Newton Stewart is the market town for the Machars and Minnigaff area, set on the River Cree at the edge of Galloway Forest Park — Scotland's largest forest park and one of the finest upland bee landscapes in the south. The Cree's willows and alder run through the town; the Kirroughtree Visitor Centre forest gardens carry a wide range of flowering plants in season. The Machars farmland to the south is productive pasture and arable ground with hawthorn hedgerows; Galloway Forest to the north carries ling and bell heather across a vast expanse from late July. Myrtle, bilberry and rowan supplement the hill forage; bramble is prolific on the forest road margins.
Collectors attend swarms along the River Cree willows through the town and at Minnigaff, in the Kirroughtree forest garden margins, in the hawthorn hedgerows on the Machars farm lanes south toward Wigtown, and on the heather and myrtle scrub of the Galloway Forest lower slopes above the town.
Nearest BBKA-affiliated associations to help with swarm collection and local advice.
CA24 3HZ· approx. 77 km
Visit websiteCA13 0AU· approx. 79 km
CA12 4NT· approx. 96 km
Association data sourced from the British Beekeepers Association directory via SwarmBase.
The mild Solway climate means spring starts earlier than most of Scotland. Blackthorn and hawthorn open the year; sycamore is important. Oilseed rape is moderate. Lime carries June in Dumfries and Stranraer. Galloway Forest contributes bilberry, rowan and late ling heather; coastal sea-campion on the Solway adds character. Himalayan balsam along the Nith gives a long late flow, and ivy on whitewashed cottage walls closes the year.
More on beekeeping in Dumfries and GallowayReport it in under a minute and a trained local beekeeper will arrange safe collection.
