The Forest of Dean’s heritage is no longer a fading memory.

Through the power of amazing imagery, the Hidden Heritage of the Dean iOS and Android app reveals the area’s rich industrial past that was in danger of being lost forever.

In 2015 Audio Trails was commissioned by a group of passionate local historians with a life-long love of the area’s gritty past to develop an app. Bob Smith was one of those Foresters,

“As an eight year old I used to wonder around the Forest looking for signs of its mining and rail past. I felt strongly for the last 20 years that our real heritage was being obliterated, hidden and lost in pursuit of the Forest being turned into an adventure park.”

With the help of an interactive 1920s Ordnance Survey map, the GPS-triggered app guides visitors along the Forest of Dean’s ‘Family cycle trail’ – the former Severn and … Read More »

Cultybraggan Camp is one of the last remaining and best preserved purpose-built WWII Prisoner of War camps in Britain.

The Comrie Development Trust are embarking on an exciting mission to attract more visitors to this important piece of heritage.

Audio Trails were commissioned to advise how visitors to one of Scotland’s hidden gems could connect to digital content regarding the history of Cultybraggan Camp; how that content can be delivered on site; and what stories should be told.

Today, the remaining Nissen Huts provide a physical link to the stories of the people that lived and worked at Cultybraggan: Hitler’s deputy, Rudolf Hess was said to be held here, along with the Black patches (the most ardent Nazis). The camp also boasts it own ‘Great Escape’, and a murder or two.

The Interpretation Plan provides supporting evidence for a large HLF bid that will not only see the … Read More »

Audio Trails were chosen to design and build a permanent exhibition (with a twist) that welcomes visitors to Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham.

Magna is an exciting journey into the world of steelmaking. The Templeborough steelworks (as it was called) was once the largest electric melting shop in the world and the site’s industrial history stretches back to Roman times. ‘Steel, Peech and Tozer’ was the company, but everyone called it ‘Steelos’.

Previously the concrete bunker through which visitors first entered Magna was dark and uninspiring. With funding secured through the Heritage Lottery Fund, Magna were able to commission Audio Trails to turn this dour space into a vibrant exhibition that reveals the 2000 year history of steelmaking on this site.

The interpretation panels provide a timeline and insight into the people that worked here. You can listen to their stories and read more about the site’s history on … Read More »

Following one of our digital media workshops we were approached by Powys County Council to write 3 pilot trails for their app ‘Trails Mid-Wales’. The feedback was so positive they asked us to produce nine more!

I absolutely LOVE it! so much so that we want more like this!!!! Pretty Please.

Hazel Bowen, Tourism Support Officer, Powys County Council

The twelve trails, aimed at the over 50s and/or families, were written ” to enlighten our audience with rich and interactive interpretation of the area.” We used location-based stories and poems to bring the children’s trails to life.

Below are extracts from three of the family trails:

 Erwood Trail – Stop 6

I like to hunt in rivers. I like to eat small fish.
The baby nymphs of mayflies is another favourite dish
I swim under the water, go fishing with my beak.
So I’m not your usual perching bird, … Read More »

A series of audio trails that reveal the rich past of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site.

Looking for fresh air, striking scenery during your time in Cornwall? Then delve into its mining past with a series of free Cornish Mining World Heritage Site audio trails. Narrated by miners, historic experts and actors, listeners are transported back to a landscape that told a very different story. The audio trails offer a unique window into the days of the mining boom in Cornwall.

At Poldice you can explore what was once the richest square mile in the world. Tread carefully as you explore the explosive past of the Wildlife Trust’s Kennall Vale reserve. Learn about the oldest china clay port in the world as you wander around the harbour with its impressive tall ships. And engine houses, chimney stacks, tunnels and adits await your … Read More »