OUT AND ABOUT
My first visit to Wicken Fen was in late 2023, and I was instantly mesmerised by the soft rustling of wind through the reeds of Sedge Fen. Since then, I’ve returned regularly to listen from many different perspectives, uncovering a rich and ever-changing sound world throughout the seasons. It’s especially intriguing to listen underwater. A still surface often conceals a lively world below, full of clicks and whirrs from invertebrates and fish and even the gentle fizz and pop of plants photosynthesising in the sun. The spring birdsong at Wicken Fen feels like another world, and whenever I visit I try to rise early to experience the captivating dawn chorus. I have a deep love of birds and their songs; they’re a constant source of musical inspiration. Over the past year, I’ve been inviting people to join me on Listening Walks as a way to explore the hidden and ever-changing soundscape of Wicken Fen collectively. These walks can be deeply connecting experiences and I’m learning so much from the people I meet on them. I’m thrilled that my Listen to the Voices of the Fen project at Wicken Fen opens new windows into the landscape and offers opportunities to spend time listening to the many voices of the different species living there, allowing people to creatively respond to these intriguing and beautiful sounds. SOUND ARTIST AND COMPOSER KATHY HINDE
THE WANDERER RETURNS Long absent, but now flourishing here once again, cranes are a majestic sight in the Cambridgeshire Fens
12 JULY 2025 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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