So on my vision board wish list last year and this year has been an image of a circular stone sculpture, a piece of landscape art, that is one of many out there in the Lake District, now termed, the ‘Borrowdale Banksy’. The weather forecast predicted excellent visibility, so we decided this was the day we would head out in search of these illusive pieces of art in the Cumbrian landscape.
Spoiler alert – we knew the main one had already collapsed and no we didn’t find any of the others – yet! They are said to be in hard to find places and people are not highlighting their locations for fear of vandalism and over tourism. They want to feel the point of these sculptures that have cropped up out of nowhere, by an unknown artist, is that they are found because you are exploring the mountains for the enjoyment of them, rather than ticking something off a list. We went with a plan that Borrowdale was an area we had not walked before and if we came across them, it would be a bonus, and if not, it didn’t matter as that was not the true purpose of our day.
On our walk, I thought about, “What is Landscape Art?” Like the Turner Prize, or any conceptual art, what is the definition of art and who decides? The creator, the viewer, a panel of expert judges? What I do know is that our walk provided me with an abundance of visual inspiration and thought and joy and chats about it. Maybe my description of our walk and the imagery that caught my attention will inspire you to explore your own locations for what you determine to be Landscape Art.
As we leave the car and cross the bridge, the first two Wainwrights we will be hiking come in to view, sitting side by side and towering above the houses in the village below. The row of snowdrops were the first thing to capture my eye, as little, white decoration along the path and then the morning sun gleams over the mountain tops, making my day already. I mean, who doesn’t smile at a bit of sunlight.
A carpet of moss has covered the ground amongst the trees and any sleeping logs, or boulders have been enveloped by the glorious bright green colour, creating a sculptural texture all of its own.
The stone path climbing upwards reminds me that some skilled person has actually laid this and decided where each stone will fit and as I pause for breath, I look back and see a glimpse of Lake Derwent in the distance. The steady stone path and steps change to a slate and scree path that makes me mindful to be careful. Ahead, Damian says not to worry, it is just a little meander up the loose terrain and we have a joke about how our definition of the word ‘Meander’ may differ.
Meander: A winding curve or bend of a river or road. To follow a route that is not straight or direct. To walk slowly without any clear direction.
He was of course correct, but in my head, Meander implies casual and I was not feeling so casual about the loose slate at this point.
The ‘meandering path’ was worth it though when the views from the top opened up before us and the light created patterns on the sectioned fields and reflections on the lake. I explore around a perfect climbing tree and find a little piece of art that I was not expecting to find, in the shape of a beautiful poem dedicated to someone unknown. On our descent down from the top, we encounter a retired age man fell running and a man with a baby on his back taking the path up and I realise the path isn’t that tricky after all.
Our hike up the next two Wainwrights provide me with so many visual prompts for landscape art and inspiration. The red berries of a holly bush stand out as there are no others in this area. The bracken in the water on the steps reminding me of seaweed in a rockpool. The discarded bedhead rusted on the grass. Stone walls and ruins create focal points with everything from straight edges to curves that mimic the mountains around them. The ice on the higher ground with its crazy patterns. The mountains themselves are like moulded models in parts with little matchstick figures on, of the people climbing their own Wainwright paths today. Even the huge black sacks of rocks, air dropped in to fix the paths, look like some kind of contemporary art installation to try and make sense of. Of course the Cairns on the top of peaks are varied forms of sculpture, all different in their own style and size.
We decided to sneak in a forth Wainwright climb and hit the very popular Cat Bells, because we know it is worth it. The views from the mountain tops, as always with the Lake District, are spectacular, but on a day like this, when the visibility is clear and the sunlight is constantly creating colours across the fells, it is truly stunning. Landscape Art created by Mother Nature.
My general conclusion on this walk, is that Landscape Art is in the eye of the beholder as they say.
February 5th : Lake District, Borrowdale
This walk took in Castle Crag, High Spy, Maiden Moor and Cat Bells Wainwrights.
As always if you want to know about any of the walks we post, do feel free to get in touch.