River Journey: The Bristol Frome (Christina Wheeler)

This episode of River Journey begins at  Seven Springs, the source of the Frome, and finishes on the outskirts of Chipping Sodbury.  Christina walks with  Pommy Harmar, who has created a soundscape of the river; Pauline Wilson from Sodbury Woodland and Nature, a group planting trees on land near a new aqueduct; Liz Kinsey, coordinator of the River Frome  Reconnected Project ; and David Hardill from Yate Heritage Centre who talks about medieval burgage plots and ancient mills.   

Pommy Harmar podcasts - Naturally Bristol
Sodbury Woodland and Nature
River Frome Reconnected
Yate Heritage Centre yateheritage.co.uk/
Frome Valley walkway 

This  stretch of  river journey is from  Yate to Algars Manor, near Iron Acton.
Along the way, Christina  meets up with people who are passionate about the river:  Peter Coombes, who is committed to leaving the Frome in a better state for future generations,  Peter volunteers with Storm Water Shepherds and Bristol Avon River Trust (BART); Lucy Newton  finds great solace and inspiration from spending time near the river;  Jody Armitage is a Fisheries Officer at the Environment Agency, her work involves increasing fish stocks in the upper reaches of the river; and  Sonya Grub shares stories of her childhood spent  around the river which winds its way through her childhood garden at Algars Manor.

Storm Water Shepherds
Bristol Avon River Trust
National Gardens Scheme - Algars Manor

On the Frome Valley walkway between Cog Mill and Moorend, Christina meets artist Holly Dunham who talks about how the river inspired her to make important changes in her life;  Jean Ray,  one of nine children who grew up next to the river in Frampton Cotterell;  Tony Harding and Peter Bruce, local experts on the hat making industry which was centred around the Frome for over three hundred years; and Duncan Porter who is part of the very active Frome Valley Environmental Group


Holly Dunham 
Hatters Trail booklet 

This journey begins with a detour - a  visit to Stoke Brook, a tributary of the Frome.  Christina meets up with Rozy Gray and volunteers from BART (Bristol Avon River Trust) to find out about BART's work throughout the Bristol Avon catchment and to see a conservation project in the Three Brooks Nature Reserve.
Christina then re-joins the Frome Valley Walkway  at Hambrook and walks to Snuff Mills. Along this stretch of the river she meets Carol Thorne from  Frenchay Museum and learns about flock mills, teagardens and subscriptions for the construction of Frenchay Bridge; Ros Martin, a local poet and activist, who  found inspiration by the river for her latest play about her uncle,  one of Britain's most prominent black actors in the 1940s; and Chris Williams, from Snuff Mills Action Group, whose family has lived in the area for generations.

Ros Martin Olawale Arts
Bristol Avon River Trust BART
Frenchay Museum
Oldbury Court Estate
Frome Valley walkway

For the final part of the journey Christina canoes with Julie Doherty from Avon Wildlife Trust. As they paddle along they chat about the river as wildlife corridor and how we can all play our part in tackling the ecological crisis. In Eastville Park they come across wildlife photographer Robbie Deville photographing kingfishers. And Christina meets  Melvin Woods from the Environment Agency. They talk about flood management and urban dilemmas as they walk through the streets of Bristol, where the river flows unseen beneath their feet, until it finally meets the River Avon

Avon wildlife trust

Avon Wildlife Trust – 30 by 30 appeal 

Frome Valley walkway

Robbie Deville

Big Blue Map of Bristol

a drop  of what's to expect over the journey