Skyrim has a mechanic that "replenishes" local flora and fauna periodically. It is based on individual cells. But where are the borders to these cells?

For example, Whiterun has a corundum ore vein near the front gate, above the guard towers on the outter wall. How big is this cell? Is it reset every time I enter or leave Whiterun? Or is there an "edge" that goes along the wall on that side?

Or say Lakeview Manor. If one goes near Pinewatch (that little bandit hut next door), is that considered the Lakeview cell? Does that cell go all the way to Lake Illinata?

How does one "know" when they have enetered a new cell? In Morrowind, I think there was a little loading message as one traveled about, but I could remembering wrong.

I forget, are you on PC? If you are, you can type TB into your console and it will toggle your cell borders on and off.

No the cell for Pinewatch doesn't extend that far. Pinewatch is many cells away from Lake Illinata.

Cells are small, as you will find out when you use TB.

Yes, I'm on PC. Thanks!

So what does turning off/on cell borders do for respawns? Basically I am wondering about Lakeview's Apiary respanw and how close I need to be in order to "miss the cell." The same with Whiterun's interestingly located corundum's vein near, but above and a little bit away the front gate.

I asked for "respawn" reasons

Pardon, I didn't word that very well. Typing TB only displays dotted lines indicating where the borders are. Typing it a second time just hides the lines. The behavior of the cells are unaffected. It's nothing more than a visual reference.

Sorry for the confusion.

Cells respawn are based on the iHoursToRespawnCell game setting. By default this is 10 in game days from the moment the player leaves the cell(s). So what you do is, go in an interior cell and wait 10 days for all exterior(and other interior cells, except dungeons since those are 30 days by default) cells to respawn.

Also in exteriors the player doesn't load just the cell your are in. There is a certain amount around the radius of the player that is loaded, but I don't remember how many. So if you wanna "miss" a cell, I'm guessing, you should be about 5 cells away when approaching a mine from the front of the player, as an example.

Ahhh! That makes more sense. Thanks

Thanks. I realize the time needed, it was the area of the cells I was looking for

That tip is a good one. I'll try to remember that one