Local Honey in Cumbria
Find honey in Cumbria on the map
Cumbrian beekeeping is a compressed, high-stakes business. The season is short, the rainfall is the highest in England, and a fortnight of bad weather in July can wipe out the year's crop. What comes off the fells when it works, though, is some of the most distinctive honey in the country.
Explore Cumbria by town
- Local honey in Bewcastle
- Local honey in Kendal
- Local honey in Newcastleton
- Local honey in Pennington, Ulverston
- Local honey in Penrith
Beekeeping landscape and local forage
Sycamore matters more here than in most counties — planted for shelter around farms and in the valleys for centuries, it flowers in May and yields heavily in the north-west's damp conditions. Hawthorn and rowan follow. The uplands then deliver the county's headline crop: bell heather from July on the drier fell sides, ling from August across the moorland fringes, with bilberry on the higher ground earlier in the season. Limestone country around Arnside, Silverdale and the Eden valley offers a completely different flora — thyme, marjoram, rockrose on the pavement and scars. Lowland Cumbria, around Carlisle and the Solway, has more conventional clover pasture and some arable.
What Cumbria honey can taste like
Dark, aromatic heather honey from the fells; sycamore honey earlier in the year is amber and slightly malty, with an edge that people either love or don't.
Seasonal forage calendar
| Month | Typical forage and colony activity |
|---|---|
| January | Nothing. Long, wet winters; colonies are on stores. |
| February | Hazel and snowdrop in the valleys. Little at altitude. |
| March | Willow and sallow — an important early source in the dales. |
| April | Dandelion, blackthorn, gorse. Colonies build later than in the south. |
| May | Sycamore in quantity — one of the county's key flows. Hawthorn and rowan. |
| June | Bilberry on the fells; clover on lowland pasture; limestone flora around Arnside. |
| July | Bell heather on the drier fell sides. Bramble and clover lower down. The weather decides everything. |
| August | Ling heather across the moorland fringe — the main upland crop. |
| September | Heather finishes early. Ivy in the lowlands. Feeding starts. |
| October | Ivy in sheltered valleys. Winter comes early on the fells. |
| November | Nothing. |
| December | No forage. |
Flowering times are typical and can shift by two to three weeks with the weather, season and altitude.
Places to find local honey in Cumbria
Carlisle, Kendal, Penrith, Barrow-in-Furness, Whitehaven, Workington, Ambleside, Ulverston
Frequently asked questions
Why is Cumbrian honey often sold out by winter?
The season here runs roughly May to early September and produces far less per colony than in southern England — high rainfall, a late start and an early finish. Beekeepers usually sell their crop within a few months of extraction. If you want Lakeland heather honey, buy it in September or October.
What does sycamore honey taste like?
Amber to dark, with a slightly malty, faintly savoury character quite unlike clover or blossom honey. Sycamore is planted heavily around Cumbrian farms for shelter and yields well in damp weather, so it turns up in the May crop more here than in most English counties.
Buying local honey in Cumbria
Use the listing details to choose how to buy, then contact the seller before travelling.
- 5 active directory listings currently appear for Cumbria.
- 2 listings are marked as raw honey.
- 2 listings report an outlet.
- Opening information is supplied on 2 listings.
- 1 listing has a verified webshop link.
- 3 listings also note other beekeeping products.
The directory does not track live stock or harvest dates. Availability, collection, delivery, prices and seasonal varieties can change, so ask the seller to confirm what is currently available.
Honey producers and beekeepers
Low Sizergh Barn
Kendal, Cumbria
Family farm producing their own honey from on-site orchard hives in Cumbria.
Nook Farm Honey
Newcastleton, Cumbria
Raw Cumbrian wildflower honey from the Bailey, plus honeys bought direct from trusted UK beekeepers, sold online and in 30-odd Cumbrian shops.
Nook Farm Honey Shop
Bewcastle, Cumbria
Cumbrian beekeeper producing wildflower honey, selling at local farmers markets.
South Lakes Honey Company
Pennington, Ulverston, Cumbria
Family-run Lake District beekeepers producing small-batch honey in NW Cumbria.
The Lake District Honey Company
Penrith, Cumbria
Sustainable raw honey from 200+ hives on historic Lowther Castle Estate, Lake District.