Britain has hundreds of seaweeds and remarkably few are harmful, which makes the shore one of the friendliest places to begin foraging. A few common species are easy to learn and endlessly useful in the kitchen, from quick stocks to crisp, smoky flakes.
A few to learn first
Start with the easy ones: sea lettuce (bright green, translucent sheets), dulse (red-brown, leathery fronds), kelp or kombu (large brown straps down in the low-tide zone) and pepper dulse (tiny, intensely peppery). Learn these well before you branch out.
Where and when to harvest
Look on rocky shores at low tide, all year but often best in spring. Harvest only from clean, well-flushed water with good flow — never from stagnant pools, harbours, or anywhere near a sewage outfall.
Cut, don’t pull
Snip fronds with scissors and leave the holdfast — the root-like base gripping the rock — so the plant grows back. Always take from living, growing seaweed, never the rotting weed cast up on the beach.
Drying, cooking and smoking
Rinse in clean seawater, then dry on a rack or in a low oven. From there you can crisp it, crumble it into flakes, or simmer it into a savoury stock. Seaweed also takes beautifully to the smoker — see our smoking guides.
Stay safe
Only ever harvest living seaweed from clean water, rinse it thoroughly, and steer clear of areas with pollution or algal blooms. If the water is not clearly clean, do not pick there.