Sculpture and Public Art Trails

Directory arising from the Arts Council (England) funded research project "Thinking in Three Dimensions", completed in July 2008. Descriptions with Website Links of some seventy Trails - though no doubt some of the Links will need updating.

'Across the country many organisations and local councils have produced websites and guides to their local public sculpture and monuments. We include some here; if you come across others that we haven't listed please let us know ...'

'We hope you enjoy this walk around Alton in Hampshire looking at your surroundings and that it will enable you to form an opinion of "artistic" things in public spaces ... Things you may ask yourself about individual sculptures you discover may include - do you like its location; what is it made of; does it have a use; is it there simply to be looked at; can you climb on it; how would you describe it to a friend; how large (or small!) is it; is it old or new; does it depict a famous person or notable event.' Unfortunately the Website originally cited here was unobtainable at the time of Review; so I have replaced the Link.

'A self guided walk around some of Bradford's sculptures.' The colourful Brochure gives details of about forty sculptures around and about Bradford.

'As part of the first Caerleon Arts Festival in July 2003, ten sculptors were invited to create works based on the theme of Romano-Celtic Vision. The finished sculptures make up the Caerleon Sculpture Trail.' Unfortunately at the time of Review I could not locate a description of the Trail on the Newport City Council Website; so I have replaced the Link.

'Cambridge Sculpture Trails has created three separate sculpture walks around the city to enable you to discover this rich diversity of works of art.'

'Over 60 works of art have sprung up all round the Borough in the past few years. From Walton to Whittington and from Staveley to Spital over three dozen artists have used their vision to enhance the environment. And there's more to come ...'

'Using a map and an audio player, participants take an audio tour down the side streets of Leicester's past. Combining historical research, interviews with local people, original writing and a lush soundscape, the Cultural Quarter Audio Trail investigates the past, present and future of Leicester's blossoming cultural quarter.'

'This enjoyable trail around part of Dallowgill is illuminated with 22 mosaics depicting local scenes and flora and fauna which might be encountered along the route.'

'A series of ten contemporary stone sculptures located at intervals along the length of the river Eden between its source above the Mallerstang valley and Rockliffe, north of Carlisle, where it runs into the Solway Firth.' For the start: 'Park in a lay-by near The Thrang, in the Mallerstang valley and walk up the steep track signposted "Lady Anne’s Way". Water Cut is visible on the horizon 2 km away. (Map reference SD 786 985)  A longer circular walk is available, continuing along Lady Anne’s Way to Hell Gill Bridge, following a public path down to Hellgill force and then north, via Hanging Lund and Elmgill where a short section of road brings you back to the Thrang'.

'The Trail provides visitors with a free and gentle tour of Ellesmere (mostly accessible by wheelchair and pushchair) taking in the uniquely attractive settings of the mere, the historic castle fields and canal.'

'A self-guided tour of sculptures on the Streatham Campus of the University of Exeter ... The walk takes approximately two hours. The sculptures can be viewed throughout the year, with internal sculptures accessible from 9am - 4pm on weekdays and external sculptures accessible both on weekdays and at weekends.'

'Shows seventeen permanent artworks, with free access to all in a wonderful woodland environment.'

'Halcyon Gallery has arranged for the public placement of four of Lorenzo Quinn's monumental sculptures at sites throughout central London: Volare in Cadogan Place, SW1, Finding Love at One Hyde Park, the new luxury residences from Candy & Candy, SW1, Vroom Vroom on Park Lane, opposite The Dorchester, W1 and The Force of Nature II in Berkeley Square, W1 ... '

The Harlow Art Trust, a voluntary body established in the 1950s, acquired works by up-and-coming sculptors and assisted them by providing a permanent, public exhibition of their works. A collection of sculptures of national significance are sited throughout the town ...'

'Herrington Country Park is located on Chester Road, opposite Penshaw Monument. The park was developed from a former colliery site, and many of the art and sculpture pieces represent the link to its mining history.'

'The Recording Archive began in 2006 with a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund to create a digital database of public monuments and sculpture in Norfolk and Suffolk ... '

'Winding its way from Bacup to Salford Quays and featuring over 70 artworks by locally, nationally and internationally renowned artists.'

'The Loch Ard Family Sculpture Trail in the heart of The Trossachs passes through a wide variety of terrain and past many impressive sights, passing Loch Ard, Loch Chon, the Duchray Water and Kelty Water. 16 miles longs it is a great routes for cyclists, walkers & horse riders ... '

'Newbiggin by the Sea has a thriving artistic community and a rich variety of artworks to explore. "Couple" by Sean Henry may be our most famous but take this walk around the village and you will discover many, many more. Stone carvings, ceramic panels, stained glass windows & community sculpture can all be found on the trail. Many of the artworks featured have been produced by artists living and working in the village. The entire trail will take about two hours but it can be enjoyed in shorter sections.'

'John Goodier takes a walk in some of the open space of Newham'

'A number of pieces of art have been installed along the length of the Huddersfield Canal through Oldham, to reflect images of life on the canal. These have been designed by a number of local artists, with the inspiration from local school children. They fall into three areas: gateways features along the length of the canal, a mural in Dobcross and play areas in Diggle.'

'Oxhey Woods Local Nature Reserve in South Oxhey, Watford, consists of approximately 100 hectares of principally, ancient semi-natural woodland, much of which has been wooded since the last ice age some 10,000 years ago. The woods contain a number of walking routes ranging in difficulty, but the highlight is a one kilometre easy access trail ...'

'Tells the story of Paddington's past and its regeneration. The area's industrial heritage, medical and scientific pioneers, engineering and military history, royal and literary connections is charted through 22 pieces.'

'Thame to Princes Risborough: A 5 mile shared use path for walkers, cyclists, wheelchair users and horseriders.'

'Features a total of nine near life-sized figurative sculptures and is believed to be unique to London. It was installed in the summer of 2008, but began life much earlier. Some 20 years before nationally recognised sculptor Alan Thornhill donated the sculpture "Load" to the people of Putney which was installed close to Putney Bridge ...'

'Launched in 1993 ... The first of its kind to be established in Lancashire, which now includes over 20 permanent works of art. The Trail travels through Brungerley Park and Cross Hill Quarry, a local nature reserve managed by Lancashire Wildlife Trust, only a mile from Clitheroe town centre.'

'To celebrate our heritage of the waterway a piece of sculpture has been sited at each of the four locks in Harlow. In addition a raised walkway in metal and glass crosses the weir at Parndon Mill. Each sculptural piece has historic reference to its location.'

'Explore our special Roadway Arts outdoor trail for a treasure hunt through vibrant bus shelter artwork in Winyates and Matchborough! ... Roadway Arts uses artwork inspired by the local community to help make underpasses and bus shelters places that we can enjoy using, where we can feel safe and stay connected to our community.'

Half a dozen brief descriptions of sculpture locations around and about Newark and Sherwood.

'Norwich is full of serious works of sculpture from across all periods of time and across all disciplines ... The number of works in Norwich, with over 200 entries, can be daunting. The downloadable trails ... illustrate the region’s outstanding sculpture, including many little known works, which can be enjoyed at home or combined with the linked Google maps to provide interesting day or half-day excursions: [1] City Hall and City Centre - - - : [2] Around the Cathedral and the Castle.' ALERT Website Links changed.

'Find the fish; explore the city. Follow Hull's unique pavement of fish, an A- Z of fish creating a tour of the historic Old Town.'

'One of the newest and most unusual attractions is the Halo, an eighteen metre diameter steel structure at Top o'Slate above Haslingden. The unique structure is silver in colour during the day, but at night is illuminated by blue, wind-powered LED lighting. It was completed in 2007 and was the fourth and final of a series of Panopticons (structures with a view) across Lancashire commissioned by Mid Pennine Arts.'

'Grizedale Forest is famous for its outdoor sculptures. Since 1977 leading international artists have created sculpture in response to Grizedale Forest's unique environment, establishing the first collection of site-specific art in the UK. Now around 40 sited artworks are located across the forest, linked by the network of walking and cycling trails. The sculptures provide moments of contemplation and a special way of navigating this extraordinary landscape.'

'The route is a wonderful green corridor running through densely populated urban areas with long distance moor-land views, it passes a wildlife reserve and a rolling golf course.'

'ARTwalk - The Staines Public Art Trail - details public art, both new and old in the Staines-upon-Thames town centre with a suggested route for viewing these.'

'As part of the Sundial and Stamford Built Heritage Project, Stamford Civic Society has revised and reprinted the Stone Trail. This was first produced by LCC with the original text and drawings supplied by Alan Dawn, and had not been revised for over ten years. It has now been brought up to date and is available from the Library, at a cost of £1. All proceeds from the sale remain in Stamford to provide funds for the Library ... We hope that the trail will be used by residents and visitors alike to gain a fascinating insight into "The finest stone town in England".'

Short family walks and 47 mile trail from Marsden to Ilkley which 'features six new poems by Simon Armitage, carved by Pip Hall into six atmospheric locations and whether you're a keen walker ready to tackle full day walks incorporating two or more stones in one go or just fancy a short family outing there's something for everyone'.

'Whether you are on foot, on a bike or in the car, the Stoke-on-Trent Sculpture Trail will provide a fascinating backdrop to the local landscape. Explore 34 fascinating sculptures throughout the City and learn about their background and links to the local area. You don't have to do all 34 sculptures of the trail in one go, the trail has been split into bite size clusters allowing you to take a short walk or spend all day exploring the area.'

'An ongoing initiative to develop the visual and new media arts in the city of Lichfield. Based around the idea of mapping the art of Lichfield and the surrounding towns (such as Burntwood, and Shenstone) the project aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the art which adorns the area's streets ...'

'The Line is London's first dedicated modern and contemporary art walk. The project opened to the public in May 2015. The route runs between the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and The O2, following the waterways and the line of the Meridian. The project was set up by art dealer Megan Piper and the late urban regeneration expert Clive Dutton OBE. Their ambition was to establish an outdoor exhibition space that encourages locals, Londoners and visitors to the capital to engage with modern and contemporary art, whilst also discovering this lesser-known part of the city, its wildlife and heritage.'

'The Sculpture Park Is The World's Largest All Year Sculpture Exhibition With Over 300 Artists Showcasing 600 Sculptures, Almost Everything Is For Sale And As A Result The Exhibits Are Forever Changing So There Is Always Something New To Discover.'

'On a stroll through Thanet Lee Woods you will encounter the ever changing sculpture trail, carved from fallen and damaged trees, discover birds, mammals and even a crocodile emerging from its watery home. The woods also contain the oldest tree in Burnley which for over 400 years has stood watch over the changing landscape.'

'Discover the wealth of styles, subjects and shapes of the University's sculpture collection ... '

Family Friendly Sculpture Trail 'Take the Sculpture Trail challenge at Warwick Arts Centre! There's no need to book, simply download our FREE family activity packs and explore the University campus. It's suitable for all ages and everyone is welcome ...'

'The Wayside Arts Trail  leads up to Burnley’s Panopticon, "Singing Ringing Tree", at Crown Point. It is the result of a collaboration between Land, the Forest of Burnley and other local partners to create a new family walk along the section of the Burnley Way between Towneley Park and Crown Point ...'

'This Trail invites you to explore public art works around the centre of Wigan ... The Trail can be followed from end to end, or can be joined or left at any point. Go to the Map to see the locations of the artworks.'

'Entails eight site specific sculptures at Lagan Valley Island co-funded by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland Lottery Fund. The trail is supplemented by exhibition spaces at ISLAND Arts Centre where temporary exhibitions are accommodated.'

'There are usually at least 60 sculptures in the landscape for you to see as well as special exhibitions and projects in the galleries and outdoors. Displays change throughout the year so call ahead if you plan to see something in particular ... You will probably need four hours to 'explore the furthest reaches of the Estate and sculpture displays'.