A guided Bat Walk will give local residents and visitors the chance to discover the bats of the Somer Valley next month, as part of the 2026 Somer Valley Walking Festival.

“Bat Walk – Night Flyers of the Somer Valley” will take place on Friday, September 11, from 7pm to 9pm at Midsomer Norton Town Park.

The event is being organised by Somer Valley Rediscovered and will be led by Steve England.

The walk will use bat detectors to pick up the echolocations of bats, allowing participants to listen for the animals as they become active after dark.

The event is one of a programme of activities taking place during this year’s Somer Valley Walking Festival, which runs from Friday, September 11 to Sunday, September 13.

The three-day festival includes a range of guided walks and nature-based activities, alongside events including forest bathing, nature talks and art walks. The Somer Valley Ramblers are also leading a programme of walks during the festival.

The Bat Walk is listed as a free event, with bookings available through Eventbrite.

It is highly likely to feature common pipistrelles, soprano pipistrelles, and Daubenton's bats. The park's diverse habitats, combining the River Somer, riverside meadows, woodland edges, make it a prime hunting ground for bats. The Daubenton is called the "water bat” as it skims very low across the surface of the River Avon or local lakes and canals to scoop up midges and insects with its large feet.

For anyone interested in exploring the area after sunset and learning more about local bat activity, the evening provides an opportunity to experience one of the Somer Valley Walking Festival’s nature-focused events.

Bookings for the Bat Walk are currently open through the Eventbrite listing for Bat Walk – Night Flyers of the Somer Valley.

The 2026 walking festival is designed to encourage people to explore the Somer Valley and its landscape and wildlife.