In some cases when you are a travel author you do not have to move too far to encounter the weirdness from around the world!Last weekend was the yearly world nettle-eating competitors held at The Bottle Inn at Marshwood in Dorset some 25 miles from my home.
Bottle Inn Dorset.This was the original area where everything started nearly 40 years ago.Tessa and Julian Blundy, owners of The Bottle Inn, Marshwood, West Dorset because 2023 have now brought this strange contest back to life.Stinging Nettle Eating World Champions This year’s world champs in the Mens section was Michael Hobbs who ate 74 foot of nettles and Lucy Dermody in the Women’s area who ate 68 feet. All in the allotted one hour of the competitors. New World Champions Michael Hobbs and Lucy Dermody.The stems of nettles are cut into 2 foot lengths and the contestants need to strip the leaves and consume every one.There are judges
on hand to choose if for instance there are bird droppings on a leaf or dead bug. Stinging Nettles waiting at Bottle Inn Dorset.Each cleared stem is gathered by the entrant and after that totaled up at the end of the hour long competitors by the judges.
World Stinging Nettle Zen Master.There are several guidelines everyone needs to deal with: taking off the leaves and after that consuming them.
World Stinging Nettle Consuming draws a huge crowd.Much water is consumed together with beer to make them more palatable.Once in case arena you are not permitted to leave even for the toilet!Tough Rules In
The Stinging Nettle Eating World
Although even if you are sick you can stay in the competition.However, you have to wait in a glass. And supplying you consume it once again you may continue.
Stinging nettles chosen with care and cut to 2 foot long.Then if not
then you need to leave the event.Starting in 1986
the competitors moved a few miles away after the bar’s enforced closure in 2019. The nettle-eating competitors was part of a weekend long event beginning on June 21st, the longest day of the year!With Dorset Morris Dancing, music and food stalls the gardens were buzzing. Excellent country environment at the Bottle Inn Dorset.As the entrants with fans entered the mood to sit down and consider what they had just signed
up for?Each person who does take part has to sign a disclosure before they are permitted to enter.Bath Filled with Nettles for the Competition A day approximately before volunteers go out around the fields surrounding the club to collect ideal nettles. Literally a bath complete is needed and in some cases a lot more! Depending upon the growing season that year. Crowds watching stinging nettle consuming at the Bottle Inn Dorset. Both winners here can you identify them?This year, also suggested the return of the original competition site from where the’who can grow the longest stinging nettle’bet was thrown down by the residents. Which then became an eating competition with rules being adapted as it went on over the years.The uncomfortable competition brings in around the world attention every year. With individuals traveling from all over the nation and certainly the world to offer it a try.The structure itself was when a turnpike cottage and became a pub in the 1870s when it was named the Bottle Inn.As the club was among the first inns to offer beer in bottles!World Championship Occasion For Next Year Although not open all the time the owners are working to get the place completely open quickly. World Stinging Nettle Eating Marshwood, Dorset.This last weekend there were 35 contestants battling and chewing it out.All viewed by around 300 or more advocates and media all there to record or experience the phenomenon of this distinct World Champion occasion!
Souvenir for competition day at Bottle Inn Dorset.Owners Julian and Tessa understand that the
pub is necessary to the community. So they are working hard to compete the reconstruct as they desire the competition to continue at the Bottle!