Crownhill is the northern residential suburb of Plymouth at the foot of the Dartmoor foothills, the Tavistock Road climbing away from the city toward Roborough Down and the moor edge. The moorland fringe carries gorse and heather in late summer, and oilseed rape is grown widely on the Roborough and Bickleigh arable fields that form the city boundary. The combination of moorland, arable and suburban forage makes Crownhill a productive area for bees from April through to September.
Dartmoor edge gorse and heather scrub at Roborough Down and the moor-gate verges attract swarms in late May and early June. Oilseed rape field margins on the Bickleigh and Roborough farming land produce strong prime swarms from late April. Suburban sycamore and lime in the Crownhill residential streets off Tavistock Road host clusters through June. Farm outbuildings and stone walls on the Dartmoor foothills approach are common cavity swarm sites.
Nearest BBKA-affiliated associations to help with swarm collection and local advice.
PL1 2AA· approx. 4 km
Visit websitePL19 9DA· approx. 15 km
Visit websitePL17 8AX· approx. 16 km
Visit websiteAssociation data sourced from the British Beekeepers Association directory via SwarmBase.
Gorse on the Dartmoor edge at Roborough Down and the Plympton Hill fringe opens the season in February and March. Blackthorn and hawthorn on the Plym and Tamar valley hedgerows follow; apple blossom in the Plympton and Tamerton Foliot orchard remnants adds to the May flow. Sycamore and lime in Central Park, the Hoe gardens and Devonport Park give a reliable June city flow. Bramble is dense on the old military estate scrub at the Efford and Plymstock fringes; willowherb on the estuary embankments carries through August. The Tamar and Tavy creek-side woodland at Warleigh carries ash, hazel and wild cherry. Coastal ivy on the Sound-facing cliff gardens and the dockyard walls closes the year.
More on beekeeping in City of PlymouthReport it in under a minute and a trained local beekeeper will arrange safe collection.
