Bishopthorpe is a village on the west bank of the Ouse south of York, home to Bishopthorpe Palace, the official residence of the Archbishop of York, whose walled garden and orchard provide sheltered and productive foraging for bees. The Ouse riverside carries willows, alder and hawthorn along its banks from the palace grounds southward, and the Bishopthorpe Road lime avenue leads north toward the Knavesmire. York and District Beekeepers maintain active coverage in this YO23 area.
Collectors attend swarms in the Ouse riverside willows and alder below the Palace grounds, in the Archbishop's Palace walled kitchen garden walls and orchard, along the Bishopthorpe Road lime avenue on the approach toward Knavesmire, and on the older cottage chimney stacks and eaves in the village centre near St Andrew's church.
Nearest BBKA-affiliated associations to help with swarm collection and local advice.
YO19 5UF· approx. 7 km
Visit websiteLS25 6HH· approx. 14 km
Visit websiteYO8 9AN· approx. 17 km
Visit websiteAssociation data sourced from the British Beekeepers Association directory via SwarmBase.
Oilseed rape on the Vale of York arable fields around Dunnington, Poppleton and Skelton opens the season from early April. Hawthorn is dense on the field-boundary hedgerows all around the city fringe. York city centre is defined by its lime flow in June — Museum Gardens, Dean's Park, the Knavesmire lime avenue and the Victorian residential streets of Bishopthorpe Road and Bootham all contribute. Bramble is prolific on the railway embankment and Strensall Common edges; willowherb and himalayan balsam follow on the Ouse riverside. Bell heather on Strensall Common gives a modest but genuine late-July supplement. Ivy on the City Walls, churchyard walls and older suburban gardens closes the year.
More on beekeeping in City of YorkReport it in under a minute and a trained local beekeeper will arrange safe collection.
