Zoë Bowyer

Another weekend, another walk. The sun shone on us yesterday and we walked from Portballintrae to Port Na Spaniagh. Part of the walk is on the cliff path above the Giant’s Causeway. From up on the cliff the people on the Causeway look like ants.

I read on Hugh F-W’s website that primroses are edible, and very pretty scattered in a salad. He advises only to pick them from your own garden, or a friend’s, as it is technically illegal to pick them from the wild.

I was reminded of this as we walked along the cliff top and came across large clumps of primroses. Now, I’ve never eaten a primrose before and I found myself kind of curious. Being a country girl I’ve picked many wildflowers, in my youth, for posies, so picking a couple to taste didn’t seem like any big deal.

D made nee-naw-nee-naw noises as I chopped their little heads off. I looked around - no pigs in sight - and scoffed the illegal primrose. D had one too but only after asking if it was poisonous. I could feel the little flower stick in the back of my throat - what if?!

No D it’s not poisonous. But the doubt was planted in my mind. My throat started to feel a little sore just where the flower was sticking and five minutes later I was having trouble breathing. I was already coming up with excuses in preparation for my visit to casualty, as I wouldn’t want to admit to having eaten a wild, illegal primrose; or even worse a wild, illegal, poisonous primrose!

Fortunately, I caught myself on and stopped freaking out. I guess that is what I get for eating an illegal wildflower.

And taste? It was quite bland.

The walk was lovely. Part of it goes alongside the railway tracks of the Causeway Coaster.