Bath and the Somer Valley
The River Avon in Bath
The Somer Valley, with its fertile rolling hills, rivers and farming landscapes, is considered to be the market garden of the historic city of Bath. Its location just south of the city means few other areas can provide its inhabitants with with food so fresh and locally grown, the support for local farming being a clear additional benefit.
However, the special relationship between these contrasting landscapes spans so much deeper than a convenient location and a need for quality produce within the city. They are connected by a shared history and geography running deep within its communities - something we at Somer Valley Farms aim to build upon, promote and continue for years to come.
The River Somer
When you look at our logo, you can see the blue River Somer meandering its way through the green slopes of the Somer Valley. Running from Midsomer Norton to Wellow Brook, the River Somer eventually, after joining onto numerous other rivers and brooks, streams into Frome. The river is an important part of the Somer Valley, which is why it is represented in our logo, as since farming began in the area it has injected nutrients into surrounding land and of course, supplied a source of water - vital not just for agriculture but for the survival of human settlements. It is safe to say, that without the River Somer, the Somer Valley as we know it would not exist.
Wellow Brook
You might be asking yourself at this point what this has to do with Bath. Well, Bath lies within the catchment area for the river. This is where water collects when it rains, eventually flowing over the landscape to streams, through the soil and feeding rivers. Therefore, Bath has quite literally been feeding the Somer Valley, making its soil fertile enough to grow food - some of which eventually ends up back in Bath to feed you.
The Fosse Way
The River Somer isn’t the only feature connecting Bath and the Somer Valley. Built between the first and second centuries, the Fosse Way is a Roman road starting in Exeter in the Southwest, stretching all the way to Lincoln in the Northeast of England. En route, it cuts right through the Somer Valley and goes up past Bath, connecting the two areas from all those years ago.
As the Somerset countryside surrounding Bath was rich in coal, salt and other commodities which could be traded, Romans settled in villages such as Camerton for their proximity to these resources and the Fosse way. The road was used to transport these goods and contributed to local wealth. This isn’t unlike today’s world, where instead of coal, the Somer Valley can still make the most of these ancient links to the city and contribute to the local community through its food production.
The settlement at Camerton (BHO)
Continuing these connections
Central to Somer Valley Farms is building upon these physical connections between Bath and the Somer valley to form personal ones between the farmers in the valley and their local communities - including those in the city. This local way of shopping will shorten supply chains, enhance transparency and lead to quality, building trust you just can’t get elsewhere, all while supporting the historic connection between Bath and the Somer Valley.