Glastonbury is a small market town on the edge of the Somerset Levels, with the famous Tor rising above it and the rhyne-cut wetland landscape of the Brue valley extending north and west. The Levels' rhyne banks carry one of the longest willowherb and loosestrife flows in Somerset; the old orchard gardens of the town itself provide apple and cherry in spring; and the chalk and limestone grassland of the Polden Hills to the south-east adds marjoram and clover in early summer.
Collectors regularly attend swarms in the orchard and garden remnants of the High Street and Chilkwell Street conservation area, along the rhyne-side willows and reed-bed margins of Godney and Meare, on the limestone grassland slopes of the Polden Hills towards Street and Walton, and in the chimney stacks and stone-walled roof voids of the older town-centre properties.
Nearest BBKA-affiliated associations to help with swarm collection and local advice.
TA11 7PY· approx. 10 km
Visit websiteBA4 5PF· approx. 13 km
Visit websiteBS27 3AA· approx. 15 km
Visit websiteAssociation data sourced from the British Beekeepers Association directory via SwarmBase.
The apple orchards of Taunton Deane, Glastonbury and the Tone Valley give an early, intense flow in May; sycamore and hawthorn run behind. Lime scents the streets of Bath and Wells in June; bramble blankets every hedge. The Levels contribute a long late flow on willowherb, loosestrife and himalayan balsam along the rhynes. Mendip provides limestone grassland herbs — wild thyme, marjoram, knapweed — and the Quantocks give a small but real late heather supplement. Ivy closes the year on old orchards and stone churchyards.
More on beekeeping in SomersetReport it in under a minute and a trained local beekeeper will arrange safe collection.
