Stone

Wandering Upper Teesdale with Graham Vasey looking for an outcrop of the Cleveland Dyke.

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Hudeshope, Elphatory Allotment, Coldberry Gutter, Cleveland Dyke, Harberry Hill, Pikestone, Skears, Brown Dodd

Hush : Colour & Fabric

Hush: Colour and Fabric from welovemedia on Vimeo.

Hush – Steve Messam

We took a walk from Bowlees Visitor Centre in Upper Teesdale to visit Steve Messam’s installation, Hush 

In hindsight taking an uphill walk in 27 degree heat may not have been my brightest idea but it was worth it.  

The walk leads you through shaded woodland, then onto rough pasture and freshly cut hay meadows, grounding you in the Upper Teesdale landscape before climbing up onto the limestone uplands and into the hush.

We walk beneath the piece discussing its immersive effect. The wind-blown sails flapping over our heads evoking childhood memories of playing beneath bedsheets hung-out to dry on wash days.

This beautiful installation will be in place until the 4th of August, I’d recommend that you take a visit. The sight of the saffron sails contrasted against the limestone uplands is stunning.

The walk from the visitors centre is 3km each way and is probably not suitable for anyone who has difficulties with mobility. The centre is providing transport to and from the site on a weekend. Details about the installation can be found here 

Hushing – this term is used for a form of opencast working using water. This involved building a small turf dam at the top of a hill above the area to be worked. When it was full the water was released and rushed down the hillside scouring the soil and any loose rock away. Once the vein was uncovered, crowbars, chisels and hammers were used to loosen the rock and extract ore. In this process, which was repeated over and over again, broken rock accumulated on the floor of the hush and was eventually washed away. Most hushes date from the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Source