Totnes is a small historic town on the tidal Dart, ringed by the red-earth orchards and hedged pasture of the South Hams. The Dart's watermeadows carry sallow and willowherb; the orchard-rich lanes of Dartington and Berry Pomeroy add cherry and apple blossom in April; and the town's medieval shambles and castle grounds hold old lime trees that produce a fine June flow. Totnes has an active beekeeping community in line with its reputation for traditional food and farming crafts.
Collectors regularly attend swarms in the old orchard and walled garden boundaries of Dartington Hall estate, in the castle grounds and garden trees of the Fore Street and High Street conservation area, along the riverbank willows and alders of the Dart below Totnes Bridge, and in the chimney stacks and cob walls of the medieval and Georgian town-centre properties.
Nearest BBKA-affiliated associations to help with swarm collection and local advice.
TQ2 6XA· approx. 10 km
Visit websitePL21 0HP· approx. 11 km
Visit websiteTQ13 0hn· approx. 17 km
Visit websiteAssociation data sourced from the British Beekeepers Association directory via SwarmBase.
Few UK counties open as quickly. Gorse and blackthorn flowering on the cob hedges of the South Hams can carry colonies into a strong early build-up, followed by the sycamore and lime flows of the river valleys — the Exe, Teign and Dart in particular. Sweet chestnut dots Haldon and the east Devon coast; Dartmoor's bell and ling heather give a classic, thick, ambercast crop into August. On Exmoor, the north-slope bilberry and late ling heather feed smaller, darker crops still prized by local keepers.
More on beekeeping in DevonReport it in under a minute and a trained local beekeeper will arrange safe collection.
