Wish I could record sound and upload it!

I often think it's quite noisy here. Owls, often fighting for territory in the autumn, pheasants - soon the shooting parties will start - we have sheep at the bottom of the garden. Lots of water birds, some with weird calls. Swans and geese flying overhead, ducks too. The garden is awash with noisy little birds, in the morning we are awoken by birds tapping on our windows which is incredibly annoying, usually only half an hour after having been awoken by the half dozen cockerels in the village. Chainsaws - a neighbour is a tree feller and is kept very busy. Military jets and helicopters fly overhead, but not every day as they used to. We can't hear much traffic, so can hear the sound of the children playing at breaktime in the local primary school. Church bells, neighbours chatting along the lane, the dogs barking as the postman gets nearer.

We get deer walking down the lane at night, calling to each other in the rutting season, but not foxes - probably due to most of the surrounding land being used for shoots.

Teeny neighbours, twins one side, almost four, an almost-two on the other. Early evening is when they are at their noisiest. Their mothers kick them outside to play with their daddies, who seem incapable of playing quietly.

We have fields with sheep, cows and horses at the back and gardens then allotments at the front, so birdsong, foxes, bleating, cocks crowing, mowing and strimming dependent on the time of day. It's the sort of street children can play out on, our gardens are very open and there are lots of barbecues going on in Summer, so lots of laughter, which is nice.

Yes; we went to Hawes on market day. It was interesting watching a few articulated lorries negotiate one of the back streets; you could tell which ones had done it before and which ones hadn't . I think the castle is really atmospheric; didn't go round it the other week but planning to do so this time. Staying at The Priory [not the rehab one!] opposite the castle but looking for dog friendly accomodation for the future...I don't like staying B&B as I hate eating breakfast. Had most of our evening meals at the Richard III [hence the crash diet I've had to go on; never seen plates stacked so high!].

Yes. We had a cottage almost opposite the castle. We had a run along to Hawes too on one of the days. It's not close, but quite do-able.

Yes it is. Am reading The White Queen at the moment and it's fascinating to think that Edward was imprisoned at the castle. Taking the dog this time as it's the most dog friendly place I've ever been to. George [who we met last time] is running in the 3.45 at Newmarket today so am getting very excited!C'mon George!!

I grew up in a Cul de sac and live in one now. Bird song mainly here but our garden mowing is not coordinated so it can be every day of the week . Cathedral bells waft across and as we live above the viaduct and if the wind is blowing towards us we hear the trains. The Galatea and Sir Nigel have tootled past recently and they do sound splendid with their triumphant blast. I don't know if it means they've made it or about to have a go across the viaduct but I love it.

Could that be Middleham Tegan? Some nice tea shops there.

I miss the cattle and sheep from our mixed farming days. It’s all arable here so I garden to the contented clucking of my free range chickens and the everyday songs of thrushes and blackbirds.

The sudden cawing of rooks usually means our resident buzzards are about so we scan the wide blue sky for the breathtaking sight of them rising on thermals.

When we first arrived here fifteen years ago the lane was hardly used and all we could hear was an occasional tractor working in a distant field or the village church bells two miles away. Sadly the farm road is far noisier now at busy times of the year but it’s something you get used to.

I live in a cul-de-sac too ( should we form a club?)
having previously lived deep in the countryside, I am relieved to be where there is human noise, some traffic, ( which I like the sound of) and I wish I could hear trains, but none near.It's still quiet enough to hear all the birds, as it is a village, though a very large one.In fact, birdsong is probably the noisiest thing in the garden unless my neighbour is mowing or strimming.At night there is a lot of owl hooting going on, with the odd screech of a barn owl or a fox. Strangely, since most of my neighbours own one or more dogs, we very rarely hear one bark.the village church nearby has very loud bells on Sunday morning, which always wakes visitors up( we are already up by that time 9 am so doesn't bother us.) the village pub also has some noisy deliveries, but that doesn't bother us either.
By night time , the road near us has hardly any cars at all on it, so I can't hear traffic, which is a shame, as donkeys years ago, when living in London I really liked the sound and it helped me go to sleep.

Considering we are only a few miles from Birmingham city centre, we don't do too badly sounds wise. Lots of birds in the trees in ours and neighbouring gardens, there is a canal at the back of our garden so we get lots of quacking and every now and again the sound of a canal boat put-putting past. Best of all is the fact that it's very quiet here (we've been here over 30 years, so far so good!).

I, like phoenix also live in a cul de sac but I live in London so there are no cows, sheep or tractors around. At present, I have doors and windows open and there is not a sound. I do live on the flight path to RAF Northolt but I do like to look at the few military planes that fly over. Very occasionally planes flying to Heathrow decide to take a detour but not too close to my house.

My neighbours screaming children do get on my nerves when it goes on for 10 hours each day at the weekend but I do not hear the darlings behind double glazed windows. I also hear the police cars sirens but again, it is the occasional sound.

I was brought up in the middle of nowhere in Fife- I do like large stores to be a mile or so away and 10 minutes walk away there is a small parade of shops. Nothing exciting but I would never starve.

It's predominantly birds here that form the soundscape. Not just the blackbirds, thrushes etc, but the crows and rooks that live in nearby tall trees. Some people hate them, but I love them. Also I love the fact that there is hardly any traffic noise. Aftter living previously in a very noisy traffic filled road, I find the quietness here absolutely heavenly.
There is one jarring note though..... lots of lawn mowers at this time of year. But needs must......

Pretty quiet here too since a bye pass was built, but it was once like an extension on the M1 [although I can still hear hear traffic when the wind is in the wrong direction]. Going back to Dales myself next week and will be woken up by the sound of horses clip clopping on the cobbles as they go up onto the moorland gallops. Got a room overlooking the road so I can sit having my morning cuppa and watch them. Very quiet in my village at the moment; recent roadworks seem to have encouraged people to drive to work using a different route perhaps. However, my neighbour is away so I can break the silence by playing music VERY LOUD.

With you there jings. Our soundtrack is cars, buses, lorries and, like you, distant trains. I love visiting the countryside - and living in Devon it is very close - but I would hate not having all the supermarkets, DIY stores, garden centres etc within a stone's throw from home.

Just come back from the Dales and our cottage was in the same sort of position as yours luckgirl, but on the flat of the valley. Noisescape was exactly the same except that the day before ewe left we added haymaking tractors.
My noisescape at the moment as I clean the floors is William's Lark Ascending which I adore.

We do have plenty of birds, due, (in Winter) to having apple trees. We leave windfalls on the ground for them.

I can hear (from the garden) cars, planes, and - distantly - trains. Wouldn't do for me to live in the countryside. I go everywhere on my bike - local shops, doc's, dentist, town. I have a lovely riverside bike ride into town. I love having everything to hand. I think I would feel 'hemmed in' in the countryside.

And where would I spend my short breaks?

Horses for courses, I guess.

I still love my garden. And it's quieter round the back.

Oh - and we have had a nightingale around some days.

Me too.

At this very moment, all I can hear is the munching sound of the cattle - and some birds who are late with the dawn chorus.

Loudest sounds we hear? ..... neighbour (quarter of a mile away) driving over their cattle grid - the clatter rings out over the valley; the occasional micro-light; and (only about twice a year, thank goodness) a military plane flying low at great speed; the postman greeting another neighbour up the hill; a strimmer or mower in the distance; a tractor chugging up the lane.

When a car goes by on the lane, we get up to see who it is - that's how few cars pass by.

It is idyllic, but on a steep hill, which is proving a bit of a challenge as we get older.

I have bought a recording of the dawn chorus to listen to on dark winter days.

We have a wonderful soundscape here with the exception of the occasional military helicopter that rattles everything. No traffic noise, birdsong, my sheep, ducks and hens, jackdaws (not lovely to listen to), foxes, rarely nightjars and an occasional peacock call from a friend's house in the village. No pigs at the moment - the last two demolished the front of their ark and it needs to be mended before the next two arrive.

The wind in the trees and the occasional chainsaw and heavy tree felling machinery. The pines on the heath are being felled for timber and wood pellets. They are a crop after all and the heath then reverts to heather and birch scrub.

All within 25 miles of London. We are truly blessed.

My soundscape is almost identical to yours Phoenix, but with the addition of barking Muntjac, and at certain times of the year a 'crow scarer'. We are so lucky!