Best Pommy Harmar Podcasts (2025)

1
The Ups and Downs of Bath 43:31

22d ago43:31

43:31

In this episode we explore three of the Downs of Bath. It's debatable how many there are in Bath - some say seven others say 9... We start up on Bannerdown which sits up above Batheaston and has been common land since the early 18th century. Secretary of the Bannerdown Freeholders Association, Rob Kendall shows us around. Next we head over to Lansd…

1
Using the Bathscape for Leisure 39:00

2M ago39:00

39:00

Join us this month as we explore some of the many ways Bathonians use the beautiful Bathscape in their free time. The episode gets going at the saturday morning parkrun up at the National Trust skyline. Parkrun celebrated its 20th anniversary last October and there are now said to be 10m registered runners in 23 different countries. Parkruns are co…

1
Bath in Literature 45:02

3M ago45:02

45:02

This year marks the 250th anniversary since Jane Austen's birth in 1775 and as she lived in Bath from 1801 to 1806, Bath will be celebrating! We find out from the Jane Austen Festival Director Georgia Delve what will be happening in the city this summer. Lizzie Bennet (Pride and Prejudice), aka actor Lauren Falconer talks about Jane Austen's time i…

1
Follies of Bath 42:38

4M ago42:38

42:38

This month join us as we explore the follies of Bath. They were the thing in the 18th and 19th centuries. If you had cash to splash, why not show it off in the guise of a temple, a tower or a castle? Dr Amy Frost, Senior Curator, Bath Preservation Trust takes me up to the top of Beckford's Tower and talks about the man himself, William Beckford. We…

1
Highlights of 2024 57:40

5M ago57:40

57:40

Happy New Year and welcome back to Footprints! In this our first episode of 2025, we look back at our highlights from 2024. More than 40 people took part in the shows last year and we'd like to offer them all a huge thanks for the time, knowledge and passion they put into their work and which shows through in their contributions to each episode. Th…

1
A Community Pub Crawl 41:42

6M ago41:42

41:42

For our mid-winter episode join us for a pub crawl to three cosy community - owned pubs in and around Bath. The last few years have not been easy for pubs, with the pandemic, rising energy costs and inflation. More than 500 closed their doors in 2023, but community pubs it seems, are thriving. The first pub to be bought by the community was The Red…

1
Renewable Bath 36:56

7M ago36:56

36:56

In 2019 Bath and North East Somerset Council declared a climate emergency and is aiming for Carbon Neutrality or Net Zero by 2030. In this episode we explore what that means and what some of the challenges are facing the city. What will Bath and the landscape surrounding it look like if it is to be powered by solar and wind farms? How can this be a…

1
Take a Walk on the Wansdyke 45:54

8M ago45:54

45:54

This month we take a walk on the Wansdyke. Stretching for 35 miles the Wansdyke links Savernake Forest near Marlborough with Maes Knoll just south of Bristol. The eastern section in Wiltshire is the best preserved, but in this episode we explore the western section, the piece that starts at the top of Horsecombe Vale and runs through Odd Down, over…

1
Surfing the Generations 45:57

9M ago45:57

45:57

This month we take a closer look at the city of Bath through the eyes of its residents. We will hear some wonderful memories shared by those who’ve grown up and spent their lives working in the city. The episode starts with Reconnecting Twerton, a group set up by the Bath CIty Football CLub Foundation. The group is for older residents and aims to c…

1
Hedgelaying, Scything and Dry Stone Walling! 40:07

10M ago40:07

40:07

This month we head out into the countryside to find out about the many traditional and ancient skills using only hand tools and age-old techniques, including scything, hedge laying and dry stone walling. Local expert Mike Reed tells us all about hedgelaying, why it's done and what is different about the North Somerset style. We head up to Lyncombe …

1
Full Steam Ahead! 49:16

11M ago49:16

49:16

Join Dan Merrett (Manager) and Lucy Bartlett (Community Projects Officer) from Bathscape as they transport presenter Pommy Harmar by electric bike along two disused railway tracks across the Bathscape. We start in Saltford on the Bristol to Bath Railway Path, which follows the route of the Midland Railway Mangotsfield and Bath branch line, which wa…

1
Bath City Farm 41:02

12M ago41:02

41:02

This month's episode celebrates Bath CIty Farm. Situated on a beautiful 37-acre site with stunning views over the city, Bath City Farm is a working farm, that’s also a much loved visitor attraction. On the site there is a community cafe and farm shop, farm animals, children’s playground, woodland and nature trails. Entrance is free however donation…

1
Birding in Bath 39:31

1y ago39:31

39:31

This episode is published on International Dawn Chorus Day which takes place on the first Sunday of May every year and this year it’s Sunday May 5th. It is a worldwide celebration of nature's greatest symphony and in this show we want to celebrate birds in general, the birds of Bath and their incredible songs. One of the main reasons that birds lik…

1
Bath Goes Gardening 42:08

1y ago42:08

42:08

This month, as spring gets properly into its stride, we go gardening. We start with Carol Stone, one of the volunteers from Alice Park Community Garden down below Larkhall on the London Road. If you have always wanted to know how to stop slugs and aphids munching your beans, well - listen in.. Marion Harney, Professor of Buildings and Landscape Con…

1
Geology of Bath 42:51

1y ago42:51

42:51

In this episode we take a deep dive underneath the city of Bath and discover the geology that underpins it. Professor Maurice Tucker from the Bath Geological Society tells us about the father of Geology, William Smith Mike Williams is a landscape historian and ecologist and he talks about the affect of the landscape on settlement and biodiversity. …

1
Bath in Film 32:25

1+ y ago32:25

32:25

For this episode you will need to grab your popcorn, dim the lights and settle down for a magical journey to the heart of the filmmaking industry in the historic city of Bath. Rachel Bowers from the Bath Film Office describes the process for bringing upwards of two hundred actors and crew into the heart of the city to film. Charlie McCLoud gives us…

1
Highlights of 2023 59:15

1+ y ago59:15

59:15

Happy New Year and welcome back to Footprints! In this our first episode of 2024, we look back at our highlights from 2023. More than 40 people took part in the shows last year and a huge thanks must go to them for making the episodes so fascinating and varied to listen to. They and the organisations they represent are at the very heart of the Bath…

1
Three Grand Schemes! 36:08

1+ y ago36:08

36:08

This month we celebrate three grand projects happening in Bath - Cleveland Pools, Beckford's Tower and Bathampton Meadows. Cleveland Pools - back in 1801 a new bylaw was passed - the Bathwick Water Act. It prohibited nude bathing in the river Avon and so was born Cleveland pools because the swimmers had nowhere to swim. Cleveland Pools is only a sh…

1
Bath at Night 42:04

1+ y ago42:04

42:04

The autumn has arrived and it’s that time of year to hunker down and stay warm. It's the perfect season to explore the nighttime in and around Bath. In this episode we find out about the night sky and visit the Herschel museum where Uranus was discovered back in the 18th century. We’ll hear about the owls in Newton St Loe, delve into the reasons wh…

1
Radical Bath 46:40

1+ y ago46:40

46:40

This month is about Radical Bath which over the centuries has had a rich underbelly of radicalism and rebellion with its streets home to rallies and riots. Andrew Swift takes us on a walk around Bath where we hear about the struggle to get the vote and the importance of Chartism in the city. Professor Emerita June Hannam tells us about the suffrage…

1
Farming in Bath 43:34

1+ y ago43:34

43:34

We're celebrating our 20th episode this month! And it's all about the world of farming. But first - Lucy Bartlett has just organised Bathscape’s seventh highly popular annual walking festival and she updates us on what to expect this year. We visit local farmer Bob Honey who talk about his prize herd of Herefords and he's a man knows the difference…

1
What did the Romans ever do for Bath? 38:12

2y ago38:12

38:12

So what did the Romans ever do for Bath? Why did they come? What did they contribute? What impact did they have over the 400 or so years they were here? To find some answers, this month we travel back two thousand years. Bob Whitaker, Archaeological Adviser BACAS (Bath and Counties Archaeological Society) specialises in the Romans and describes the…

1
Haile Selassie in Bath 41:33

2y ago41:33

41:33

This month we investigating the time when Haile Selassie came to live here in Bath, in exile. We find out about this remarkable African royal figure, seen as 225th in the line of the king of kings of Ethiopia. Not only a monarch whose roots are considered to reach back as far as King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, but also a man revered in his lif…

1
The Love of Trees 40:26

2y ago40:26

40:26

Welcome to this June episode of Footprints in which we are celebrating trees. There are two nature inspired festivals happening in Bath this month and we bring you news of both of them. Dr Penny Hay and Andrew Grant talk about the Forest of Imagination taking this year, the Assembly Rooms as its inspiration and also we’ll explore the Festival of Na…

1
The Call of the Wild 47:42

2y ago47:42

47:42

This month we celebrate wildlife enthuiasts. It’s springtime and we thought we’d bring the outside in and isten to the call of the wild. We start the show at Bath city Farm and meet Ribin the Robin. Naturalist Mike WIlliams tells us his story. Staying at Bath City Farm, Bathscape's Lucy Bartlett surveys newts and we hear how the newt population is …

1
Wellbeing in Nature 38:44

2y ago38:44

38:44

This month it is all about Wellbeing and how getting out and about especially into nature does us the world of good. Walking is a great form of exercise; but it’s also a time to think, reflect and maybe slow down and notice the details and the beauty of the world around us. We start up at Bath University where in March, it was BE WELL WEEK and Bath…

1
Art in the Landscape 42:25

2y ago42:25

42:25

This month we are serving up a fabulous trio of local Bath artists who, using a variety of materials and techniques, are united in their love of landscape and the creatures and plants that make it their home. Bathscape Manager Dan Merrett starts us off in the Victoria Art Gallery with a history tour of artists who have painted the Bath landscape si…

1
Living Working Bath 37:48

2+ y ago37:48

37:48

In this episode we delve into Bath’s social history exploring the world of work and housing from the industrial revolution right up to the present day. We set the scene with Stuart Burroughs - Stuart has been the Director of the Museum of Bath at Work for the last 30 years. In a nutshell the museum celebrates the city’s commercial development since…

1
A look back at the highlights of 2022 48:06

2+ y ago48:06

48:06

Happy New Year and welcome back to Footprints! In this our first episode of the year, we look back at our highlights from 2022. More than 40 people took part in the shows last year and a huge thanks must go to them for making the episodes so fascinating and varied to listen to. They and the organisations they represent are at the very heart of the …

1
The Moon is Cold 30:28

2+ y ago30:28

30:28

Welcome to the last episode of Sleeping with the Moon and thank you for listening throughout the year. The December story is called 'The Moon is Cold’. … 'The harsh rule of Sun has blistered the land and burnt many lives. Packs of wild dogs hunt without mercy through the long claws of night. Many have been forced to flee and now it is time for us t…

1
Tourism in Bath, Past and Present 42:56

2+ y ago42:56

42:56

This month we're celebrating tourism in Bath - discovering what has drawn people to live in or visit Bath since neolithic times. Paul Simons is the man who brought Thermae Baths to the city and is now Chair of the Trustees of the Cleveland Pools Project. In addition he is also the Secretary General of the Great Spa Towns of Europe! This is a world …

1
When Colours Fade 31:47

2+ y ago31:47

31:47

Welcome to the latest episode of Sleeping with the Moon a rich mix of sound and words, exploration and worlds. Watching the light draining from the November forest of last year drew me into the question of when do I cease differentiating colour and ultimately seeing colour, so I thought having an artist as the protagonist would be appropriate. Rese…

1
The Wonders of Bath Stone 37:30

2+ y ago37:30

37:30

This month we find out about Bath Stone - where it was mined and who was behind it. Chief Executive Miranda Litchfield shows us around the Museum of Bath Stone which sits right on top of the now disused Combe Down Stone Mines. It's Halloween so we asked our very own batman, Dan Merrett to show us behind the scenes of the batcave and tell us what ha…

1
The Hunter and The Hunted 26:20

2+ y ago26:20

26:20

October’s full moon was called the Hunters Moon by the first Nations and peoples of northern Europe, as it was a time when animals were fattening for the lean winter months and therefore a good time for hunting. This month’s story takes its inspiration from last year’s sleep out, a recent autumnal walk along the Wye Valley, the observation of raven…

1
Community Growers 32:04

2+ y ago32:04

32:04

This month’s episode discovers the community of growers and gardeners in and around Bath. In recent years there’s been a resurgence with more people coming together to grow and share food, care for the land they live near or on - maybe in an effort to help communities tackle some of the challenges we’re all facing. Hamish Evans, co-founder of Middl…

1
Harvesting the Moon 26:53

2+ y ago26:53

26:53

Welcome to the ninth episode from September’s full moon sleep out of last year when Michael made the journey to Devon to meet a friend and then step along the Tarka Trail alongside the full Torridge flow. "The sum of our labours is borne, Reaping the sowing through the knowing of timely planting and nurtured growing Now’s the season to pick and sav…

1
Walking Festival Magic 37:18

2+ y ago37:18

37:18

It’s September and it's time for Bathscape's wonderful annual walking festival!! The episode begins with an interview on the top of Landsdown with Stephen Bird. Stephen has recently retired from being head of Heritage Services for BaNES Council. He is very enthusiastic walker and talks about his favourite walks in Bath, the joys of long distance wa…

1
Blue Moon Valley 32:31

3y ago32:31

32:31

Welcome to the eighth episode of Sleeping with the Moon charting the 12 encounters and adventures Michael Loader had in 2021 with the twelve full moons. On August 22 the night of a Blue Moon Michael drove just beyond Porlock in West Somerset before walking to The Valley of Rocks near Lynton North Devon. With references to Coleridge and Wordsworth; …

1
Meadows, Seeds and Yellow Rattle 41:37

3y ago41:37

41:37

Back on land this month after two episodes on the water - this time we are exploring the wonderful world of meadows. From Bath city centre, I walk up to meet with Anita Breeze and Chris Kinchin-Smith, two of the Directors of the Friends of Lyncombe Hill Fields where they show me their newly created meadows and the second UK site of a Tiny Forest! I…

1
The Whaling Moon 36:31

3y ago36:31

36:31

In July 2021 I made my way to the shores of the Severn estuary at Littleton on Severn and Whale Wharf intrigued by the story of the whale that came ashore in 1885. Inspired by the tale and its location, the tragedy that it stirred and the experiences encountered on a brooding moonless night set the scene for July’s episode of ‘Sleeping with the Moo…

1
Beaver spotting with Bevis Watts 39:51

3y ago39:51

39:51

July's episode is a fabulous exploration of the River Avon. Listen closely to see if we spot beavers! Part 2 of our canals and river explorations takes us looking for beavers with Bevis Watts, CEO of Triodos Bank, ex CEO Avon WIldlife Trust. Also we venture into Alison Peach's garden to see where otters come to visit from the depths of the river. A…

1
Paddling the canals of Bath 35:01

3y ago35:01

35:01

In a 2-part series of the canals and rivers of Bath, this month we paddle along the Somersetshire Coal and the Kennet and Avon canals, and find out how they contributed to the building of Bath. We meet a woman who runs pottery workshops from her boat and a man who illuminates the life of a 'continuous cruiser'. Finally I hitch a ride on the back of…

1
June Moon - in the Footsteps of Poets 33:58

3y ago33:58

33:58

At the end of June 2021 I took off with my friend Mark to West Somerset to walk through the night along the Quantock spine - I felt challenged. Meeting, eating, planning and a pint put us in the mood to trek. Here is the result with the help of many moon serenading poets, atmospheric music and for the first time a story that took off into the realm…

1
Discovering Slow Ways 32:25

3y ago32:25

32:25

In this our final episode of the series, we are discovering Slow Ways, an organisation that got going during the lockdowns of 2020. It was started by Dan Raven-Ellison who had an epiphany moment while walking the Pilgrims’ Way from Salisbury to Winchester realising we have lost the culture of using footpaths to visit our family and friends or even …

1
The Flowering Moon of May 28:54

3y ago28:54

28:54

Welcome to Sleeping with the Moon charting my 12 full moon sleepovers of 2021. Last May I climbed in the evening's dying light onto Cadbury Iron Age hillfort in North Somerset on the eve of our daughter’s birth 22 years ago to the day. The moon rose Jaffa-ripe in the east as the sun sank below the western horizon towards the sea’s high tide range. …

1
A path through the trees 34:40

3y ago34:40

34:40

This episode is all about trees! We find out about Bath's plans for a series of tree trails and meet the trees in Hedgemead Park with tree enthusiast Fiona Bell. Woodland Trust site manager Joe Middleton gives us his expert knowledge and experience with ash dieback. And we go wassailing at Bath City Farm with 'January' played by Oliver Langdon from…

1
Bristol Walk Fest 2022 begins! 36:08

3y ago36:08

36:08

The festival is starting! It gets going on Sunday May 1st and a number of the walks are being organised by the Bristol Ramblers. In this episode the Chair of the Bristol Ramblers Heather Toyne joins us and tells us what walking means to her, how it runs in the family and what we might expect if we join them. We hear from local Bristol Ramblers Marl…

1
Murmurs and Rumours under a Pink Moon 28:08

3y ago28:08

28:08

Welcome to Michael Loader’s monthly episodes of full moon sleepovers from 2021. In April last year he climbed the heights of Brockley Combe in North Somerset, in the footsteps of Samuel Taylor Coleridge to meet the ‘Pink Moon’ – a super moon in full glow. … “Since becoming a selenophile, a lover of the moon named after Selene the ancient Greek moon…

1
Behind the scenes - a fortnight to go! 36:10

3y ago36:10

36:10

It’s only a couple of weeks now until the festival begins (1st - 31st May) and so in this episode I go behind the scenes to meet organiser Jen Graham and find out what’s in store. This podcast is all about bringing some of the flavour of the festival and the walks on offer and so I go on a wellbeing ramble with the friendly Greenway walkers. We hea…

1
Rambling around Bristol 31:41

3y ago31:41

31:41

So what do we know about the Ramblers? In this episode Vice President Kate Ashbrook gives us the history. We hear from local Bristol Ramblers Sam Perry and Ian Bickerton who tell us why they love walking with the Bristol Ramblers. Our expert Nigel Andrews informs us about the right gear to use - especially footwear, waterproofs and poles. Double ac…

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