FOSSILS dating back 300 million years have been discovered on Haydon Batch, a site located near Radstock. 

During a recent tree identification walk hosted by Somer Valley Rediscovered, fossils of ancient trees, leaves, and marine life from the carboniferous period were uncovered.

The Somer Valley Rediscovered Partnership, established in 2023, works on improving biodiversity and climate resilience while also aiming to strengthen community connections to nature.

Steve England, an expert who led the walk, said: “The geology of Radstock and Midsomer Norton is fascinating, spanning back millions of years. 

“The oldest formations date to the Carboniferous period, around 300 million years ago, when the area was a tropical swamp filled with giant non-flowering trees such as cycads, club mosses, calamites, ancient horsetail trees, and ferns—similar to today's tropical Everglades swamps in America.

“At that period all the land masses were joined together making a supercontinent called Pangaea, over millions of years through tectonic plate movement the landmass split and fragments drifted in all directions.”

Somer Valley Rediscovered hosts various walks, including a fossil-finding event at Haydon Batch, September 29.

For more details about the walks and other activities, visit the Somer Valley Rediscovered website at https://somervalleyrediscovered.co.uk/.