Local Honey Penrith

Jim Lowther is a Cumbrian beekeeper and current custodian of the family's historic Lowther Castle Estate in the Lowther valley, Cumbria. With over 10 years of beekeeping experience, Jim introduced bees to the Estate as part of a sustainable land management strategy, operating on the principle that healthy bees indicate a healthy estate. He keeps over 200 hives across multiple apiaries on the Lowther Estate, situated within the Lake District World Heritage Site. The honey is raw and produced using only sustainable beekeeping methods. Bees forage close to hawthorn, hedgerows, and mature trees on the estate. Jim is notable for crafting all of his own hive equipment by hand, using English western red cedar wood. His honey is sold through Hive & Keeper, an artisan honey retailer, and is available in physical stockists including Grasmere Gather in Grasmere village, Lake District. Jim's approach is environmentally friendly and small-scale in ethos, despite the significant number of hives, reflecting a deep commitment to ecological stewardship of the Lowther Estate.