Listen to the Voices of the Fen

A group of visitors stood in a line listening with a microphone — Deep Listening Walk at Wicken Fen | © National Trust/ Mike Selby

A project by Kathy Hinde in partnership between Wicken Fen and Babylon Arts. Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

Listen to the Voices of the Fen invites you to actively listen to the voices of many different species at Wicken Fen. Installations reveal hidden soundworlds we may not usually notice, from underwater, underground and inside trees. Listen from a new perspective by joining us for a listening walk, or wander at your own pace to explore sounds installations, all focussed on the intriguing and captivating soundworlds at Wicken Fen.

The large-scale on-site trail, Listen to the Voices of the Fen sound sculpture trail is now open daily, on Sedge Fen, running until 28 September, normal admission applies (free for National Trust members).

Events

FREE Deep Listening Walks, Thursday 24th July:

Book here to join our volunteers as they tune in to the underwater life with hydrophones, and zoom in on birds and insects with a parabolic mic.

Stay up to date

Check the project website for news on what’s happening and other resources including a Wicken Fen sound map.

Live hydrophone stream

In the visitor centre, you can listen live to an underwater microphone submerged in a watery location close by. This underwater soundscape is being live-streamed as part of ‘locus-sonus’ soundmap, streaming soundscapes from all over the world to explore the ever-evolving relationship between sound and place. Listen to the live stream here

There are also headphones in the visitor centre and the Roger Clarke hide for visitors to enjoy underwater sounds.

A man and two ladies stood together in front of a wooden windpump with a blue winter sky behind, they are wearing warm coats and bright colours — Sound artists at Wicken Fen | © National Trust Images/ Mike Selby

Collaborating Artists

Lead artist Kathy Hinde is joined by collaborating artists Amy Wyllie and Oliver Payne (the trio are pictured above). Amy is a multi-disciplinary creative with a focus on co-creating work with children. She has been leading sessions at all three primary schools in Soham, and at a local secondary school too. Amy was also at Ely Eel Day, Reach Fair, Waterbeach Feast and Burwell Carnival with some Voices sound-based creative activities available. Oliver is an artist and sound designer whose practice spans a range of interests including sound-based mark-making, kinetic sculpture and working with communities. He has been working with Camsight participants, and led workshops at Burwell Day Centre, too. Some of Oliver's sound installations can be seen on the sculpture trail, along with Kathy's and one by musician Stevie Wishart.

Visitors at Wicken Fen National Nature Reserve, Cambridgeshire

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Arts Council England invest public money from government and the National Lottery to make sure everyone's creativity is given the chance to flourish and we all have access to a remarkable range of high quality cultural experiences.

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