Caterham sits at the foot of the North Downs scarp in the east Surrey hills, with the open chalk grassland and ancient yew woodland of Gravelly Hill, Tandridge Hill and the Pilgrims' Way all within a short flight of local colonies. The town divides into a valley settlement beside Caterham-on-the-Hill and the North Downs ridge, giving bees access to both the sheltered cottage gardens of the valley floor and the chalk-loving flora — horseshoe vetch, marjoram, and scabious — of the open downland above. The Croydon BKA covers the area, with additional support from the Reigate and Westerham branches.
Collectors attend swarms in the mature garden trees of the Harestone Valley and Tupwood Lane residential areas, along the scrubby chalk scarp face and yew-wood margins above Gravelly Hill, in the old orchard and hedgerow trees of the Marden Park estate perimeter, in the Victorian and Edwardian terrace rooflines of the upper town near Caterham-on-the-Hill, and in the beech and oak boundary trees of the Pilgrims' Way lane.
Nearest BBKA-affiliated associations to help with swarm collection and local advice.
SM7 3QA· approx. 7 km
Visit websiteTN16 1BG· approx. 11 km
Visit websiteRH3 7BQ· approx. 12 km
Visit websiteAssociation data sourced from the British Beekeepers Association directory via SwarmBase.
Spring builds fast on blackthorn, hawthorn and horse chestnut along the North Downs scarp, then leans heavily on field maple, sycamore and the urban lime avenues of Guildford, Dorking and Woking. The lowland heaths — Chobham, Frensham, Thursley — give a late bell heather crop in good Augusts that colonies here can count on, supplemented by rosebay willowherb across the MoD training land. Bramble is dense from Box Hill to the Surrey Hills AONB, and the old walled churchyards carry a strong ivy flow into autumn.
More on beekeeping in SurreyReport it in under a minute and a trained local beekeeper will arrange safe collection.
