The ultimate guide to Britain's farmers' markets: From creamy Cornish cheeses to artisanal breads in Wales and Aberdeen Angus beef, this is the very best of the nation's fresh produce

Farmer’s markets have grown from being a protest against wasteful food miles and tasteless supermarket produce to major attractions in their own right.

Indeed, while standard British markets have become swamped by cheap plastic items and gaudy crafts, farmers markets have become hugely popular foodie events.

The growing demand for local, fresh and genuinely tasty food means there are now estimated to be more than 650 farmers markets around the UK.

I’ve toured many of them, and helped write a book called ‘Taste Britain’ about the regional delicacies you can find on farmers’ market stalls. In fact, I once even moved to a town because it has such a good farmers market.

From all my travels, research and chats with market traders – in addition to actually sampling the goods – here are the very best of Britain’s best farmers’ markets.

South West

Truro, Cornwall

In Truro, Cornwall, a market takes place by the cathedral

9am-4pm, Wednesday and Saturday, Lemon Quay

Find the green-and-white striped awnings of Cornwall’s top food market twice weekly in the shadow of Truro cathedral.

The same market also appears in the pedestrianised area of nearby Falmouth, known as The Moor, every Tuesday.

Don’t miss: Local specialities such as Cornish gouda cheese, honey from local bees, Cornish sea salt and Chelsea-gold-winning garden plants.

Crediton, Devon 

10am-1pm, first and third Saturday of month, Market Street

This rural, busy get-together meets fortnightly in the Mid Devon market town centre. Stallholders are the producers and only sell what they grow or create.

Don’t miss: Produce ranges from farmer’s meat pies, vegetables from organic no-dig fields and the unique Devon Oke cheese.

Taunton, Somerset

In Taunton, a farmers' market happens every Thursday on the high street

9am-2pm, Thursday, High Street

The county town’s longstanding market is run by a farmers’ co-op and runs along the high street. Note that most of the traders prefer cash.

Don’t miss: Products from Somerset cider to traditionally-reared meat straight from the farm.

South

Devizes, Wiltshire 

The market square in Devizes is filled with stalls every Thursday and the first Saturday of each month

7am-3pm, every Thursday and first Saturday of month, Market Square

The picturesque town square has held food markets for 300 years around its historic carved stone market cross monument. The market has also grown significantly over years; the stalls now spread into the nearby covered ‘Shambles’ area, too.

Don’t miss: Wiltshire pork, bacon and sausages, speciality cheeses and veg from fields on the hills around the town.  

Winchester, Hampshire

Winchester boasts an award-winning farmers' market

9am-2pm, second and last Sunday of month, High Street & Middle Brook Street

Winchester’s award-winning farmers’ market is one of the UK’s biggest, with up to 100 stalls fortnightly spread around the ancient Buttercross in the town centre.

Don’t miss: A vast array of local produce from fresh watercress to buffalo steaks and Hampshire gin to ostrich meat.

Reading, Berkshire

In Reading, there is a farmers' market on the first and third Saturday of each month

8.15am-12pm, first and third Saturday of month, Old Cattle Market

Winter shoppers welcome farmers’ and producers’ food stalls being under cover in Reading’s livestock market in what was once the former Saxon market place. This was where the townsmen were forced to regularly practise archery.

Don’t miss: Today’s foodie selection still hits the mark, ranging from organic heritage tomatoes to free-range eggs laid in nests.

South East

Lewes, Sussex 

A market is held in Lewes on the first and third Saturday of each month

9am-1pm, first and third Saturday of month, Friars Walk car park

This non-profit, community-run farmers’ market has become one of south east’s biggest. From craft sourdough bread to local wines, most produce here comes from within 25 miles.

Don’t miss: Cheese from South Downs dairies, organic fruit from Sussex orchards and rare-breed meat from herds within the national park.

Cliftonville, Kent 

10am-1pm, last Sunday of month, Walpole Bay Lawns

This unique clifftop market in Margate is named after the trendy Cliftonville area where it’s based. Its unique attraction is that it offers sea views in addition to excellent fresh food stalls.

Don’t miss: Seasonal fruit and veg, meat and fish, and specialities such as luxury marshmallows, handmade patisseries and garden plants.

Lenham Country Market, Kent 

9am-1pm, second Sunday of month, Lenham village square

Despite its size, this small Kent village market remains proud of the market charter it earned from King John in 1206. And it’s still winning awards today: Lenham is the Farm Retail Association Farmers Market of the Year.

Don’t miss: A wide range of Kent produce including fresh fish, farmers’ chutneys, live herbs grown in nearby gardens and game from the Stour Valley.

London

Borough Market

London's Borough Market takes place six days a week

All day: Tuesday to Sunday, Southwark Street

The halls and passageways of Britain’s premier food market feature more than 100 food stalls where many top chefs buy their ingredients. Note that it’s more like a huge global deli than a rough rural farmers’ market.

Don’t miss: Mindboggling produce and ingredients from fabulous exotic fruit to gourmet goat’s milk ice cream.

New Covent Garden

New Covent Garden Market takes place from Monday to Saturday 

All day: Monday to Saturday, Nine Elms

The UK’s top wholesale farmers market is a unique sight: a bustling 37 acres of stalls and traders. Be prepared to buy in bulk though – its main customers are shops and restaurants.

Don’t miss: Colourful exotic fruit and veg, strange funghi and miles of fresh flower stalls from all over the globe.

Alexandra Palace 

Alexandra Palace Park hosts one of London's biggest farmers' markets 

10am-3pm, Sunday, Alexandra Palace Park/Campsbourne School

One of the city’s biggest, this farmers’ market offers fruit & veg, bread, cakes, meat, cheese, eggs, milk, preserves, hot food – plus Sunday strolls in the leafy 200-acre north London park.

Don’t miss: Treats like focaccia sourdough, huge tasty tomatoes and hot chilli pickles.

Islington

In Islington London's oldest farmers' market takes place 

10am-2pm, Sunday, Chapel Market

London’s oldest farmers’ market was set up by a local food writer in 1999 and has since become a north London foodie institution, as much a social outing as a shopping trip.

Don’t miss: All the market’s meat, fruit and veg comes from farms within 100 miles.

Midlands

Harpenden, Hertfordshire

More than 70 stalls gather in Harpenden each month

10am-2pm, fourth Sunday of month, Lower High Street

The town council run this monthly event in the heart of Harpenden. They’re rightfully proud of attracting more than 70 stalls to fill this leafy traffic-free site with their red-and-white awnings.

Don’t miss: Gourmet food produce – plus fresh flowers, craft beers and British wines.

Stroud, Gloucestershire 

Stroud hosts a bustling food market every Saturday

9am-2pm, Saturday, Cornhill and surrounding streets

This bustling food market fills the town’s steep winding streets. It’s so busy you may have to queue at the best stalls. With great variety, quality and Cotswold views all around, it has been voted one of Britain’s best.

Don’t miss: An eccentric weekly array of buskers, musicians and street performers.

Moseley, Birmingham 

9am-2pm, last Saturday of month, Village Green crossroads

The market has dozens of stalls, and aims to reduce food miles and support sustainable farming. As such, all produce must come from within 50 miles and no GM produce is allowed.

Don’t miss: Current seasonal specials include autumn lamb, apples and blackberries, beetroot and sprouts.

East Anglia

Beccles, Suffolk 

9am-1pm, first and third Saturday of the month, Old Ellough Heliport

Once a Battle of Britain airfield, these days dozens of fortnightly food stalls have transformed the old RAF hangar into one of the UK’s largest undercover farmers’ markets.

Don’t miss: Meat, poultry, fish, fruit and cakes produced by farms, dairies and kitchens within 30 miles of Beccles.

Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk

In Bury St Edmunds a historic market takes place once a month

10am-3pm, second Sunday of month, The Traverse

Busy stalls of East Anglian farm produce line the streets of the Traverse in Bury’s historic market area once a month. There are big general markets on Wednesday and Saturday too.

Don’t miss: A chance to sample local wines, gins and vodkas.

Holt, Norfolk

On the first Sunday of each month Holt hosts a market full of street food vendors and buskers

10am-3pm, first Sunday of month, Market Place/Bakers Yard

The roads are closed through the heart of the picturesque Georgian town to allow one of the region’s biggest outdoor markets that combines farm produce with arts, crafts and garden plants.

Don’t miss: Street food vendors and buskers in Bakers Yard.

Wales

Cardiff 

A weekly food market takes place along Fitzhamon Embankment in Wales

10am-2pm, Sunday, Fitzhamon Embankment

The blue stalls of the weekly food market line footpaths along the banks of the Taff. It’s one of the UK’s biggest farmers’ markets with a multicultural cosmopolitan capital vibe.

Don’t miss: The best Welsh farm produce includes free-range eggs from a monastic farm in the Beacons to venison sausages from Wye Valley deer.

Cowbridge, Glamorgan 

9am-1pm, Saturday, North Road

Everything on sale in the market’s rows of white tents has been grown, reared, caught, brewed, pickled, baked, smoked or processed by the stallholders from the Vale of Glamorgan.

Don’t miss: Local specialities like Welshcakes, Welsh lamb… and Welsh gin.

Hay-on-Wye, Powys

A 700-year-old market takes place in Hay-on-Wye

9am-2pm, Thursday, Memorial Square (also on the first Saturday of the month seasonally and special Christmas markets)

A 700-year-old traditional market still fills Memorial Square, Cheese Market, Buttermarket and around the Clock Tower too. The farm produce shares space with arts, crafts and vintage stalls but the combination has been voted the best market in Wales.

Don’t miss: The chance to pick up some second-hand cook books in the famous ‘book town’.

North West

Orton, Cumbria

In Orton a market takes place on the second Saturday of each month

9am-2pm, second Saturday of month, village centre

The busy monthly farmers’ market takes over the village with teas served in the church and entertainment from local schoolchildren. Blue-and-white stalls spread across the square and into the market hall too.

Don’t miss: Succulent Swaledale lamb, creamy goats milk cheese from the dales and sustainably grown seasonal veg and organic Cumbrian brie.

North East

Otley, Yorkshire 

In Otley, stalls gather on the last Sunday of each month

9am-1pm, last Sunday of month, Market Place

Dozens of stalls for this growing monthly market take over the cobbled square of the West Yorkshire market town, under the Jubilee Clock Tower, surrounded by cafes and independent shops.

Don’t miss: Delicacies like artisan breads, fresh herbs, Indian food, local bacon cuts and homemade soups.

Harrogate, Yorkshire

9am-4pm, second Thursday of month, Cambridge Street

Harrogate’s longstanding town centre monthly market features a mix of North Yorkshire farm produce, local arts and craft makers and a mix of street food vans.

Don’t miss: Fresh tayberries, a cross between raspberries and blackberries.

Barnard Castle, Durham 

9am-2pm, first Saturday of the month, Horsemarket

The town’s cobbled marketplace hosts one of the North East’s busiest farmers’ markets, with dozens of green-and-white striped stalls.

Don’t miss: Sparkling elderflower wine made from local hedgerows and handmade scotch eggs – made purely from other stallholders’ ingredients.

Scotland

Dumfries & Galloway

A farmer;s market takes place at Dumfries mainline railway station

10.30am-2.30pm, first Sunday of month, rail station

Dozens of local food producers gather once a month in the unique market site under the grand Victorian pavilion roof covering Platform One at Dumfries mainline railway station.

Don’t miss: Honey from Dumfries bees, Cumbrian farm bred and butchered beef, freshly smoked fish and south-west Scotland’s own farm-distilled rum.

Kelso, Roxburghshire

In Kelso, a market is held on the fourth Saturday of every month in 'The Square'

9.30am-4.30pm, fourth Saturday of every month, The Square

This historic town claims Scotland’s biggest market square: once a month, the cobbled spaces fills with the market’s multicoloured striped awnings.

Don’t miss: Grass-fed Aberdeen Angus beef, venison burgers from local deer and speciality cheese from dairies across the Scottish Borders.

Edinburgh

Edinburgh Farmers Market takes place every Saturday at Castle Terrace

9am-2pm, Saturday, Castle Terrace

Spread along a pedestrian area under the trees of Castle Terrace and overlooked by the rocky ramparts, this busy, weekly event has been voted Scotland’s best food market four times.

Don’t miss: Free-range bacon, Tay Valley fruit and veg, and homemade Scottish tablet (a traditional sweet)

Simon Heptinstall’s latest book, The Great Little Book of Walking, is available on Amazon for £7.99 (amazon.co.uk/great-little-book-walking-everywhere).