Penkridge is a traditional market town on the River Penk between Stafford and Wolverhampton, in the fertile lowland of the Staffordshire plain where the Penk valley widens into productive clay farmland and hedgerow pasture. The Staffordshire South BKA covers the area, and the landscape around it — the Penk riverside willows and watermeadow at Lyne Hill and Acton Trussell, the ancient hedgerow oaks and hawthorn of the Cannock Chase fringes to the east, the white clover and oilseed rape of the Calf Heath and Otherton arable, and the lime avenue and sycamore of the town's historic market place — gives local bees a dependable and productive lowland season.
Collectors regularly attend swarms in the older sandstone and brick cottage eaves of the Market Place and Crown Bridge conservation area, along the Penk riverside willows and watermeadow hedges at Acton Trussell and Teddesley Hay, in the ancient hedgerow oak and hawthorn of the Cannock Chase fringe lanes at Huntington and Cannock Wood, and in the garden sycamore and orchard trees of the residential streets south of the town centre.
Nearest BBKA-affiliated associations to help with swarm collection and local advice.
ST17 0UP· approx. 8 km
Visit websiteB74 2YT· approx. 26 km
Visit websiteDY9 7PU· approx. 30 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.
