Sometimes when you are a travel writer you do not have to move too far to encounter the weirdness from around the world!
Last weekend was the annual world nettle-eating competition held at The Bottle Inn at Marshwood in Dorset some 25 miles from my home.
Bottle Inn Dorset.
This was the original location where it all began nearly 40 years ago.
Tessa and Julian Blundy, owners of The Bottle Inn, Marshwood, West Dorset since 2023 have now brought this bizarre contest back to life.
Stinging Nettle Eating World Champions
This year’s world champions in the Mens section was Michael Hobbs who ate 74 foot of nettles and Lucy Dermody in the Women’s section who ate 68 feet. All in the allotted one hour of the competition.
New World Champions Michael Hobbs and Lucy Dermody.
The stems of nettles are cut into 2 foot lengths and the contestants have to strip the leaves and eat every one.
There are judges on hand to decide if for instance there are bird droppings on a leaf or dead insect.
Stinging Nettles waiting at Bottle Inn Dorset.
Each cleared stem is collected by the contestant and then totaled up at the end of the hour long competition by the judges.
World Stinging Nettle Zen Master.
There are several rules each person has to deal with: taking off the leaves and then eating them.
World Stinging Nettle Eating draws a huge crowd.
Much water is consumed along with beer to make them more palatable.
Once in the event arena you are not allowed to leave even for the toilet!
Tough Rules In The Stinging Nettle Eating World
Although even if you are sick you can remain in the competition.
However, you have to save it in a glass. And providing you consume it again you may continue.
Stinging nettles picked with care and cut to 2 foot long.
Then if not then you have to leave the event.
Starting in 1986 the competition moved a few miles away after the pub’s enforced closure in 2019.
The nettle-eating competition was part of a weekend long event starting on June 21st, the longest day of the year!
With Dorset Morris Dancing, music and food stalls the gardens were buzzing.
Great country atmosphere at the Bottle Inn Dorset.
As the contestants with supporters got into the mood to sit down and contemplate what they had just signed up for?
Each person who does take part has to sign a disclosure before they are allowed to enter.
Bath Full of Nettles for the Competition
A day or so before volunteers go out around the fields surrounding the pub to harvest suitable nettles. Literally a bath full is required and sometimes even more! Depending on the growing season that year.
Crowds watching stinging nettle eating at the Bottle Inn Dorset. Both winners here can you spot them?
This year, also meant the return of the original competition site from where the ‘who can grow the longest stinging nettle’ bet was thrown down by the locals. Which then turned into an eating competition with rules being adapted as it went on over the years.
The painful competition attracts worldwide attention every year. With people traveling from all over the country and indeed the world to give it a try.
The building itself was once a turnpike cottage and became a pub in the 1870s when it was named the Bottle Inn.
As the pub was one of the first inns to sell beer in bottles!
World Championship Event For Next Year
Although not open all the time the owners are working to get the place fully open soon.
World Stinging Nettle Eating Marshwood, Dorset.
This last weekend there were 35 contestants battling and munching it out.
All watched by around 300 or more supporters and media all there to record or experience the spectacle of this unique World Championship event!
Souvenir for competition day at Bottle Inn Dorset.
Owners Julian and Tessa know that the pub is important to the community. So they are working hard to compete the rebuild as they want the competition to continue at the Bottle!
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