Mmm… nettles. Tasty, no?
When: 18th June 2016
Where: The Bottle Inn, Marshwood, Bridport, Dorset DT6 5QJ
£: Free
What is it?
This year’s World Nettle Eating Championship will take place on Saturday 18th June. The competition takes place at the Bottle Inn in Marshwood, Dorset.
Competitors taking part in the World Nettle Eating Championship are given two-foot long stalks of stinging nettles to tuck in to. Entrants must pluck and eat as many of the leaves as they can stomach, with the aid of a beer or two to wash the greens down. After an hour of chomping, the bare stalks are measured. The competitor whose stalks measure the longest, wins the championship.
The championship is said to have originated in the 1980s after an argument between two farmers over who had the longest stinging nettles in their field. One of the farmers is said to have promised to eat any nettle which was longer than his. Today the contest has competitions for both men and women, and has attracted competitors from all over the world including Canada and Australia.
In addition to the nettle eating contest, there will be street food, live music, and a real ale and cider festival taking place during the day. There will be around 30 real ales and 20 ciders to try at the festival.
The Bottle Inn is a 16th century thatched freehouse pub, situated in the village of Marshwood in Dorset.
More info: www.bottle-inn.net and www.facebook.com/bottleinn.marshwood