The river is often described as “natural” or “wild”, yet what we encounter along its banks are sluice gates, flood defences, pumping stations and bridges. These structures shape how water moves and how people live with it, but they are usually perceived as background.
For this field visit we experimented with listening walks as a way of making these backgrounds more tangible. Rather than searching for idyllic “nature sounds”, we paid attention to mechanical rhythms, echoes under bridges, and the distant roar of trucks on the ring road.
“Listening became a way of staying with the tension between river as landscape and river as infrastructure.”
Contextual information
We met residents who spoke about flood memories, anglers negotiating restricted zones, and seasonal workers who use the riverside path to reach temporary housing. Their stories complicate the neat distinction between “rural” and “urban” by showing how the river is tied into wider logistical networks.
We met residents who spoke about flood memories, anglers negotiating restricted zones, and seasonal workers who use the riverside path to reach temporary housing. Their stories complicate the neat distinction between “rural” and “urban” by showing how the river is tied into wider logistical networks.
Encounters along the way
We met residents who spoke about flood memories, anglers negotiating restricted zones, and seasonal workers who use the riverside path to reach temporary housing. Their stories complicate the neat distinction between “rural” and “urban” by showing how the river is tied into wider logistical networks.
We met residents who spoke about flood memories, anglers negotiating restricted zones, and seasonal workers who use the riverside path to reach temporary housing. Their stories complicate the neat distinction between “rural” and “urban” by showing how the river is tied into wider logistical networks.
Deepening the reflection
We met residents who spoke about flood memories, anglers negotiating restricted zones, and seasonal workers who use the riverside path to reach temporary housing. Their stories complicate the neat distinction between “rural” and “urban” by showing how the river is tied into wider logistical networks.
We met residents who spoke about flood memories, anglers negotiating restricted zones, and seasonal workers who use the riverside path to reach temporary housing. Their stories complicate the neat distinction between “rural” and “urban” by showing how the river is tied into wider logistical networks.
Highlights or next steps
- How do residents negotiate the risks and benefits of flood protection?
- What forms of knowledge about the river are considered legitimate?
- How might listening practices inform planning and policy debates?
These questions will continue to guide our work in the valley. Audio excerpts from the walk, together with maps and transcripts, will be added to the case study section as the project develops.