How to forage seaweed sustainably near durness and simple recipes to try at your accommodation

I love wandering the tidal edges around Durness — those wind-scoured rocks, drifts of wrack and quiet little coves where the sea leaves gifts on the shore. Foraging for seaweed is one of my favourite ways to connect with this landscape: it’s immediate, sustainable when done right, and the flavours you bring back to a cottage kitchen can be extraordinary. Below I share practical advice for foraging near Durness, how to identify the common seaweeds you’ll meet, legal and safety points, and a few simple recipes that work in a self-catering accommodation.

Why forage seaweed — and why do it responsibly?

Seaweeds are nutrient-rich, umami-packed and deeply seasonal. A handful of washed kelp or a smear of brown seaweed butter transforms basic groceries into something of the place. But seaweeds are also habitats and food for coastal creatures, so sustainable practice matters.

When I collect, I follow a simple rule: take only what I need, avoid whole plants from the holdfast upward unless it's a fast-regenerating species, and never harvest from fragile habitats like eelgrass beds. If in doubt, leave it. The patterns of regrowth and the needs of birds and marine life come first.

Legal and access basics

In Scotland you generally have the right to access the coast under the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, but rights come with responsibilities. There’s no blanket national ban on seaweed gathering for personal use, but local by-laws, protected sites (SSSIs) and conservation zones can restrict harvesting. Always check signage at car parks, ask local rangers, or phone the council if you’re unsure.

Practical points:

Don’t forage in Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) or Marine Protected Areas if the rules prohibit it.

Never remove seabed or dredge — shore-gathering only from wrack lines and rocks exposed at low tide is safe and low-impact.

Take care when crossing private land; the access code covers responsible passage but respect crofting activities and crops.

When and where to look around Durness

The best foraging depends on tides. I plan trips around a low-to-neap tide with a couple of hours either side of the lowest point. Look at tidal charts (I use the UK Hydrographic Office or local harbour tables) and never turn your back on the sea — tides change quickly on this coast.

Favourite spots:

Sheltered bays and seaweed-wrack lines where storms have washed fronds ashore — good for sampling varieties.

Rocky platforms that are exposed at low water — a chance to see brown and green algae attached to rocks.

Small tidal pools — king scallops of biodiversity, but tread carefully and take nothing alive.

Common seaweeds you’ll find (and how to identify them)

Below is a short table to help with quick ID and whether I’d harvest them for the kitchen.

Species (common)	Appearance	Harvest?	Notes
Bladderwrack (Fucus vesiculosus)	Brown, leathery fronds with paired air bladders	Yes (take some, leave most)	Good for seaweed stock and salads; avoid overharvesting from same area
Winged kelp / Sugar kelp (Laminaria spp.)	Long, leathery ribbons; often torn sections on beaches	Yes (small amounts of washed fronds)	Excellent dried or cooked; do not pull plants from holdfast on rocks
Sea lettuce (Ulva)	Bright green, thin sheets	Yes	Delicate; washes well and is good raw or lightly cooked
Laver (Porphyra / Palmaria)	Thin purplish-red sheets	Yes	Classic for laverbread; a little goes a long way
Rockweed (Ascophyllum)	Long brown fronds with single, large bladders	No (avoid)	Important habitat; leave for wildlife

Tools and preparation

For a day’s foraging I carry:

A mesh bag or cotton bag (allow rinsing and drainage)

Scissors or a sharp knife (to trim rather than uproot)

Gloves (slick rock surfaces can be sharp and kelp can be cold)

Tupperware or jars for storage back at the cottage

A tide table app and a small first-aid kit

Back at the cottage, rinse seaweed in fresh water to remove sand and small creatures. For kelp and tougher browns, change the rinse water a couple of times. For delicate laver or sea lettuce, a quick rinse is enough. Pat dry on a clean tea towel.

Simple recipes to try in self-catering accommodation

These are designed for small kitchens — no specialist equipment required.

Seaweed butter

My go-to for toast, steamed fish or boiled potatoes.

Ingredients: 100g unsalted butter (room temperature), 2–3 tbsp finely chopped cooked seaweed (bladderwrack, sugar kelp or laver), 1 small garlic clove (optional), pinch of sea salt, lemon zest.

Method: Blanch tougher greens for 1–2 mins, cool and chop finely. Beat butter with seaweed, garlic, salt and lemon zest in a bowl. Spoon into a jar or roll in clingfilm and chill. Keeps for a week in the fridge or longer in the freezer.

Laverbread-style spread

Strong & savory — use sparingly.

Ingredients: 100g laver (washed), 1 tbsp olive oil or a knob of butter, pepper, squeeze of lemon.

Method: Sauté washed laver in oil or butter over medium heat until it softens (5–8 mins). Mash lightly with a fork, finish with lemon and pepper. Serve on oatcakes or toasted bread. Try with smoked mackerel.

Kelp crisps (oven)

A fun, crunchy snack to impress friends.

Ingredients: washed kelp fronds, olive oil, sea salt.

Method: Dry kelp well, toss lightly in oil and salt, place on a baking tray and bake in a low oven (100–120°C / 210–250°F) for 10–20 mins until crisp. Keep an eye — thin parts crisp faster.

Simple seaweed stock

For soups, stews or to cook grains.

Ingredients: a handful of washed kelp/bladderwrack, 1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 stick celery, 1 bay leaf, 1.2–1.5 litres water.

Method: Rough-chop vegetables, simmer with seaweed and bay for 20–30 mins. Strain and use. Freeze surplus in ice cube trays for later.

Storage and preserving

Use fresh seaweed within a few days if refrigerated. For longer storage, dry it (sun or oven on very low) until crisp, then keep in a sealed jar. You can also freeze blanched seaweed in portioned bags. If you want to make your own dried snack mixes, a dehydrator or the oven at its lowest setting works well.

Final practical tips

Take only a small percentage from any one area — leaving holdfasts and much of the frond is best for regrowth.

Avoid harvesting after storms when ecosystems are stressed; sometimes it’s better to let the wrack remain for birds and invertebrates.

Label any jars you make with the date and species (if you know it).

If you plan to sell or serve harvested seaweed commercially, there are hygiene and licensing rules — for personal use, keep it small-scale and informed.

For me, the pleasure of seaweed foraging in Durness is the slow noticing — of tide, of season, of the colour and smell of rock and sea. When you cook a little of the shore on your stove, you take a bit of place with you. Be curious, be cautious, and leave most of the shore intact for the next walker and the wildlife that depends on it.