Immersive art trail launches on Shropshire's mosses

Launching on Saturday,y the trail at Fenn’s, Whixall and Bettisfield Mosses National Nature Reserve will remain in place until the end of October. It features sculptures and soundscapes featuring recordings of wildlife, water and trees, poetry, history and memories of life on and around the peatbog.

Led by artists Andrew Howe from the UK and Kim V. Goldsmith from Australia the trail is in partnership with Shropshire Wildlife Trust and Natural England, and supported by National Lottery funding from Arts Council England.

It also involves artists Elizabeth Turner and Keith Ashford who have produced a series of waymarking sculptures which look at wood and metal work measuring tools and their connection with the Mosses landscape. They and

Andrew Howe will be at Whixall Moss on Saturday between 11am to 3pm to talk to visitors about their artworks.

"We hope to encourage visitors to think about how we value these natural environments. The sound trail will connect two internationally significant wetlands by bringing sounds from the Macquarie Marshes, New South Wales, Australia into the Fenn’s and Whixall Mosses."

Ecologist, Stephen Barlow has also been involved and the project is also supported by the Marches Mosses Boglife Project, which is restoring the Mosses to bring them back to their former glory, whilst making them accessible to people from all walks of life.

To avoid disturbance to wildlife, the immersive soundscapes are designed to be experienced by walking in the landscape and listening with headphones via smartphone using the Echoes app.

"The sounds are triggered by participants as they walk through specific locations along the trail," Andrew said.

The art trail is approximately three miles long and will take about two hours to walk, starting from the Morris Bridge car park at Whixall Moss (SJ 493354 SY13 2RT). It links with part of the Fenn’s and Whixall Mosses History Trail.

"The paths are well marked, level and easy to walk but often wet and boggy so it is recommended to wear Wellingtons or sturdy footwear.

The project will continue with a public exhibition of new artworks at Qube Gallery, Oswestry in October. Recent work with artists Kate Johnston, Dr Sue Challis, Shropshire Wildlife Trust and Wem Youth Club will be shown in an exhibition at Wem Town Hall in September. while Australian exhibitions will follow in 2022. Further details are online at ofthemosses.com/art-trail.