Beginner Beekeeping Course 2027 – South Wales

Learn to Keep Bees at Gwenyn Gruffydd Honey Farm

Thinking about keeping bees? Join us at Gwenyn Gruffydd Honey Farm in Carmarthenshire, South Wales, for a full-day, hands-on beginner beekeeping course designed to give you the knowledge, practical experience and confidence to start your own beekeeping journey.

Led by experienced commercial bee farmer Gruffydd Rees, our one-day course combines essential beekeeping theory with practical training in our working apiary. You'll learn how honeybee colonies function, how to manage and inspect a hive, and what you really need to get started.

Unlike a purely classroom-based course, you'll experience beekeeping first-hand on a working honey farm managing hundreds of colonies for honey production and nucleus colony rearing.

Course fee: £180 per person | 10am–4pm | Lunch, refreshments and protective clothing included.

2027 Beekeeping Course Dates

Our confirmed beginner beekeeping training dates are:

• Saturday 24 April 2027

• Saturday 8 May 2027

Both courses run from 10am to 4pm.

Additional dates may be released depending on demand.

Places are limited to ensure everyone receives individual guidance and plenty of opportunities to ask questions. Early booking is recommended.

What You'll Learn

Our beginner beekeeping training covers the essential knowledge and practical skills needed to start keeping honeybees in the UK, including:

• Honeybee biology and behaviour – understanding the queen, workers, drones and how a colony functions.

• Choosing your first beehive – National, Langstroth and other hive types, along with the equipment you'll need.

• Hive inspections – how to safely open a hive, handle frames and assess the condition of a colony.

• Recognising a healthy colony – identifying eggs, brood, pollen, honey stores and signs of potential problems.

• Seasonal beekeeping – understanding colony development, swarm prevention, feeding and preparing bees for winter.

• Honeybee health – an introduction to common pests, diseases and good apiary management.

• Practical techniques – demonstrations of queen marking, nucleus colony management and transferring bees into a full-sized hive.

• Honey harvesting – understanding how honey is collected and processed.

Hands-On Experience with Live Bees

Weather permitting, you'll spend approximately two hours in our apiary working directly with honeybee colonies under Gruffydd's guidance.

You'll have the opportunity to inspect frames, identify different stages of brood development and see how an experienced beekeeper assesses and manages a colony.

Bee suits and gloves are provided, so there's no need to purchase specialist equipment before attending.

Why Train with Gruffydd?

At Gwenyn Gruffydd, beekeeping isn't just something we teach – it's what we do every day.

Gruffydd has personally trained over 200 beginner beekeepers since 2020, helping people take their first steps into keeping bees. Some have even gone on to establish their own commercial beekeeping businesses.

His experience includes:

• Running a commercial honey farm managing over 500 honeybee colonies across South West Wales.

• Serving as a Welsh Government Farming Connect-approved beekeeping mentor.

• Being selected as a National Bee Unit Hive-Side Training Provider in 2026, delivering practical training to more experienced beekeepers.

• Completing the National Bee Unit's Disease Accreditation Scheme for Honeybees (DASH) training.

You'll benefit from practical, real-world knowledge gained through years of managing bees, producing honey and helping new beekeepers get started.

What Does the Day Involve?

Our course is structured to give you a thorough introduction to beekeeping before putting your new knowledge into practice.

Time	Activity
10:00am–11:30am	Indoor beekeeping theory and training
11:30am	Short comfort break
11:40am–1:00pm	Indoor training continues
1:00pm–1:30pm	Lunch (included)
1:30pm–1:50pm	Protective clothing and preparation
1:50pm–3:50pm	Practical beekeeping in the apiary, weather permitting
3:50pm–4:00pm	Return, Q&A and debrief

After the course, you're welcome to browse our on-site beekeeping shop and ask any final questions about getting started.

Everything You Need to Start Beekeeping, All in One Place

One of the advantages of attending a course at Gwenyn Gruffydd is that you can see exactly what's involved in setting up your first hive.

Alongside the training, you'll have the opportunity to explore our on-site beekeeping supplies shop, see different types of hives and equipment, and ask questions about choosing your first bees.

We stock National and Langstroth hives, protective clothing, smokers, hive tools, frames, foundation and other essential beekeeping supplies. We also rear and supply our own Buckfast nucleus colonies.

There's no pressure to buy anything on the day. Our aim is to help you understand what you genuinely need, avoid unnecessary purchases and make informed decisions when you're ready to start.

Who Is This Beekeeping Course For?

This course is ideal for:

• Complete beginners with no previous beekeeping experience.

• Anyone considering keeping bees at home, on a smallholding or on their land.

• Gardeners and nature enthusiasts interested in honeybees and pollination.

• Anyone looking for a practical beekeeping experience before committing to their own colony.

• People buying a beekeeping experience as a birthday, Christmas or special occasion gift.

No previous beekeeping knowledge or equipment is required. This course is intended for adults.

Course Location and What's Included

Location: Gwenyn Gruffydd Honey Farm, Bryn Bach, Cwrt Henri, Carmarthenshire, SA32 8SE.

We're approximately 20 minutes from Carmarthen, 10 minutes from Llandeilo and 45 minutes west of Swansea, making our beekeeping training accessible from across South and West Wales.

Course fee: £180 per person

Your booking includes:

• Full-day beekeeping tuition with Gruffydd.

• Practical apiary experience with live honeybee colonies, weather permitting.

• Use of protective beekeeping clothing and gloves.

• Lunch, tea, coffee and refreshments.

• Opportunities to ask questions and receive practical advice on starting your own apiary.

Once booked, you'll receive an order confirmation. Further joining information, including directions and what to bring, will be provided 7 days before your course.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need any previous beekeeping experience?

Not at all. Our course is designed specifically for complete beginners. We'll introduce you to the essentials and explain everything in a practical, approachable way.

Do I need to bring any beekeeping equipment?

No. We provide the protective clothing and equipment needed for the practical session. We recommend wearing comfortable outdoor clothing and suitable enclosed footwear.

Will I be handling live bees?

Yes, weather permitting. You'll have the opportunity to inspect live honeybee colonies under Gruffydd's supervision. All practical activities are guided, and your safety and the welfare of the bees are our priorities.

What happens if it rains?

The indoor training will go ahead as planned. If weather conditions prevent us from safely opening the hives, we'll offer either a complimentary return visit to complete the practical session on an agreed suitable date or a 30% refund (£54) for the practical element not delivered. Please see our full booking terms below.

Is lunch included?

Yes. Lunch, tea, coffee and refreshments are included in the £180 course fee. Please let us know about any dietary requirements in advance.

Can I buy this course as a gift?

Yes. Our beginner beekeeping course makes a thoughtful gift for someone interested in bees, nature or starting a new hobby. You can book a place for another person, provided they can attend the selected course date. Please contact us if you need assistance arranging a gift booking.

Can I buy my first beehive or bees on the day?

Yes, you're welcome to browse our on-site beekeeping supplies shop after the course. We stock a wide range of hives, equipment and protective clothing, and rear our own Buckfast nucleus colonies for sale, subject to seasonal availability.

There's no obligation to purchase anything.

What if I have an allergy to bee stings?

Bee stings are a possibility when working with live honeybees. If you have a known serious allergy to bee stings or any relevant medical concerns, please contact us before booking so we can discuss whether the practical element is suitable.

Are children allowed to attend?

This is an adult training course. Please contact us before booking if you have any questions about age suitability.

Booking Terms & Conditions

Please read these terms carefully before booking. By purchasing a place, you agree to the following booking conditions, subject to your statutory consumer rights.

1. Booking and Confirmation

All course places must be booked and paid for in advance.

Your booking reserves a place on your selected training date. Places are limited, and we may be unable to refill spaces following late cancellations.

2. Customer Cancellations

If you are unable to attend, please notify us by email as soon as possible.

Our cancellation policy is:

• 28 days or more before the course: A refund will be provided, less any reasonable administration costs already incurred.

• 14–27 days before the course: A cancellation charge of up to 25% may apply.

• 7–13 days before the course: A cancellation charge of up to 50% may apply.

• Less than 7 days before the course: Up to 100% of the course fee may be retained where we are unable to refill your place and our resulting loss justifies the charge.

Cancellation charges will be limited to our reasonable losses arising from the cancellation, taking account of costs saved and any opportunity to refill the place. Any remaining balance will be refunded.

3. Failure to Attend (No-Shows)

If you do not attend your booked course without notifying us in advance, your booking will be treated as a no-show.

As your place has been reserved exclusively for you and cannot ordinarily be resold at such short notice, you may forfeit up to the full course fee, subject to our actual net loss.

No-shows are not entitled to an automatic transfer to another course date.

4. Transferring Your Place

If you are unable to attend, you may nominate another suitable adult to take your place, provided you notify us before the course and we can complete any necessary arrangements.

Requests to transfer to another course date will be considered subject to availability. We cannot guarantee alternative dates.

5. Adverse Weather and Practical Hive Inspections

Our beginner beekeeping course combines comprehensive indoor training with practical experience in our working apiary.

The indoor training will proceed as planned regardless of ordinary adverse weather.

However, practical hive inspections are dependent on suitable conditions. Rain, strong winds, low temperatures or other unsuitable circumstances may prevent us from safely opening the hives.

The welfare of our honeybees and the safety of participants will always take priority, and Gruffydd will make the final decision on whether practical hive inspections can proceed.

If adverse weather prevents the entire afternoon practical apiary session from taking place, participants will be offered a choice of:

• A complimentary return visit on an agreed suitable date to complete the practical hive-inspection session, subject to availability; or

• A 30% refund (£54) of the course fee, reflecting the allocated value of the practical element not delivered.

If only part of the practical session can take place, an appropriate alternative session or proportionate refund will be considered based on the practical training delivered.

These arrangements do not affect your statutory consumer rights.

6. Cancellation by Gwenyn Gruffydd

We require a minimum of six participants to run each course.

If insufficient bookings have been received seven days before the scheduled course, we reserve the right to cancel it.

If we need to cancel the entire course for this or another reason, customers will be offered either:

• A transfer to another available course date; or

• A full refund of the course fee.

7. Safety and Participation

This is a practical course involving live honeybees. Participants should be aware of the possibility of bee stings.

All participants must follow the instructor's safety guidance and instructions when working in the apiary.

Please notify us before booking if you have a known serious allergy to bee stings or any health or accessibility requirements that may affect your safe participation.

The course is intended for adults, and only booked participants may attend.

8. Statutory Rights

Nothing in these terms excludes or limits your statutory consumer rights.

Any statutory cancellation rights that apply to your booking remain unaffected by these terms.

Ready to Begin Your Beekeeping Journey?

Whether you're planning to keep your first colony in 2027 or simply want to discover what beekeeping involves, we'd love to welcome you to Gwenyn Gruffydd Honey Farm.

Book your place on our 2027 beginner beekeeping course and learn from the people who work with bees every day.