With late summer sun and some early signs of autumn we’re excited to see bookings coming in for September’s Walking Festival. We’re completing preparations and really looking forward to meeting everyone at our September conference – ‘Bathscape reflections: Shaping a Landscape City’. If you’re keen to find out more about ways to join any of our events to enjoy and share the beautiful Bathscape then please read on.
Join us at the Bathscape conference
Bathscape Reflections: Shaping a landscape city conference
We’re really looking forward to the Bathscape conference which takes place on Tuesday 23rd September 2025. There is still time to book your place and join us in celebrating all things Bathscape. We’ll be bringing together local people, colleagues from the partnership, community groups and knowledgeable speakers to focus on what we have learned about our landscape city and what the future holds for it.
Through a series of panels and short talks, speakers will reflect on Bath’s landscape—past and present—and invite the audience to think creatively about what lies ahead. Together, we’ll explore the impact and achievements of the Bathscape partnership so far, while also delving into broader questions about the future of Bath’s natural and built environment, and how we can ensure better access to nature for all.
Panel led discussions will focus on the past, present and future of:
– ‘Accessing the therapeutic landscape’
– ‘A dynamic landscape city in an uncertain climate future’
– ‘Land use in the setting of a landscape city’
Alongside expert speakers, we’ll be joined by a number of fantastic local organisations working across Bath’s communities. They’ll share more about their inspiring projects, show how they’re helping to shape Bathscape’s future, and spark conversations about what comes next and how we can collaborate to get there.
More information and details of how to book can be found here.
Bathscape Walking Festival
Bathscape Walking Festival – there is still time to get involved!
Places are filling up but there is still time to book a place on a number of our walks. Check out the Walking Festival Programme for further details. This year’s Festival runs from 6th to 21st September 2025.
We have over 50 varied walks to choose from this year, all helping you to explore and enjoy Bath and its surrounding countryside. Each walk listing has all the information you need to choose your walk and a link to a booking form. The website includes a summary programme for quick reference, but please do check the full listing before booking.
There is still time to sign up to the Julian House Circuit of Bath sponsored walk on Sunday, 21st September. The deadline for signing up to this fantastic challenge is Friday 22nd September.
We look forward to seeing you and please do contact us if you have any questions.
Forest of Imagination
We’re really looking forward to Forest of Imagination which launches at Entry Hill on the evening of Tuesday 23rd September. This will be a magical evening as Forest of Imagination opens its twelfth edition with a celebration of creativity, nature, and community.
Forest of Imagination runs into early October and is inviting local schools to take part in ‘Imagining the Future of the Forgotten Land’—a creative transformation of the former golf course at Entry Hill as a ‘pop-up’ proof of concept for a permanent Forest of Imagination as an Art and Nature Park, a centre for arts and ecology.
You can find out more about Forest of Imagination activities on the website and you can book your place at the launch event here.
Big BaNES 100k
We’re really pleased to have been supporting this year’s Big BaNES 100k! There is still time to take part in this flexible outdoor challenge raising funds for two brilliant local youth charities: Mentoring Plus and Off the Record.
So, what’s The Big BaNES 100k all about?
* Walk, run, cycle, swim — or do it your own way to reach 100km by 26th September
* Fundraise as you go to support Mentoring Plus and Off the Record Bath & NES
* Take part solo or as a team — it’s up to you!
What better way to add some steps than to join us for the walking festival? More information about The Big BaNES 100k and details of how up sign up are included here.
The importance of meadows in nature recovery
In August we were able to showcase some of the meadow seeding work that Bathscape volunteers have undertaken over the years, as Bathscape Project Manager Dan Merrett gave a presentation at the UK Meadows Conference.
The conference was arranged by the Middle Marches Community Land Trust in partnership with Marches Meadows Group and Emorsgate Seeds and held just outside Bath at Emorsgate’s wildflower farm at Langridge.
It was with great sadness that we heard that Emorsgate founder Donald MacIntyre passed away shortly afterwards following a spell of illness. Donald was a huge force in UK meadow creation and a staunch supporter of Bathscape and other conservation initiatives, always ready to share his expertise and experience. We will miss him greatly.
Photograph: By Dan Merrett of Donald leading a training session for Bathscape colleagues at his farm in 2022
Community and volunteer skills development
A big thank you to the wonderful volunteers and community members who joined us for our ‘Developing research skills using Bath Record Office’ training at the end of July.
The training was delivered by knowledgeable Bath Record Office colleague Richard, who shared the wonders of Bath Record Office: Archives and Local Studies including what records are available and how to access them. We were introduced to a range of sources including photographs, maps, newspaper archives, historic planning applications and aerial photographs. We really enjoyed spending time in the Roman Baths Clore Learning Centre too!
If you have an interest in supporting our Views and Vistas project through some desk based research we’d really appreciate support with some key views which we already have photographs for. These include:
* Dundas Aqueduct (tow path)
* Prospect Stile
* Beckford’s Tower
* Kelston Roundhill
If you’d like to share your research skills with us – please get in touch – info@bathscape.co.uk or call 01225 477265
Support from Skills Connect
Interested in developing new skills or exploring a career change? Skills Connect offers free career coaching to residents of Bath & North East Somerset to enter training, gain employment, progress within their current career or change into a new career.
They have a team of trained coaches that offer tailored, person-centred support with CV preparation and improvement, interview confidence and technique, identifying employment goals, creating manageable steps that support people to achieve their goals and Information, advice, and guidance for employment needs.
The service is free to anyone aged 18 years or over, is a resident of Bath & North East Somerset and who is currently working or seeking employment.
Individuals can self-refer to the service from the following link https://www.skillsconnect.org.uk/contact-us/speak-to-us/ or get in touch at skillsconnect@westofengland-ca.gov.uk
Photo credit: Ruby Barber
