SonicMaps
presents
Hayden Thorpe - Wetlands
Walthamstow Wetlands is a fully operational 160 hectare Thames Water reservoir site which is the main source of water supply for 3.5 million people. The Wetlands is also an internationally important nature reserve managed by London Wildlife Trust, providing home and shelter to a wide range of wildlife, from rare waterfowl to majestic birds of prey.
The site contains a range of habitats and experiences, from sheltered dense scrub-lined banks to wide windswept views towards the city.
Originally marshland, the area was transformed between the mid-1800s and early 1900s to supply London’s growing population with water. The waterworks remained closed to the public for over a century.
Since opening in 2017, its combination of crucial habitats, industrial history and accessible open space makes it both a vital ecological asset and a valued community resource. It is credited as being Europe’s largest urban wetland reserve.
CREDITS:
Hayden Thorpe - Words & Music
Lucy Joy - String Arrangements
Propellor Ensemble - Strings & Clarinet
Molly Gromadzki - Readings
Alex Crabbe - Artwork & Design
Creator: BMG SYNC+
BMG SYNC+
Published: 15 February 2026
🎧Audio Samples
The Engine House
A TOWER MADE OF BRICK AND SWIFT
REACHES UP LIKE A HAND POINTING
TO THE EVER-ROTATING SKY
BATS AND JETS SCRIBBLE LOVING WORDS
IN UNBURST CLOUD
THEIR TRIANGLES MOVING AT SPEED
OVER INLAND SEAS
WE HAVE ALL TRAVELLED FAR TO BE HERE,
WELCOME.
Century In Secret
SECRET CENTURY A WORLD IN VEIL, HIDDEN SKIN
OPEN THE GATES LET THE EYES POUR IN
POOLS OF LIGHT WHERE GIANTS LAY SLEEPING
PULL BACK THE VEIL, LET THE EYES POUR IN
POOLS OF LIGHT WHERE GIANTS WERE ONCE SLEEPING
Before the Walthamstow Wetlands opened its doors to the public in 2017, many of the 300,000 people who live within two miles of the site had no idea that a green space bigger than Richmond Park existed on their doorstep. It was a hidden realm, kept behind locked gates for over 150 years.
Peregrine On Steel
SHADOW EARTHBOUND
FALLING DARKNESS
SPINNING OUTWARD
FEATHERED SILVER
Peregrines are cliff dwellers - a bird of mountains, moors and craggy coastlines, but they are rapidly adapting to the soaring spires of cathedrals, churches and modern high-rise architecture. The city is safer than the countryside, where deliberate but illegal poisoning still occurs, and cities are typically warmer than the surrounding countryside, allowing eggs to hatch earlier and chicks to grow faster. Have you seen Walthamstow Wetland’s resident Peregrines perched on one of the electricity pylons?