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DofE Gold Residential
Now booking for 9th July to 13th July 2025
DofE Residential Beekeeping Course – Now Booking for 2025
📅 9th – 13th July 2025
📍 West Dorset – Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty | Jurassic Coast
Spend five unforgettable days immersed in the world of honeybees while completing your Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Residential in one of the UK’s most beautiful settings.
Set just outside Bridport, on the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, our course offers the chance to live and learn in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. We schedule some free time to enjoy the area with beach visits, and optional activities such as the high ropes course, or some kayaking. We are easily accessible in less than 3 hours from London, and our local train station Axminster is where we collect you from.
What our students say
‘ this is a residential like no other'
‘Magical memories that will last a lifetime’
‘I loved bees before but now I am totally smitten’
‘It’s given me the perfect project for me product design degree’
‘I feel so strongly about helping the planet, this course has provided
me with a direction where I can start to make a difference’
We are delighted to be licensed by the Duke of Edinburgh Award as an Approved Activity Provider which means we will be the assessor for this section and write the report upon completion.
Led by experienced natural beekeepers, you’ll explore a low-intervention, respectful approach to beekeeping that puts the wellbeing of bees and their habitat first. You’ll learn how to safely interact with honeybees, understand their behaviours and appreciate their essential role as pollinators in our ecosystem.
Our team combines expertise in beekeeping, education, environmentalism, (and even pizza making!) to provide a warm and enriching, fun experience for all participants. Whether you're new to bees or already curious, this is your opportunity to connect with nature in a truly meaningful way.
ABOUT THE COURSE
This course is a lovely mix of theory and practical sessions —we believe that to truly understand bees, you need to work alongside them. You’ll be supported every step of the way, gaining hands-on experience and developing real knowledge, confidence, and skills you can take with you to start your own beekeeping journey or maybe this residential will ignite a passion for pollinators and you’ll join a research team. Our teaching style is flexible and inclusive, everyone is welcome.
We are personally committed to continuous learning, always updating our methods and knowledge in line with the latest research while responding to the ever changing climate. We also work beyond the hive, consulting with landowners and local communities to restore habitats and provide safe, diverse forage for bees and other pollinators. By learning with us, you’ll gain insight into how we can all play a part in supporting our fragile ecosystems.
At The Dorset Bee, we recognise and celebrate neurodiversity.
We understand that everyone learns differently—and that’s something we truly value.
Whether you're neurodivergent or neurotypical, our courses are designed with flexibility in mind. We tailor our teaching approaches to suit individual learning styles, creating a supportive, inclusive environment where every participant can thrive.
You're not expected to fit into a one-size-fits-all model. Instead, we meet you where you are.
If you have specific needs or preferences, just let us know—we’re here to support you.
Come as you are. You’re welcome here.
Places are limited — early booking is recommended.
We look forward to welcoming you into the world of bees.
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Approved Activity Provider
The course is ideal for DofE GOLD RESIDENTIAL with participants aged between 16 and 24. As an Approved Activity Provider for the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme, we will act as your assessor to submit a report to your eDofE page on completion of the course. Our maximum is only 12 students per course.
What's Included
Tuition - 5 days of practical and theory sessions using a well planned syllabus to give you maximum enjoyment whilst learning this beautiful craft.
Food & drink - All included and you’ll be fully catered. Some evenings we will prepare the meals around the firepit, with the pizza oven or BBQ, or in our on-site kitchen. Sometimes we cook on the beach and enjoy the sunset. We can cater for most dietary requirements.
Equipment - Beekeeping suits and all that you need for hands on tuition in our apiaries is all included.
DofE - We are an Approved Activity Provider and will submit our assessors report to your eDofE page.
Accommodation - 4 nights accommodation at our beautiful private site in the heart of the Dorset countryside. You’ll be accommodated in a glamping style in one of our lovely bell tents, complete with a comfy bed and pillow.
Transport - if you are arriving by train, we will collect you and drop you back on arrival and departure days at Axminster station. We provide transport while you’re with us for trips to the beach and other apiaries we may visit.
All for £949 - book your place with a £250 deposit and then pay the balance 8 weeks before the course starts.
Location
We stay at Coppet Hill, a 600 acre farm in gorgeous West Dorset that is managed sustainably and responsibly, with an aim to encourage biodiversity, improve the soil's health and to care for the environment. We have beehives sited on the farm and the farm provides us with a private kitchen, toilet and common room/teaching space with Wifi and charging for your phones.
The site also features a large games room in the barn, as well as a sunflower maze, owl and bat walks, deer, badger and foxes plus Exmoor ponies, pigs, chickens, and longhorn cattle. Away from the site, we will also arrange trips to the beach which is only a 10 minute drive.
We have our main teaching apiary at Coppet Hill and this is where you will learn about honeybee behaviours and the life of the colony through observation and handling. We have further apiaries all within a 15 minute drive, and we may visit a couple of these to see different types of hives.
We will prepare the evening meals together, some around the firepit with the pizza oven or BBQ, and some in the kitchen. Most dietary requirements can be accommodated and we generally eat outside to enjoy sunsets and shooting stars around the fire. Breakfast is available as a self-service option in the mornings before our sessions commence, and we have salad or sandwich type lunches depending on which apiary we are at. Drinks and snacks are provided throughout the day.
West Dorset has some of the darkest skies in England, so it's great to look out for some shooting stars while we toast marshmallows. We can also set the wildlife cameras each evening to see what visitors we’ve had.
We like to arrange an optional afternoon activity half way through the week, and the local high rope course is very popular and good value at £20 per person. If you would rather keep your feet on the ground, there’s a lovely walk to the wildflower meadow and goat farm just next to the high ropes.
Testimonials
Max DofE student
My stay with the Dorset Bee was exceptional. Their knowledge combined with hands on experience gave me a unique 5 day experience I'm not sure I could have had anywhere else. I feel confident in the knowledge they've given me.
