Maltby is a former colliery town on the limestone plateau south of Rotherham, bordered by Maltby Low Common and the ancient woodland of Roche Abbey — one of the most historically significant Cistercian ruins in South Yorkshire, set in a limestone gorge with mature ash, field maple and hawthorn. The Abbey grounds, the old estate parkland of Sandbeck Park, and the mixed limestone farmland of the Rother valley plateau give local bees a structured and productive season on the magnesian limestone.
Collectors regularly attend swarms in the ash, field maple and hawthorn of the Roche Abbey woodland gorge, in the parkland lime and sycamore of Sandbeck Park, in the elder and bramble of the former Maltby Main colliery site, and in the chimney pots and eaves of the Victorian and Edwardian brick terraces of High Street and Queen Street.
Nearest BBKA-affiliated associations to help with swarm collection and local advice.
S60 5PA· approx. 11 km
Visit websiteDN3 3AG· approx. 16 km
Visit websiteS41 8NA· approx. 23 km
Visit websiteAssociation data sourced from the British Beekeepers Association directory via SwarmBase.
The Don Valley arable belt contributes oilseed rape to the early flow. Sycamore and horse chestnut fill May in Sheffield parks — Norfolk Park, Endcliffe, Graves; the lime avenues of Broomhill and Doncaster carry June. Sheffield's western edge opens onto the Dark Peak moors, with ling heather on Stanage, Burbage and Big Moor — a crop Sheffield beekeepers migrate to regularly. Rosebay willowherb is dense on former steelworks land; ivy closes a long season in the blackened-stone suburbs.
More on beekeeping in South YorkshireReport it in under a minute and a trained local beekeeper will arrange safe collection.
