Bilberries

[adeleh]

Where do people go to pick them? My 90-yr-old Dad's favourite pudding is bilberry pie, but you just can't get the jars any more.

I haven't seen them for years!

Could you look into growing some?

My DH likes jostaberries but couldn't find them anywhere, so we're growing some.

Are you near moorland? Basically, they like heathery scrubby countryside. Yorkshire moors for me.

Peak District or Yorkshire moorland. They are very small and tedious to pick. My grandmother used to make bilberry pie and I think it was my favourite pudding too. Blueberries are similar though. Frozen bags are available in sainsbury for £2 as a substitute although not quite as flavoursome.

They've been massively abundant round here this year although I would think they will be going (or gone) over now. We've been picking since the end of June.

Hills & moors, I've picked them on Dartmoor and the Welsh hills. If there is heather, there will probably be bilberries (acidic soil).

Whereabouts in the country are you OP in the north and Wales I have always found them on moorlands but in the south east they are mainly in woods and heathland.

You have missed the season for them this year though. It ended in July ( at least around here). IKEA do a wild blueberry preserve in a jar which works really well in puds though. Or bonne mamman do a jar of myrtille savage jam. Both are essentially bilberries ( which are just a small wild blue Berry. I normally mix shop blue berries and the IKEA jam in a tart which works well

I nly just found a massive patch the other day on the edge of a forest in Mid Wales. It's end of season now though but I've pinned it for next year.

I feel sure you can get jars of bilberries in Polish or Eastern European shops.
Sure I saw a jar a few weeks ago.

I have searched Polish shops and not done well. I live in Devon so will try Dartmoor! Thanks all !

Ocado sells frozen Picard Organic Wild Blueberries aka myrtilles sauvages. They are bilberries and they are delicious. And pricey.

Heather moorland. Used to pick them every year. I never knew you could buy them!

@AllTheWorldIsGreen

Ocado sells frozen Picard Organic Wild Blueberries aka myrtilles sauvages. They are bilberries and they are delicious. And pricey.

Ooh, will keep a lookout! Thank you!

@Bitcherama

Heather moorland. Used to pick them every year. I never knew you could buy them!

You used to be able to buy them in big glass jars.

I’m in the Lake District and there’s loads all the area. End season now though, although we did find some last week higher in hills around helvellyn

My Dad lives near Lake District so that’s definitely a possibility - thank you!

The hills around the south of Windermere are good... High Dam and Gummers How 👍

Scotland here, we’ve had tons of the things.
They like hills and moorland and woods. We found a patch this summer that we could have spent a solid week picking and there would still have been millions left. And they were massive. They’re pretty much finished here now though.

Will try next summer! Thanks, all!

We have them growing in the Midlands, but there are two ladies who pick and pick at the bushes on the common by our house as soon as they’re ready. I’ve seen them at 8am with quite large Tupperware containers each full to the top. They must be there before it’s properly light. I once asked what they do with them all and they said that they freeze them for weekly pies throughout the year.
One year I will find the time to beat them to the best bushes.

Ooh, that would drive me mad, madison. Where in the Midlands are you?

They're here in the Shropshire Hills, but you gave the be quick before the ponies, grouse or birds get them.

I love bilberries, whinberries, myrtles - whatever you call them them. They all make Mucky Mouth Pie, and are absolutely worth collecting 😋

We're adjacent to the Peak District and July is the traditional month we go bilberry picking, I think that ship may have sailed for this year. Peak District is definitely a prime location for them though.

Mucky Mouth pie is a brilliant name.

And next July I’ll get off the mark!

Try delifresh online, I got them from them last year.

@Bontanics

I nly just found a massive patch the other day on the edge of a forest in Mid Wales. It's end of season now though but I've pinned it for next year.

Out here on an offshore island, the season is weeks late this year and I am only just getting good pickings of blackberries whereas usually these are rip in August here. Not seen bilberries out here ; I think the hedgerows with no real trees are just not sheltered enough

Our dog used to pick them off with his front teeth when we went bilberrying. He loved them and so do I. You need to find a heather moorland but there aren't any round this way, sadly.

The French do lovely bilberry tarts and jam. I buy Bonne Maman Wild Blueberry jam which is actually Bilberry.