Dadventures: Amazing Outdoor Adventures for Daring Dads and Fearless Kids. Alex Gregory

temperatures and increased hours of daylight. Wildlife is active, and birds in particular are noticeably more active, preparing nests in which to hold their eggs and raise their young. There’s a feeling of life and energy, and it’s the perfect time to start heading out after school to look for some free dinner-time supplements!

      Dandelion

      One of our most abundant and well-known ‘weeds’, dandelions are an ideal healthy food that we can enjoy collecting in that short time period after school. Dandelion leaves – and roots – can be eaten at any time they’re growing, but they’re at their absolute best in spring, when the new, fresh leaves begin to sprout. Compared with lettuce, they contain significantly greater quantities of vitamins A and C, protein, fat, iron, phosphorus, calcium and carbohydrate. They create a natural super-salad that can be eaten on its own or ideally added to another salad as a supplement.

      What you need

       Collection bag (a sandwich bag or similar)

       Plant-identification book/app

      What to do

      1 Keep your eyes peeled for dandelion leaves. Many plants can frequently be found growing together; if so, there’s likely to be an abundance.

      2 Once identified correctly, pick the leaves and place in the collection bag ready to take home.

      3 When you’re collecting the leaves it’s really important to guide the collection process. As it’s a low-growing plant it’s important not to pick any leaves from the side of the road or in areas where people and dogs regularly walk. Dandelions do tend to grow in obscure and sometimes seemingly unhealthy places, such as along the edge of a busy road, but there are always plenty in more remote and suitable locations. It’s a matter of common sense and choosing leaves from clean environments.

      4 Always wash the leaves thoroughly in cold water before eating them.

      Birch water

      I discovered birch water as a youngster. I soon became fascinated by the process of collecting it and the mechanisms involved in the tree that enables such a product to be harvested. It’s an incredible process, so simple and interesting to witness. This doesn’t work at all times of the year, so it’s important to be ready to make a collection of birch water in the spring when the tree fluids are flowing at their peak. The process is called ‘tapping’, and there are specific devices made for this, but it can be done really simply in a couple of easy steps.

      What you need

       A drill with small drill bit

       A small twig

       An empty 1-litre bottle/container

       Duct tape or bungee cord

      What to do

      1 Find a birch tree. These are common trees and should be at least 25cm in diameter at chest height. Anything less and it’s likely the process won’t work.

      2 Always seek permission from the owner of the tree before collecting the water or sap.

      3 At around 1 metre from the ground, drill a very small, slightly upward-directed hole a few centimetres into the tree.

      4 Stick a small twig into the hole (a matchstick will do, depending on the size of hole you’ve made). It shouldn’t plug the hole, but loosely fit inside.

      5 The fluid should begin to drain out of the hole and run along the stick.

      6 Use the duct tape or bungee cord to tie the bottle around the tree so that its opening is just below the stick coming from your hole.

      7 Ensure the fluid is dripping from the stick and collecting in the bottle.

      8 Once the collection method is secure, you can leave it alone for an hour – or, ideally, all night.

      9 The time of year will make a difference to the speed and quantity of flow. At their greatest flow levels, the quantities can be absolutely incredible and a litre can be collected in an hour.

      10 It’s really important to seal up the hole afterwards so the tree doesn’t continue to leak its precious fluid. Press the wooden plug right into the hole you made so the seal is tight and stems the flow of liquid.

      11 The best way to seal the hole is to use candle wax, which can be melted and pressed into the area to fill any extra gaps. This should stop the fluid, sap will form and the tiny injury to the tree will disappear in no time.

      Gathering birch water is a fascinating process. But the best bit comes when you take your first sip of the cool, fresh liquid together with your children.

      Summer

      Finding food in summer is partly a continuation of the foraging that takes place in spring. Spring gives the freshest, smallest, sweetest natural foods, and in summer many of these ripen during the warmer months. With longer days, time outside can be stretched before bedtime and activities can be kept going for longer.

      Chanterelle mushrooms

      We tend to go a little further afield in the summer after school so we can head off in search of chanterelles, a common wild mushroom. These little orange, fruity mushrooms are absolutely delicious.

      What you need

       A collection bag (sandwich bag/small basket)

       A plant-identification book/app

       Fire-starting materials (see ‘Light a fire’, see here) or a portable camping stove

       A small frying pan

       A small knob of butter, or splash of olive oil

       A clove of garlic, sliced

      What to do

      1 Chanterelles can be found in mixed (deciduous and coniferous) and pure coniferous woodlands. Their orange colouring and wavy shape make them stand out from other species of mushroom that may be around.

      2 If you do come across a mushroom that looks like a chanterelle, use your identification book or search online to make a positive identification. This is vitally important. If you have any doubt, leave what you’ve found behind.

      3 Carefully pick the positively identified chanterelles, taking only what you’ll need.

      4 Light a fire or your portable camping stove and cook them on the spot, or take them home to cook. They are best fried in a pan with a little bit of butter or olive oil and some sliced garlic. Even a child who turns their nose up at mushrooms usually won’t be able to resist the delicious-looking and -smelling food presented before them.

      5 To repeat: please make sure you know for certain that the mushrooms you’ve picked are chanterelles. Eating mushrooms that you’re not 100 per cent sure about is extremely dangerous, so check, check and check again.

      Mushrooms, by Jasper. None of these is edible, beware!

      Autumn

      Blackberry collecting

      Blackberries – the fruit of the bramble plant – grow on most hedgerows, footpaths and field edges. The bramble is a really common weed that spreads like crazy every year and takes over if it’s not cut back. But it produces the most amazing fruits.

      What you need

       A collection bag (sandwich bag or similar)

       A pair of gloves (optional)

      What to do

      1 Blackberries are at their best from August to October, depending on the year. If the fruits