Treefolds

treefolds in Cumbria – a legacy for The Long View and a celebration of trees, with decades ahead of them. Come and pause with a tree and, over the years, watch it grow. Well built dry stone walls in Cumbria can stand for a century, or more …

With the help of the extremely talented master waller, Andrew Mason (whose portfolio includes ten years working with Andy Goldsworthy), we are placing three treefolds in Cumbria.

These treefolds embody something that’s fundamental to Cumbria and, let’s face it, many other places: a celebration of people and trees, the bringing together of art and tradition, and a combination of constancy and change. Each treefold is built with stone found locally – the bones of the land on which it stands – and is built with techniques that go back hundreds, if not thousands of years (no cement – just stones, air, and hard work!). Around the centre of each treefold a line of poetry has been carved into stone. Each line stands alone but, when joined together, forms a complete poem.

During the winter of 2018 a young tree will be planted within each of the treefolds. It will grow, and each season it will change, and over the decades it will become stronger and taller eventually, perhaps, towering above other trees that are there because of its own seeds: after all, a woodland can start from just one tree.

The Cumbria treefolds are one of eight Charter Art residencies being curated by Common Ground in connection with the new Charter for Trees, Woods and People – we’re really honoured to be part of a nationwide project that involves brilliant artists and is full of creativity, participation, conversations and debates, and will provide legacies in many different parts of the country.

Locations:

treefold:east is on Little Asby Common – close to the Little Asby Hawthorn and the local landmark, the Dowly Tree. If you’re using an OS map, you’ll find the treefold at Grid Ref: NY 686093. It is not yet marked on Google Maps but this map below marks Sunbiggin Tarn. treefold:east is on the side of the road, northeast of the Sunbiggin Tarn on the way to Little Asby, just past the junction with the road leading to Newbiggin on Lune.

treefold:centre is in Grizedale Forest – the UK’s first forest for sculpture, celebrating land art and creative engagement with trees. Grid Ref: SD 328939. treefold:centre is 20-30 minutes’ walk up the hill from the Visitor Centre, marked on the sculpture map as number 46. Here’s the map showing the location of the Visitor Centre:

treefold:north is in the Ullswater valley, overlooking the lake and within site of the Glencoyne Pine. On an OS map the Grid Ref is NY 394195. To access it, park at Aira Force car park, marked here on the map, and follow the Ullswater Way trail towards Glencoyne Bay, keeping the lake on your left. You will come to the treefold after about 10 minutes’ walk.