Leek is a market town on the River Churnet in the Staffordshire Moorlands, at the southern edge of the Peak District and close to the Roaches and the Tittesworth Reservoir. The North Staffordshire BKA covers the town, and the surrounding landscape — the heather and bilberry moorland of the Staffordshire Moorlands, the Churnet valley ancient oak woodland, the limestone grassland of the Manifold and Hamps valleys and the old orchard and hay-meadow country of the Churnet fringe — gives local bees access to some of the finest upland forage in the Midlands.
Collectors regularly attend swarms in the older walled garden remnants and lime trees of the Market Place and Church Street conservation areas, on the heather and bilberry moorland margins of the Roaches and Tittesworth, along the Churnet valley riverside willows and alder carrs towards Rudyard and Cheddleton, and in the chimney stacks and eaves of the older moorland-town properties.
Nearest BBKA-affiliated associations to help with swarm collection and local advice.
ST9 0EL· approx. 10 km
Visit websiteCW11 2UR· approx. 18 km
Visit websiteSK7 1PS· approx. 28 km
Visit websiteAssociation data sourced from the British Beekeepers Association directory via SwarmBase.
Oilseed rape leads the early flow across the arable belt. Cannock Chase contributes a significant late heather crop — bell first, then ling — on its extensive sandy commons. The Staffordshire Moorlands add bilberry and small ling patches; lime in Stafford, Lichfield, Burton and Stoke-on-Trent fills the June streets. Bramble and rosebay willowherb are everywhere in the former colliery and brickworks land. Ivy carries hives into autumn on old red-brick terraces and the greenbelt villages.
More on beekeeping in StaffordshireReport it in under a minute and a trained local beekeeper will arrange safe collection.
