Newent is a small market town in the Vale of Leadon on the north-western edge of Gloucestershire, set in some of the finest orchard and hop-yard country remaining in the county. The Newent BKA is based in the town and serves the surrounding vale and Forest of Dean fringe. The orchards of the Three Choirs vineyard country around Clifford's Mesne and Oxenhall carry apple, pear and cherry blossom through May; the hop yards add pollen in late summer; the vale farmland carries white clover and bramble through July; and the Forest of Dean edge to the south and west brings oak pollen and lime in early summer.
Collectors regularly handle swarms in the orchard gardens and old black-and-white farmhouse outbuildings of the Okle Green and Kilcot lanes, in the churchyard boundary walls and market-place lime trees of the town centre, along the fruit-tree-lined old lanes running east towards Hartpury and Highleadon, and in the barn and hop-kiln buildings of the outlying vale farms.
Nearest BBKA-affiliated associations to help with swarm collection and local advice.
GL18 1BD· approx. 1 km
Visit websiteGL50 1QA· approx. 23 km
Visit websiteGL15 6BS· approx. 24 km
Visit websiteAssociation data sourced from the British Beekeepers Association directory via SwarmBase.
The Cotswolds give early blackthorn and hawthorn on drystone hedges, with limestone grassland herbs later. The Severn Vale brings oilseed rape, horse chestnut and hawthorn in the valley pastures. The Forest of Dean is the country flavour — sweet-chestnut coppice, holly, bilberry and a late heather patch on the upper heaths. Bramble is universal; lime and sycamore dominate the June streets of Cheltenham, Gloucester and Stroud. A reliable autumn ivy flow on stone-walled churches carries hives into October.
More on beekeeping in GloucestershireReport it in under a minute and a trained local beekeeper will arrange safe collection.
