2024 Scotland Blackberry U-Pick Farms and Orchards

Blackberry U-Pick Orchards in Scotland in 2024, by county

Below are the PYO orchards and farms for blackberries and other brambles that we know of in this area. Not all areas have blackberries and other brambles orchards or farms that are open to the public. If you know of any others, please tell us using the add a farm form!

Remember to always check with the farm's own website or Facebook page before you go - or call or email them if they don't have a website or Facebook page. Conditions at the farms and crops can change literally overnight, so if you want to avoid a wasted trip out there - check with the farm directly before you go! If I cannot reach them, I DON'T GO!

PLEASE report closed farms, broken links and incorrect info using the "Report Corrections" form below.

Aberdeen City and Shire (Grampian)

Argyll and The Isles

Ayrshire and Arran

Borders

• Border Berries - Blackcurrants, redcurrants, Raspberries, strawberries, restrooms, picnic area
  Rutherford Farm, Kelso Borders. Phone: 01835 823763. Email: AL@BORDERBERRIES.CO.UK. Open: 7 days, 10am to- 7pm (cafe from 11am to 4pm) No need to book but always quieter in the evenings, from early July. Directions: A68, 9 miles North of Jedburgh, East at St Boswells on A699 for 4 miles on Kelso road. Follow Rutherford Farm / Border Berries signs. Family run farm on the south bank of the Tweed . The soft fruit PYO is on 7 acres. Facilities: Ample parking, picnic area, toilets. Click here for our Facebook page. one of Scotland's last remaining outdoor berry farms. Our berries ripen in the sunshine (no extra polytunnel heat) which makes for delicious, sweet berries only available in July & August. See Border Berries fruit page for more details of what's ripe when. Strabwerries start in late May, Wait until mid July onwards if you would like raspberries. Toilets: Located beside the cafe with easy access for wheelchairs, baby changing facilities. Picnic area: In a dedicated field beside car park. Dogs: Welcome in the car park and picnic area but not into the fruit growing areas. A tap and water bowl are located on the end wall of the cafe. (UPDATED: 11 July 2020, JBS)

Dumfries and Galloway

Dundee and Angus

• Charleton Fruit Farm - Apples, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, currants (red and black), gooseberries, pears, peas, plums, potatoes, pumpkins, raspberries (red), raspberries (Spring, red),raspberries (Autumn, red), raspberries (yellow), raspberries (Spring, yellow), raspberries (Autumn, yellow), raspberries (black), raspberries (Spring, black), raspberries (Autumn, black), rhubarb, strawberries, Tayberries, tomatoes, other vegetables, U-pick and already picked, gift shop, concessions / refreshment stand, ziplines, pedal kart track
  Hillside, Montrose , DD109EW. Phone: 07703110865. Email: Mat@charleton-farm.co.uk. Open: Daily between 10 am and 4 pm. Picking updates: Click here for picking updates. Directions: Just off the A92 one mile north of Montrose. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa/MasterCard, AmEx. Click here for our Facebook page. Additional veg grown and sold in store (including white asparagus). Restaurant and take-away, free kids adventure park, shop, holiday rentals, pick your own. Wedding venue opens September 2022. Entrance is free: Strictly no picnics. Free range eggs - see the chickens alongside the farm shop - soft fruit, own preserves and other local foods. They have a Coffee shop with an imaginative menu, including fresh fruit and vegetables from the farm, an indoor and outdoor setting, gift shop local produce and somewhere for the kids to play. April starts with the home grown asparagus followed in June by ready picked strawberries which then leads us to July and August for the pick your own season. (UPDATED: April 27, 2022)

Edinburgh and The Lothians

• Balgone Barns - pumpkins, squash, haunted trail, PYO sunflowers,
  North Berwick, EH39 5NY. Phone: 07454 335556. Alternate phone: 07713 272853. Email: alex@balgoneestate.co.uk. Email: david@balgoneestate.co.uk. Open: from August with sunflowers. Scotland's largest pumpkin patch, enjoy an expansive 10-acre patch, home to a mesmerizing collection of over 50,000 pumpkins & squashes in 27 distinct varieties. Halloween trick or treats at the Crooked Cauldron. Get your share of the treats with toasted marshmallows on offer by the lakeside. 500,000 sunflowers. Balgone Barns facebook page.
   (ADDED: 16 August 2023, JBS)
• Belhaven Fruit Farm - currants (red and black), gooseberries, Raspberries, strawberries, and prepicked produce, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, events at your location (call for info)
  South Belton Farm, Dunbar, EH42 1RG. Phone: 01368863246. Email: office@belhavenfruitfarm.co.uk. Open: UPDATE for 2020, Their website is gone; Does anyone have current information, are they still offering pick your own or are even open? If so, please write me, their last reported hours were 10am to dusk. Directions: Just of the A1 at Thistley Cross roundabout 20 miles south of Edinburgh. . Crops are usually available in May, June, July.Payment: Cash, only. (UPDATED: 11 July 2020, JBS) (UPDATED: 04 April 2016, JBS)
• West Craigie Farm Shop - strawberries, Raspberries, cherries, gooseberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, brambles, tayberries and pumpkins, courgettes
  West Craigie Farm, South Queensferry, Edinburgh, West Lothian EH30 9TR. Phone: 0131 3191048. Email: john@craigies.co.uk. Open: daily, from 9 am to 5 pm. All fruits are available for PYO and ready-picked during the season at Craigie's. We also have most of the fruits available frozen in the Farm Shop throughout the year and make jams and chutneys from our fruit which are sold throughout Scotland under "The Jam Kitchen" name. Directions: visit our website. We operate a entry fee to our fields during the PYO season, refundable against fruit picked. Simply buy a West Craigie Farm Shop entry voucher online ahead of your visit to gain entry to the field. You can check out our availability report below to see what’s available prior to your visit. On arrival, show your entry voucher in exchange for a basket and a mapLINK and we will guide you to the best field depending on what you would like to pick. All you have to do is pick your own fruit, fill your basket then weigh and pay! Entry to the field is from a pre-purchased voucher (in 2020, £5 per Adult and £2.50 per child) which is redeemable against the fruit picked. We do not offer refunds where the fruit picked comes in under the cost of the voucher. When’s the fruit in season? It depends on the weather, but generally PYO strawberries start at the end of June and go on into August. Raspberries start mid July till mid August. We also have gooseberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, Victoria plums, and big, beautiful sunflowers. See below for details (less fruit highlighted = less fruit, more highlighted = more fruit, no fruit highlighted = no fruit!). Register for our ‘e-newsletters’ and we’ll keep you up to date with what’s available when. Click here for a link to our Facebook page.  (UPDATED: 11 December 2023, JBS) (UPDATED: 04 April 2016, JBS) (UPDATED: 23 July 2008)

Fife

• Blacketyside Farm - Strawberries, Raspberries, blackcurrants, blueberries, cherries, redcurrants and gooseberries
  Blacketyside Farm, Leven, Fife KY8 5PX. Phone: 01333 423034. Mob: 07970130564. Email: blacketysidefarmshop@tiscali.co.uk.  Open: six days a week, from 9 am to 5 pm during the berry season and 10 am to 4 pm at other times. Directions: on the A915 just east of Leven. sHere you can find a host of local produce and gifts , a fresh butchers counter, a florist and our very own tearoom offering scrumptious meals and cakes. For our younger visitors we have a large Fort which hosts an exciting playground, bouncy trampolines and slides. They have over 70 acres of strawberries, Raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and cherries, . The introduction of the poly-tunnels has resulted in the soft fruit season being extended to 6 months which ensures consistency and continuity of supply. Potatoes and carrots are grown for our farm shop customers, barley is produced for animal feed and oats are sold to be milled for porridge. Click here for a link to our Facebook page. (UPDATED: 11 July 2020, JBS) (UPDATED: July 10, 2009)
• Cairnie Farming Co. - Strawberries (4 varieties), Raspberries (3 varieties), Redcurrants, Blackcurrants, Gooseberries, Tayberries, Cherries, Brambles, Pumpkins and Sunflowers !
  Cairnie, Cupar, KY15-4QD. Phone: 01334-655610. Email: info@cairniefruitfarm.co.uk Open: Daily, 6th March to 1st November from 10:00am to 6:00pm; picking stops at 4:30 pm - ALWAYS call or see their website BEFORE you go to check conditions and hours. Directions: north of the Firth of Forth and 2 ½ miles from Cupar in Fife. Directions from Edinburgh and Glenrothes: M90 north to junction 3, A92 through Glenrothes, turn right at Rathillet Village, approx 3 miles. Directions from Perth: M90 south to junction 9, A912 through Newburgh, turn left on A92, turn off at Rathillet Village, approx 3 miles. Directions from St Andrews: M90 south to junction 9, A912 through Newburgh, turn left on A92, turn off at Rathillet Village, approx 3 miles. See here for more on the Cairnie Mega Maze.  The Mega Maze is open ONLINE TICKETS ONLY. Please note the indoor seating remains closed (2020).
  The Farm Shop features the ready-picked fruit grown at Cairnie, all of which is also available to Pick Your Own The Maze is availble 13th July - 31 October, daily. The Maze, sown in maize, grows to a height in excess of 8 feet. By Mid July when the Maze officially opens, the maize will already have grown 4-5 feet in height. The crop grows at an astonishing average rate of an inch a day! Also: Tearoom Garden with home baking, Jams, Picnic & Children's Play Areas, Toilets, Free Parking. Open: Fruit Farm - 7 days: 09:30am - 6:00pm, Mega Maze - 7 days: 10:00am - 4:30pm (last entry). (UPDATED: 11 July 2020, JBS) (UPDATED: July 12, 2015, JBS)
• Pittormie Fruit Farm & Nursery - Raspberries, strawberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, Tayberries, brambles, gooseberries (both red and green) and loganberries.
  Pittormie Ryholme, Dairsie, Cupar, Fife KY15 4SW. Phone: 01334 870233. Email: info@pittormiefruitfarm.co.uk. Directions: Click here for a map and directions. We also have broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, carrots, turnips, cabbage, jams, free range eggs and a nursery with bedding plants, perennials and hanging baskets. Open: Farm shop open 8am - 8pm June to October. "Egg Shed" open October to June. Directions: between Balmullo & Dairsie on the A914. Seasonal crops: Strawberries, Gooseberries (Red and Green), Blackcurrants, Redcurrants, Tayberries, Loganberries, Brambles, Blueberries, Rhubarb, Vegetables, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage. (UPDATED: 11 July 2020, JBS) 

Greater Glasgow, Lanarkshire, The Clyde Valley

• East Yondteron Farm - Strawberries, Gooseberries, Raspberries, Blackcurrants, Redcurrants, blackberries, Peas, Broccoli, Potatoes
  Innchinnan, Renfrew, Renfrewshire PA4 9LP. Tel: 0141 889 3492. Email: info@eastyondertonfarm.co.uk. Open: Pick Your Own Monday to Friday 10am till 8pm, Saturday & Sunday 9am till 5pm; When Crops are Ready for Picking. Directions: The farm is easy to access from the M8 motorway our customers come from Glasgow, Renfrewshire, Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, Dumbartonshire, and Argyllshire. Typical seasons are: Strawberries Late June, July and August; Gooseberries Late June, July and August; Raspberries July and August; Blackcurrants July and August; Redcurrants July and August; Blackberries End July thru August; Peas Mid July and August; Broccoli Mid July thru August; Potatoes Mid July through April. (UPDATED: July 11, 2020, JBS) (ADDED: 31 July 2009)

Highlands

• Wester Hardmuir - strawberries, gooseberries, Raspberries, cherries, black, red and white currents, Loganberries, Tayberries, blackberries and vegetables
  A96, Auldearn, 2 Nairn, IV12 5QG. Phone: 01309 641259. Email: james@hardmuir.com. Directions: click here for directions and a map. Open: 7 days, 8 am to 6 pm from 1st February to 31st December ; PYO: July and Aug from 8.00 am to dusk. They have a large range of soft fruits and vegetables for PYO, plus pre picked apples, plums and cherries. Early and late strawberries. The pick your own season usually begins towards the end of June when the outdoor strawberries and gooseberries begin to ripen. As the season progresses, Raspberries, black, red and white currents, logan and Tayberries, brambles are also available for pick your own. Later in the season, towards the end of August, our apple and plum orchards are open for pick your own. We are also hoping that our newly planted cherry orchard will produce its first crop this year. To pick your own use our baskets (or bring your own) and we will direct you to the best fields for picking. Then pick your fruit and we will weigh it upon your return to the farm shop and you pay. Since 1987 families have been visiting us to purchase ready picked and pick your own soft fruits. Our Farm Shop is well stocked with a wide range of home grown & local produce including vegetables, potatoes, preserves & home baking. We also supply nearby retail & wholesale businesses.
  

  Crop	Date
  Apples:	Late Aug to late October
  Brambles:	Mid July to mid September
  Blackcurrants:	Mid July to mid August
  Blueberries:	Mid July to late August
  Gooseberries:	Late June to late July
  Plums:	Late August to mid September
  Raspberries:	Late June till late September
  Redcurrants:	Mid July to late August
  Strawberries:	Mid June till late September

  
   (UPDATED: 11 July 2020, JBS) (ADDED: 02 August 2008)

Orkney

Outer Hebrides

Perthshire, Tayside

• Broadslap Fruit Farm - Strawberries, Raspberries, gooseberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants, pumpkins
  Dunning, Perthshire. Phone: 01738 730242. Email: enquiries@broadslapfruitfarm.co.uk or Contact us. Open: Book your Pick Your Own time-slot now. Potatoes, cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli are also all available from the farm shop. Directions: Broadslap is just off the A9 between Perth and Auchterarder on the B9141 midway between Dunning and the A9. When you visit Broadslap, you’ll see our delicious strawberries, Raspberries, gooseberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants, growing mostly under cover - too many wet summers! You will also be welcome to visit and browse through our amazing farm shop, cafe, powered caravan sites, and our latest addition to the farm, our new and spectacular ‘Childrens’ Outdoor/Indoor Playbarn’. Pop in for a peek, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.  Click here for a link to our Facebook page. Click here for current Prices.  (UPDATED: 11 July 2020, JBS)
• Jamie Watson Fruit Farm - UPDATE for 2020, Their website says they are permanently closed. 
  Mill of Montague, Balbeggie, Perthshire PH2 7PR.
• Peter Marshall & Co - Raspberries, cherries, strawberries, blueberries, Blackcurrants
  Muirton, Alyth, Blairgowrie, Perthshire PH1 8JF. Phone: 01828 632227. Mobile: 01828 633070. Email: meg@petermarshallfarms.com. Open: Pick your own available by arrangement. Directions: 1 mile west of Alyth, 1 mile off the Blairgowrie/Alyth Road. More Directions: Muirton Farm - The farm is located approximately 15 miles North West of Dundee and 1 mile west of Alyth. To get to the farm by car or on foot, when you get into Alyth proceed along Airlie Street until you locate the Costcutter shop. On the other side of the road, St Ninians Road is to the left just after Costcutters. Continue up St Ninians Road 1 & 1/4mile, out of Alyth, until you reach the top of the hill where the farm is located on your right. Directions to the West Jordanstone Farm: The farm is located approximately 13 miles North West of Dundee and 1 & 1/2 miles south of Alyth on the B954. The No 57 bus from Perth to Dundee via Blairgowrie and Alyth goes past West Jordanstone Farm. Alternatively, the bus from Dundee to Perth via Alyth and Blairgowrie also passes the farm. Approximately 1 mile after Meigle is West Jordanstone Farm. (UPDATED: 11 July 2020, JBS)

Ross-Shire

• Black Isle Berries - Strawberries, Raspberries, Gooseberries, Redcurrants, Blackcurrants, Plums, Apples, Damsons, Cherries (although the birds usually beat us to them!)
  Ryefield Farm, Tore, Muir of Ord, Ross-Shire, IV6 7SB. Phone: 01463 811276. Mobile: 07812 753 950. Email: enquiries@blackisleberries.co.uk. Open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday all year round, PYO fruit is available from approximately the end of June to the end of August. Directions: 600 yards off the Tore roundabout on the Fortrose road. Just 10 minutes from Inverness and Dingwall. Black Isle Berries can be found at Ryefield Farm, Tore on the Black Isle, which has its own farm shop. There we can offer good quality, home-grown, seasonal fruit and vegetables. During the summer you can pick your own fruit. Please visit our Products page to find out what products we can offer.

Shetland

Stirling, Loch Lomond, The Trossachs & The Forth Valley

• Briarlands Farm - strawberries, tearoom, outdoor activities
  Stirling FK9 4UP. Phone: 1786 841309. Email: info@briarlandsfarm.co.uk. Open: 11am till 4.30pm daily. No need to book, but we do ask that you respect social distancing and follow staff instructions! We will also take a name and contact number for track and trace purposes! Payment: Contactless payment is preferred however cash can also be taken. We have loads of things to do, to keep the kids entertained and whilst most of our activities are outside, we do have a craft area within our family friendly tearoom for those wet days offering ceramic painting, sand art and decopatch; as well as an indoor soft play frame for under 7’s and a play area for pre-schoolers. Briarlands Farm outdoor activities include
  feeding the animals using feeding tubes
  jumping pillows
  tractor go karts
  toddler trike track
  play frames
  springers
  zip wire
  swings
  mini diggers and water blaster( £1 coin required)
  sand pits
  Sheep pen maze
  Straw Box
  Tractor & Trailer Rides ( £1 per person)
  Archery
  Football Golf
  Pick Your Own strawberries (in season)
  There is no charge to our tearoom where visitors can enjoy freshly prepared food from local suppliers including our own produce, our home-made jam and delicious strawberries are not to be missed
   (ADDED: July 12, 2020, JBS)
  

Brambleberry Picking Tips, Recipes and Information

If you are getting ready to pick some brambles, either at a farm or along the roadside, you might want some useful information first! Brambles are both wild and domestic blackberries as well as similar sprawling berries, which typically includes the various hybrids like Loganberries, Tayberries, Boysenberries, and raspberries. Brambles typically peak during July, but it can range from early June through October, especially since new everbearing varieties like the American PrimeArk blackberries have been commercialized.

Varieties of Brambleberries, Blackberries, Raspberries and Hybrids

There almost countless variants of brambles. See this page for detailed descriptions of many bramble varieties found at British farms and orchards.

 

Before you leave to go to the farm:

1. Always call before you go to the farm - And when they are in season, a large turnout can pick a field clean before noon, so CALL first!
2. Leave early. On weekends, then fields may be picked clean by NOON!
    
3. Most growers furnish picking containers designed for Blackberries, but they may charge you for them; be sure to call before you go to see if you need to bring containers.
   If you use your own containers, remember that heaping Blackberries more than 5 inches deep will bruise the lower berries. Plastic dishpans, metal oven pans with 3 inch tall sides and large pots make good containers. I like the plastic storage containers.
4. Bring something to drink and a few snacks; you'd be surprised how you can work up a thirst and appetite! And don't forget hats and sunscreen for the sun. Bugs usually aren't a problem, but some deet might be good to bring along if it has been rainy.

Tips on How to Pick Bramble berries

1. There are two types of brambles to know about: thorny and thornless! Obviously, the thornless are easier to pick, but some people claim the thorny varieties are sweeter. With the thorny plants, you want to reach into the plant in the gaps, so you don't need to touch anything but the berry you're after, avoiding the thorns.
2. A ripe blackberry is deep black with a plump, full feel. It will pull free from the plant with only a slight tug. If the berry is red or purple, it's not ripe yet.
3. Repeat these operations using both hands until each holds 3 or 4 berries. Unlike strawberries, blackberries are usually pretty tough, I dump mine into the bucket. Repeat the picking process with both hands.
4. Don't overfill your containers or try to pack the berries down.

General Picking Tips

Whether you pick brambles or blackberries from your garden or at a Pick-Your-Own farm, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

1. Pick only the berries that are fully black, or a purple. Of course, there are a few varieties that are yellow orange or red when ripe, too. Typically, the should feel firm and plump and readily separate from the plant with a gentle tug. .
2.  Reach in between the stems to grab for hidden berries ready for harvest. Bend down and look up into the plant and you will find loads of berries that other people missed!
3. Avoid placing the picked berries in the sunlight any longer than necessary. It is better to put them in the shade of a tree or shed than in the car trunk or on the car seat. Cool them as soon as possible after picking. Blackberries may be kept fresh in the refrigerator for up to a week, depending upon the initial quality of the berry. After a few days in storage, however, the fruit loses its bright color and fresh flavor and tends to shrivel.

When you get home

1. DON'T wash the berries until you are ready to use them or freeze them. Washing makes them more prone to spoiling.
2. Pour them out into shallow pans and remove any mushed, soft or rotting berries
3. Put a couple of days supply into the fridge, wash off the others, drain them and freeze them up! (Unless you're going to make jam right away) Blackberries are less perishable than blueberries or strawberries, but refrigerate them as soon as possible after picking. Temperatures between 34 F and 38 F are best, but, be careful not to freeze the blackberries (while they are in the fridge)!
4. Even under ideal conditions blackberries will only keep for a week in a refrigerator, so for best flavor and texture, use them as soon as possible after purchase

Blackberry Recipes, Freezing and Jam directions

1. How to make Blackberry jam - It is VERY easy - especially with our free Blackberry jam directions - very easy!
2. How to make Blackberry jelly
3. How to freeze berries
4. Blackberry syrup, make and can it!
5. Seedless blackberry pie!
6. Blackberry Festivals: Where, When and More to Find an Blackberry Festival Near You this year:

Blackberry Facts and Tips

• Black Raspberries, also known as "black caps" are a very healthy food; packed with anthocyanins!
• The USDA says 1 cup (228 ml) of blackberries has about 62 calories.
• 1 cup of blackberries, not packed down weighs about 140 grams.
• Select plump, firm, fully blackberries. Unripe berries will not ripen once picked.
• Ohio State University's Article Regarding Their Prevention of Cancer
• Oregon Berry Black Raspberry Brochure
• Blackberry tea was said to be a cure for dysentery during the Civil War. During outbreaks of dysentery, temporary truces were declared to allow both Union and Confederate soldiers to "go blackberrying" to forgage for blackberries to ward off the disease.
• Blackberries were enjoyed by the ancient Greeks, who believed them to be a cure for diseases of the mouth and throat, as well as a preventative against many ailments, including gout.
• The blackberry leaf was also used as an early hair dye, having been recommended by Culpeper, the English herbalist, to be boiled in a lye solution in order to "maketh the hair black".
• Guide to blackberry varieties
• Researchers have known for quite some time that berries contain antioxidants which help to fight cancer causing free radicals. A study at the University of Ohio has found that blackberries are the most potent cancer fighting berries of them all, by nearly 40 percent!
• U-pick Blackberry farms typically sell berries by the pound. A quart equals 1 and 1/2 pounds of fresh berries.
• Do the math and be careful not to over-purchase as Blackberries quickly mold when left at room temperature, and only last a couple of days in the refrigerator.
• You can easily freeze berries that you cannot use right away - just wash, cut the hulls off and pop them into a ziplock bag, removing as much air as possible. Those vacuum food sealers REALLY do a good job of this! The berries will keep for many months frozen without air.
• Want to go to a blackberry festival? See this page for a list!