The London Ear guided walk explores of the City of London during the week through the medium of sound. The walk blends real-time listening with stories about sounds from the City’s past and insights into how London might sound in the future.

What to expect
The London Ear offers a fresh perspective on the City of London, by thinking about sound and the act of listening. Tour goers will:

• explore the City of London, with its futuristic skyscrapers, ancient ways and hidden back alleys.
• take time to really listen to weekday rush-hour and lunch-hour sounds ranging from ancient bell-ringing to wailing sirens, rattline pile-drivers and hissing espresso machines.
• find out about past sounds that have characterized the area, like the birdsong that triggered a bucolic hallucination and the metallic scraping commemorated in a street name.
• hear about how London's soundscape is designed and managed, and ways that it is changing.

The walk contains stories, insights and surprises for those whose ear isn’t technically trained alongside the more musically minded. Tour goers will be guided to refine their ear for the City and pay attention to what they usually filter out.

The London Ear is led by Rosie Oliver. A keen London listener, Rosie divides her time between leading Dotmaker walks and producing spoken audio features. Hear Rosie introduce the Sunday version of this walk in this 1.5 minute podcast.

Walk starts: In St Botolph-without-Bishopgate Gardens, by the entrance to St Botolph's church.

Walk ends: By St Paul's tube station (Monday version), or by London Bridge tube station (Wednesday version)

Suitable for: adults and young people aged 16 and over.

Maximum group size: 10.

The ticket price includes a noisy snack.

Cancellation: We can't offer refunds but given enough notice we may be able to offer a place on another walk.

Gift vouchers are available for this and other Dotmaker walks. The walks are also available to private groups.

Participant Reviews: Read the reviews on our website and on our new TripAdvisor page.