Help me identify...

[sirlee66]

Wondering what these are (pic attached)

Saw a man collecting them and thought they were Sloes but when I googled, sloes look more like plums?

These berries are everywhere!

No pic !

Argh! I'm on the app. Hopefully you can see them?

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They look like elderberries.

Elderberries

If they are elderberries, they make good sour jelly to go with cold meats, and they make a passable country wine, but you can’t just eat them loose as they’re full of tannin.

Oh wow!!! I love elderberry cordial!! Has anyone picked them before? Can you eat them raw?

Oh just stumbled across these.. arethese sloes?

It's usually elderflower cordial. You need to make it with the white lacy flowers, they're gone by the time the berries appear.

Oh yes, elderflower! Oh I think I've seen some, I'll take a pic tomorrow on the morning walk. Just got home!

Thanks so much for your speedy replies!

Your other photo looks like damsons to me - sloes grow on bushes with thorns, that looks more like a damson to me. Pick them all quickly: expensive to buy and so good for jam, pies, etc.

If you like pickle/chutney, damsons make amazing damson chutney. Super punchy stuff but heavenly with a strong cheese and good ham.

Also sloe and damson gin and vodka is easy and makes great Christmas presents.

They might be sloes. Pick one and see what the stone is like inside. A sloe has a lot of stone and little flesh. If they are sloes, don't pick them yet as they won't be ripe yet. Wait as long as you can. You are meant to wait until the first frost but you can replicate that and remove the need for pricking them by freezing them before using.

A sloe is the size of a very small grape or an extra-large blueberry. They are blue/black and will have a whitish 'bloom' on them like grapes and plums sometimes do. The bushes are thorny.

Don’t eat raw elderberries! They taste grim and can make you vomit (I learnt this at my cost as a child).
Don’t ever be tempted to try a sloe berry either, the driest, most unpleasant thing I’ve ever put in my mouth.

Thanks so much for your replies!

So far on my walks, I've spotted blackberries, cherries, elderberries and the possible damsens! Oh and loads of conkers and pinecones!!

I had no idea I was walking past all these things before!! (First autumn in this area)