Sound fishing 2 River Allen, Wimborne

Listening to poetry is incredibly therapeutic and has the potential to unlock emotions and memories that have been long hidden. Take a walk through our historic garden and enjoy recitals by local poets along the way.

First song

Chalk rivers are recognised throughout the world as an important habitat for many plants and animals, including otters, kingfishers and fish. Yet many river species are difficult to see, because they live under the water surface. Might we be able to hear them instead? We have been fishing for sounds in the River Stour, by placing special microphones (called hydrophones) in the water, suspended from fishing rods. This enables us to listen to the sounds being made by creatures living underwater. This soundwalk presents some recordings that we've made using this approach. These reveal a strange and complex soundscape, full of chirrups, churring, clicks and pops. Very little is known about the sounds made by the species that live in rivers, but we know that water beetles and caddis flies both produce sounds. Some fish are known to vocalise too. And on these recordings, you can also hear the sound of water plants photosynthesizing. We hope that this soundwalk will help you to appreciate the River Stour in a different way - as a place teeming with life, much of which is hidden from view.

The People's Park. By the Park's People. This sound walk was created as a contribution to Poole Park Celebration Day, held on 29th July, 2021. The audio materials were sourced from online video clips, in which people documented their own experiences while visiting the Park. These were combined with excerpts from interviews with local people, to provide some additional perspectives about the Park and how it has changed over time. Together, this mosaic of sounds provides a unique insight into how people value the Park, and how they use it to have fun in so many different ways. Credits: Sound collage by Adrian Newton. Visuals created by Lynn Davy, Arthur Newton and Adrian Newton. The accompanying texts are derived from "Poole park - the people's park", by Geoffrey Budworth, Sutton Publishing Ltd., 2008. Many thanks to everyone who agreed to be interviewed, including Prof. Genoveva Esteban; Rob, Emilie and Veronique Palmer; Daniel Somogyi; Aisha Begum; Doreen Hassett; Fraser Huskinson; Haydn Wheeler; Sheila Wiggins; Hayley Johnson; Judith Hewitt; Nigel Bridie; Pauline Cowling; Sarah Coles; Valerie Davies and Michele O'Brien. Thanks also to the Bournemouth University students who conducted some of the interviews: Hamzah Ali, Gerald Aliaj, Faye Bowsher, Vivian Davies, and interview coordinator Dr Kate Terkanian.

The Collective Memory Archive is an investigation of memories, commissioned by Activate in 2020 as part of their micro-commissions programme. Artist Izzie Jobbins began the project in her hometown of Sherborne, gathering memories from local residents before producing two walks that explored the local area and created a shared experience with those who took part. Connecting past lived experiences with new people, this work promotes a sense of community and togetherness, encouraging new perspectives on familiar places. For Inside Out Dorset, The Collective Memory Archive is relaunching in Poole: explore the city, and follow the sights and experiences of local memories, discover new areas or layer new histories over familiar spaces.

Studland Bay has stories to tell. Within the sand and under the heather are hidden noises and untold tales. And they ask you… Do you know what sound a pine tree makes? Or the calls that happen at night? How about the stories from the war or perhaps the wonders of our dune dynamics? Well now you can put your headphones in, go for a walk and experience an exploratory soundscape at Studland Bay. Dotted across the dunes are echoes for you to find, some are in popular spots while others are hidden in the wilderness. On your exploration, please be mindful of tough vegetation, cattle grazing and the wildlife that lives at Studland. The dunes are home to some wonderful species, like nightjars that make their nest on the ground or adders that live in the heather. To keep yourself and the wildlife safe please walk carefully, wear appropriate clothing, keep dogs on a lead and take any litter home. Each echo has a different theme, species or story to tell and has been developed by two sound artists, Laura Reid and Adrian Newton (both members of EAP, Environmental Art Practitioners). Laura blends music with conversation to further deepen our understanding of history, culture and ecology at Studland Bay. Adrian, who worked with Lynn Davy and Arthur Newton, uses specialist equipment to record hidden nature sounds and gives us a window into a noisy world we rarely hear. The development of this sound walk is all due to Dynamic Dunescapes, a nationwide project to restore sand dunes across England and Wales. So far at Studland Bay, we have re-created patches of bare sand and reintroduced cattle grazing, but everyone can play a part in restoring this special place. The sand dunes have become over-vegetated, and as a result are declining in biodiversity. By exploring the ‘listening to the sand dunes’ soundscape, you will be taken off-path to trample on overgrown vegetation and create space for rare life. If we leave no trace, and are mindful of the local wildlife, we can help the dunes simply by exploring them. So, take an immersive trip to Studland Bay. The soundscape works best with headphones, and by downloading the walk before you go. There is also an instruction sheet to collect at Knoll Beach if you wish. You can start at either Shell Bay or Northern Boundary, and the experience will take you approximately two-hours. Get lost in sound, discover untold stories and know that by doing so, you are also helping restore our sand dunes

Songs of Hope audio sound walk, located at Wild Woodbury, Bere Regis. Inside Out festival 20 - 24th September 2023. A song cycle of hope located within a field recorded and sonically manipulated soundscape, including words, songs and music. Contemporary writers have responded to the poem “Hope" is the thing with Feathers by Emily Dickinson. Laura has set the words for voices, piano, instruments and pre-recorded sounds. These musical echoes are presented in an audio walk. Free to access by mobile phone and headphones in specific locations using GPS location software echoes xyz.com (software to be downloaded in advance). The walk will take 40 - 50 minutes. It will be available to access via mobile devices for the duration of the festival. A repeated loop version is available near the wooden carvings at the entrance to the site. Featuring soprano Gweneth Ann Rand and piano by Allyson Devenish. Music by Laura Reid. Words: Ahed Al Hamwi, Katie Colombus, Oge Nwosu, Teresa Howard. Responses to the poem range from the personification of Hope by Ahed Al Hamwi, optimistic reflections recalling images of nature by Teresa Howard and Katie Colombus, to stark realities of sustaining hope in challenging circumstances by Oge Nwosu. Each one has a unique perspective. Age Rating: All ages, but mostly adults. Content Advisory: to see content advisories for Tête à Tête: The Opera Festival 2023 shows, click here. Laura is generously supported by PRS Foundation Composers’ fund. Produced by Laura Reid

Dive in and listen to the sounds and stories found at Swanage Pier and beyond. Discover the hidden sounds and stories by using the echoes xyz app to follow the sounds as you walk on the pier.

Visit Coombe Bissett Down nature reserve and use your device to unlock a family-fun, time-travelling sound walk story set out in the landscape. Follow curious Jack on his adventures unearthing tales and treasures of the chalk downland. Expect mystery, chases, hiding, races, wolves, Romans and a time-travelling shepherd's hut! Suitable for ages 7+