Welcome to this sound trail of the Mosses in Wem, featuring recordings at Fenn’s and Whixall Moss with children from Wem Youth Club, former peat cutters Barbara Clorley and Bill Allmark, poetry by Ted Eames and Gertie Bielstein, and soundscapes from field recordings in the Mosses and Marshes edited by Andrew Howe and Kim V. Goldsmith.
The sound trail was created as part of the Mosses and Marshes project led by artists Andrew Howe (UK) and Kim V. Goldsmith (AUS), connecting two internationally significant wetlands of the Macquarie Marshes, New South Wales, Australia and the Fenn’s, Whixall and Bettisfield Mosses National Nature Reserve on the border between England and Wales.
These immersive soundscapes are best experienced through headphones via smartphone using the Echoes app which you can download here:
With the app and your location enabled, you will be able to find the Wem Sound Trail of the Mosses using the search facility. The sound trail is designed as an immersive experience so that the sounds are triggered as you reach locations along the trail. You will see your location and the location of the sound zones on the map in the Echoes app (see below).
The zones are arranged so that the soundscape will play out as you walk through. However, you may need to pause occasionally to allow a soundscape to finish before proceeding into the following zone, otherwise the next sound may start. Alternatively, you can pause sounds if you only want to walk part of the route.
All sound zones are accessible via footpaths suitable for wheelchair users but parts of the circuit route cross rough ground so it may be necessary to find alternative paths to reach all sounds.
If you prefer not to download the Echoes app, you can listen to individual sounds from the soundtrail by streaming from SoundCloud links below:
The soundscapes are part of the Mosses and Marshes art project by Andrew Howe and Kim V. Goldsmith, working in partnership with Shropshire Wildlife Trust and Natural England, supported by National Lottery funding from Arts Council England.
For further information, see http://www.ofthemosses.com
Artist websites:
www.andrew-howe.com
www.kvgoldsmithart.com
https://eco-pulse.art/
Soundscapes edited by Andrew Howe and/or Kim V. Goldsmith as indicated in the Echoes details.
Poetry contributions written and performed by Gladys Mary Coles, Ted Eames (TedEames.com) and Gertie Bielstein.
Many thanks to:
Wem Youth Club, artists Kate Johnston and Sue Challis and Anna Martin of Shropshire Wildlife Trust for their support with the Mosses and Marshes project
Stephen Barlow for ecological advice and contributing some of the bird recordings;
Barbara Clorley and Bill Allmark for sharing their memories of peat cutting and life on and around the Mosses.
Other sound sample recordings courtesy of https://freesound.org, https://soundbible.com and https://zapsplat.com
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Of the Mosses 