My Darling Girl is very outnumbered in our house so we head off together whenever the opportunity arises for a bit of a potter. Last week she had an inset day when the boys did not so we headed off to Bradford-on-Avon for a wander by the river and canal and to forage for flower heads to make elderflower cordial. The hedgerows are heavy with these beautiful creamy blooms at the moment so get out there a gathering before they’re gone for another year! She got away without stinging her nose on that nettle here but did sting her finger! A quick spit on a dock leaf soon sorted that.

Elderflowers are best picked on a sunny day at their creamy white best, avoid picking any which are browning.

We had such a wonderful walk. Pottering along picking flowers and watching the wildlife on the canal. A heron obligingly dived for a fish and this Mamma duck paddled by showing off her brood. When she was little one of our favourite reads was Daisy and the Egg and we imagined this Mamma and her little paddler to be us.

We drooled over the autumn hedgerow possibilities as there was a plethora of blackberry flowers and wild roses!

We stopped for lunch at our favourite canal side eatery in Bradford on Avon. I love spending time alone with each of my children, they are all so different, I like them as people and they make me laugh.

Once home we made a batch of elderflower cordial. Making cordial is one of those year markers for me; if I don’t manage to gather elderflowers I feel a bit bereft!

How To Make Elderflower Cordial

This year we had a bash at the recipe in Yeo Valley’s new Great British Farmhouse Cookbook and it turned out a treat! You’ll need to collect together about 40 elderflower heads, 3 lemons, 1.5kg granulated sugar and 50g citric acid.

• Shake the elderflower heads to dislodge any little bugs, try not to rinse it as it bruises the flowers and affects the taste
• Put them into a large pan (I use my preserving pan), add the grated zest of the lemons and then the lemons themselves thinly sliced.
• Put the sugar and 1.2 litres of water into a pan and bring to the boil, slowly. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
• Stir in the citric acid (I buy mine in our wholefood shop, Boots and other chemists sell it too) and allow to cool for a couple of minutes.
• Pour the sugar syrup over the elderflowers and lemon and then leave the whole brew somewhere cool for 24 hours to steep
• Strain through a sieve lined with muslin and bottle in sterilised bottles
• Seal and store in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months