Blackberry Picking and Easy Homemade Jam: A Simple Taste of Late Summer

If you have access to a pan and a kitchen then you can make your own jam! Few seasonal traditions are as satisfying as picking wild blackberries. Hedgerows, woodland edges and country lanes across the UK are bursting with fruit from late summer into early autumn, making this one of the easiest ways to enjoy a free outdoor harvest.

I recently made some jam with blackberries, damsons and a few plums – but if you only have access to wild blackberries it’s just as tasty.

One of the joys of blackberry picking is that it encourages you to get real, to slow down and notice what’s around you. A short walk can become a seasonal treasure hunt, and even a small haul of berries feels rewarding, especially when you turn them into jam.

The OS Get Real campaign is all about reconnecting with the world beyond our phones and finding simple ways to experience life as it’s happening. Blackberry season is a perfect reminder of that – but it didn’t stop me make a little reel which you can find at the end of this post.

Whether you spread your jam on warm toast, swirl it into porridge or spoon it over ice cream, it’s a reminder that some of the best outdoor experiences are also the simplest.

How to Find Good Blackberry Picking Spots

Blackberries grow almost everywhere, but some locations are better than others. Ask family and friends if they know any good spots.

Look for:

• Public footpaths bordered by hedgerows
• Bridleways and quiet country lanes
• Woodland edges and clearings
• Canal towpaths
• Nature reserves where foraging is permitted

When picking, choose fruit that is deep purple-black and comes away easily from the stem. If you have to pull hard, it’s probably not quite ripe.

A few simple foraging rules will help protect wildlife and ensure there are berries for everyone:

• Only pick what you need
• Leave plenty for birds and other wildlife
• Avoid berries growing beside busy roads
• Take a container rather than a plastic bag to prevent the fruit being crushed
• Wash berries thoroughly before using them

Blackberry Jam Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated

The thought of making jam can feel intimidating, but this small-batch recipe couldn’t be easier. Basically you just weight the fruit you have picked, blackberries, damsons, sloes or whatever else you have available and then use the same weight of granulated sugar plus the juice of a lemon. A 2 kilogram bag of granulated sugar costs just a £1.

Use some old jam jars, just be sure to sterilise them – this is easy too, simply put them in the oven on a really low heat for 10 minutes.

Easy Blackberry Jam Recipe

Ingredients

• 500g blackberries / fruit
• 500g granulated sugar
• Juice of 1 lemon

Method

1. Rinse the blackberries and any other fruit such as plums, sloes or damsons and place them in a saucepan. Stone them first or fish the stones out later.
2. Add the lemon juice and cook gently for 5 to 10 minutes until the fruit softens. Any stones left in will rise to the surface and can be fished out.
3. Stir in the sugar and keep stirring until it has dissolved, take care with this step as undissolved sugar can burn and stick to the pan when you get to the next step.
4. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil and cook for around 10 minutes without stirring. Hot jam is like lava so take lots of care.
5. To test if it’s ready, place a small spoonful on a chilled plate. If it wrinkles when pushed with your finger, it’s done.
6. Alternatively use a jam thermometer and get it up to 105 degrees.
7. Carefully pour into sterilised jars, pop lids on and allow to cool before storing or gifting them.

That’s it. No specialist equipment. No complicated techniques. Just three ingredients and around 20 minutes of cooking.

You don’t need to summit a mountain or spend a fortune to enjoy the outdoors. Sometimes all it takes is taking a tupperware, a wander along a hedgerow and a simple recipe waiting for you at home.

Pump up the Jam!