The UK's largest free celebration of nature returns to Bristol and Bath from 7th -15th June and the theme of the festival this year is water.

So in this episode of Footprints, we celebrate the river Avon and the Kennet and Avon canal surrounding Bath.

The Canal and River Trust volunteers are out on their workboat Sulis twice a week, keeping the waterways clear of rubbish and weeds. We go along for the ride as they take their boat up to its summer mooring on the canal. They cover the river Avon from Hanham to Bath and then the Kennet and Avon canal from Bath to Dundas Aqueduct. We hear from Mike Ashman and his team including in order of appearance Bill, John, Trevor, Rich and trainee skipper Peter.

Our rivers have been in the news a lot lately, so Amy Wade, River Engagement and Education lead at BART (Bristol Avon Rivers Trust) tells us about the health of our rivers and what we can do to help.

Finally, we walk along the river Avon with Lizzie Venning from the Bath Riverline project. The aim of this project is to improve Bath residents’ connection with the river. We started out at Newbridge Park near the Park and Ride and next to Bath Marina and we walked all the way through to Batheaston where it was very easy to get a bus back to the centre of Bath, and then to the Park and Ride at Newbridge. 

Joanne Radway the National Trust Community Ranger for Bathampton Meadows finished off our walk by telling us about the work they do there.

Credits

Music: Audionautix

Produced by Pommy Harmar

Links

Bristol Avon Rivers Trust (BART) - www.bristolavonriverstrust.org

River Hub - www.riverhub.co.uk

The Bath River Line Project - www.bathnes.gov.uk/bath-river-line

Canal and River Trust - www.canalrivertrust.org.uk

Waterspace - www.bathnes.gov.uk/waterspace-connected

Festival of Nature - www.bnhc.org.uk/festival-of-nature/events/

Bathscape - www.bathscape.co.uk