This month sees the publication of a new book of walks in-and-around the historic mining town of Radstock. Somerset Coalfield Life at Radstock Museum is sponsoring the book, which will be on sale in the museum shop from Thursday, 22nd March – in time for the Easter Holidays.

The authors – Peter Bradshaw, Larry Cunningham and Sue Fraser – are a group of friends who love walking, and they have already had success with a similar book for the Timsbury area, selling over 700 copies.

For this new book of walks in and around Radstock, they have given their time and expertise for free – exploring, working out, then vigorously testing the walks they came up with. They then asked a team of volunteers to trial the walks during all those rainy, muddy days in January and February to make certain that all the instructions and information worked well before the book could be published in time for the nicer spring weather.

The idea for the book came from Museum Treasurer, Jos Binns, who said: “We’re delighted to be sponsoring this book. We were impressed by the way that the authors of the Timsbury book integrated enjoyable walks with local history and we asked if they would produce one for us.”

One of the co-authors, Sue Fraser, whose father had been a staunch supporter of the museum, said: “While walking, I was surprised by the amount of beautiful countryside around Radstock, and the amount of railway and mining history to be found en route is a bonus. We seem to have stumbled on a winning formula, and are pleased that all the proceeds from the sale of this book will be used to support this excellent museum.”

Peter Bradshaw, one of the co-authors of the new book, said: “All the walks start and finish at Radstock Museum. They vary in length from 1.3 to 9.3 miles, and include some limited wheelchair/pushchair accessible possibilities. There is a map of each route and clear directions with points of interest, describing the many reminders of Radstock’s heritage encountered on the way.”

Larry Cunningham, the third co-author of the book, added: “The whole publication is ring bound to make it easy to use, in colour throughout, and illustrated with historic photos together with lovely contemporary photographs.”

Jos concluded: “We are grateful to Peter, Larry and Sue for volunteering their time and expertise to produce the book, and we’re confident that the book will encourage more people, not only to walk in the area, but to follow-up the local history they encounter by visiting the Museum. All proceeds from sales will go to the upkeep and development of the Museum.”

The Museum’s Victorian street, complete with miner’s cottage, co-op shop, horse drawn bread delivery van, coal mine, blacksmiths and printing shops and Victorian classroom, gives a fantastic insight into the lives of local miners, railway workers, brewers, boot makers, farmworkers and their families in times gone by right across the Somerset Coalfield.

The museum shop is open to non-museum visitors and books can be purchased during museum opening hours.

Please visit: www.radstockmusuem.co.uk for more information.