In 2025, the quirky tradition of the World Nettle Eating Championships will have two versions after the pub that started it all in the 1980s announced its return to the event.
The competition, which draws hundreds of enthusiasts to a quiet corner of Dorset each summer, was nearly lost when the Bottle Inn in Marshwood closed in 2019.
However, after a brief hiatus, it was revived in 2021 by Dorset Nectar Cider Farm with a new format.
Now, with the Bottle Inn set to reopen after extensive renovations, the two venues will each host their own version of the contest in the summer of 2025, each with its own unique twist.
Tessa Blundy, who has been working with her husband Julian to renovate the Bottle Inn, said they had been frequently asked by visitors about the return of the nettle eating competition.
“We do not want it to develop into an argument,” she explained. “So, the cider farm will do their stinging nettle eating competition their way, and we will do ours.”
The cider farm’s version will follow a more recent format, where participants eat as many nettle leaves as they can within 30 minutes, with the empty stalks counted at the end.
The original Bottle Inn format, however, involved a full hour of nettle eating and was preceded by a growing competition, where contestants tried to grow the tallest nettle stem.
Penny Strong, co-founder of the cider farm, acknowledged the unusual situation, suggesting that the Bottle Inn’s event might be referred to as the “original nettle-eating championship” to highlight the differences in their approaches.
Despite the rivalry, she believes both events can succeed.
The Bottle Inn, which had been in poor condition when the Blundys purchased it, is nearing completion of its major refurbishment.
While the pub currently opens on select days for locals, the couple plans to fully reopen in the new year.
Both venues hope to continue the tradition, offering a fun and peculiar event that celebrates the stinging nettle in all its glory.
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