Hidden in the Landscape – Stories of Cromwell Bottom
Hidden in the Landscape – Stories of Cromwell Bottom has been co-created by a local group of community actors and writers, who have worked with professional artists to develop their poetry, characters and stories.
Join us for an audio trail around Cromwell Bottom Nature Reserve in Brighouse, one of the most important wildlife sites in Calderdale.
This is a chance to reconnect with the nature on your doorstep and explore its many layered history shaped by humans, industry and climate change to create the unique habitat it is today.
Put on your headphones to meet the ghosts of the past and wildlife that call it home today in this immersive audio experience featuring poetry and stories written and read by the local community.
Project Funders:
CultureDale
The National Lottery Community Fund
With thanks to:
Cromwell Bottom Wildlife Group
Breaking Barriers
Our community acting and writing company
How it works
Begin the route at Cromwell Bottom Visitor’s Centre. The numbers on the map below match up with the audio tracks you see below. When you arrive at each location, press play.

1. Walk to Bridge
2. Bridge
3. Walk to Tag Hole
4. Tag Hole
5. Walk to Iron Pool
6. Iron Pool
7. Walk to the Pond
8. The Pond
9. Walk to the Meadow
10. The Meadow
11. Walk to Bird Feeders
12. The Bird Feeders
13. Walk to the Lagoon
14. The Lagoon
15. Headphones On. Walk to the Top Meadow
16. Top Meadow
17. Walk to Metal Gate
Featured Writing
Deb Ash
I am Scarred…
Today is the Kind of Day to be Energised
Willow
Industry Poem
Sally Brown
Centipede
Did You Hear That?
The Water Understands
Helen Crossfield
The River
The Bridge
Ferns
Jennie Forrester
Kingfisher Haiku
Buzzard
Mystic Crumblebottom and Suzie
Janet Griffiths
Did You Hear That?
Woodlouse
Sam Jebson
New Zealand Pigmy Weed
Sam Jebson and Philip Bruce
Quarrymen
Adele Knowles and Iain Young
The Navvies
Lisa Roberts
Untitled
Blue Tit
Water Poetry
Six Spot Burnet Moth (Zygaena Filipendulae)
Anthony Rutherford
Birdsong
Bridge Spider
Iron Woman
Helen Scott
Haiku
Edmund Tirbutt
Getting to the Bottom
Iain Young
Beetle
Emerging Beauty
All the pieces are read by the writers, with the additional voices of Iris Greenwood, Jo Kennedy, Ali Khan, Paul Knights and Joni Sheard.
