Freshford is a limestone village in the Frome valley where the river curves between wooded hillsides two miles south of Bath. Its handsome mill building, ancient church and valley-floor meadows give bees an unhurried forage landscape; the surrounding woodland is rich in sycamore, and the riverside meadows carry white clover and meadow cranesbill through summer.
Local collectors are called to swarms in the sycamore and ash trees along the Frome valley footpath, in the ivy-covered walls of the Old Mill and the churchyard, and in the eaves and stone outbuildings of the village's older cottages along Freshford Lane.
Nearest BBKA-affiliated associations to help with swarm collection and local advice.
BA2 9JA· approx. 8 km
Visit websitebs313ep· approx. 10 km
Visit websiteSN12 6ES· approx. 13 km
Visit websiteAssociation data sourced from the British Beekeepers Association directory via SwarmBase.
The season opens on blackthorn and willow along the Avon riverside at Saltford and Keynsham, followed by hawthorn and apple blossom through the Chew valley orchards in May. Lime is the defining June flow in Bath — the plane trees of Great Pulteney Street, the lime avenues of Royal Victoria Park and the Prior Park landscape garden are particularly productive. Mendip-fringe limestone grasslands around Chew Magna, Bishop Sutton and Clutton carry wild thyme, knapweed and marjoram from June into July. Bramble is dense on the coal-measure slopes above Radstock, Midsomer Norton and Timsbury; willowherb and himalayan balsam flush the Avon towpath below Saltford and Keynsham through August. Ivy on Bath stone walls and village churchyards closes the year into October.
More on beekeeping in Bath and North East SomersetReport it in under a minute and a trained local beekeeper will arrange safe collection.
