Bradford-on-Avon is a historic stone town on the River Avon in west Wiltshire, compressed into a steep valley below the southern edge of the Cotswold limestone plateau. Its Saxon church, medieval great tithe barn and terraces of weavers' cottages climbing the hillside give it a rich architectural texture, and the gardens and allotments on the slopes above the Avon are productive through the season. Melksham Beekeepers and West Wiltshire BKA both serve this area. The Kennet and Avon Canal towpath passes through and the riverside meadows carry willowherb, meadowsweet and purple loosestrife in summer.
Swarms in Bradford-on-Avon settle on the wisteria and mature sycamore of the hillside cottage gardens on Tory, in the stone wall cavities and chimney stacks of the medieval weaver-quarter cottages, along the Kennet and Avon Canal bank willows and elder, and in the churchyard ash and lime trees around the Saxon church of St Laurence.
Nearest BBKA-affiliated associations to help with swarm collection and local advice.
SN12 6ES· approx. 8 km
Visit websiteBA13 4AQ· approx. 13 km
Visit websiteBA2 9JA· approx. 13 km
Visit websiteAssociation data sourced from the British Beekeepers Association directory via SwarmBase.
Early blackthorn and hawthorn along the cowslip-strewn down edges open the year, followed by oilseed rape on the clay vale around Chippenham. Sainfoin is still grown here, and chalk grassland herbs — thyme, marjoram, knapweed, yellow rattle — give a herb-scented character to summer Wiltshire honey that connoisseurs notice. Lime lines Salisbury, Marlborough and Devizes streets; sweet chestnut at Savernake contributes to June. A small but reliable late ivy flow on flint churchyards closes a long chalkland season.
More on beekeeping in WiltshireReport it in under a minute and a trained local beekeeper will arrange safe collection.
