly.