SEPTEMBER is the perfect time of year to get out for a walk with the family as the countryside puts on a grand show, turning from lush green to shades of deep red, golden browns and rich russets.
While it is always pleasant to take a walk through countryside and woodlands in a riot of colours, it can be even more enjoyable if the walk offers more, such as a hidden gem to be discovered.
Sculpture trails, of which there are now several across Scotland, offer that – a chance for the walker to discover for themselves a piece of sculpture placed carefully along the walk which can entertain, amuse or, in some cases, become an intriguing talking point which will give walkers plenty to think about while striding out.
The walks featured here certainly offer the walker more than just a simple walk through the woods.
THE FRANK BRUCE SCULPTURE TRAIL
Inschriach Forest, near Feshiebridge, by Aviemore
Situated around six miles south of Aviemore and within the Cairngorms National Park, this fairly low-level trail through pleasant pine woodland contains a series of thought-provoking sculptures by artist Frank Bruce.
Mr Bruce, who passed away last year, was a hugely talented Scottish artist who began sculpting in 1965 and used natural materials and the landscape and politics as inspiration.
The sculptures, some of which are more than 20ft tall, have been carved from Caledonian pines and sandstone and, until a few years ago, were housed at Colleonard Sculpture Garden and Gallery at Banff, where they attracted thousands of visitors a year.
When Mr Bruce retired to the Aviemore area, the huge sculptures went with him and a specially created trail was established on Forestry Commission land at Inschriach Forest to show them off.
The trail is a short and pleasant walk through woodland and an old walled garden which once belonged to Invereshie House. While some of the sculptures may make you smile, others remind you of the difficulties others face in life.
The trail is free to visitors and open all year round.
For further details visit www.frank-bruce.org.uk or call the Forestry Commission inquiry line on 0845 367 37871.
BLAIR CASTLE
Blair Atholl
Earlier this year, the castle launched a new sculpture trail which incorporates existing contemporary and 18th-century sculpture as well as new works – letter carving on stone – from the Memorial Arts Charity’s Art and Memory Collection.
The new works include magnificent examples of the professional craft of letter carving in stone and include Gillian Forbes’s Three Hares, Andrew Baxter’s It is the Destruction of the World, and Charlotte Howarth’s, Remember Me.
The materials used range from Welsh slate and Woodkirk buff sandstone to Caithness flagstones and Kilkenny limestone.
The sculptures have been placed strategically in the castle’s gardens and grounds at St Brides Kirk, on Hercules Walk and inside the nine-acre walled Hercules Garden.
Visitors should allow around 40 minutes for the walk, which is free as part of the standard gardens admission charges, which are £4.75 for adults and £2.25 for children. A family ticket is available at £11.
Blair Castle and gardens are open daily, 9.30am to 5.30pm, until October 20. For further details call 01796 481207 or visit www.blair-castle.co.uk.
TYREBAGGER SCULPTURE PROJECT
Kirkhill Forest, Kirkton of Skene, Aberdeenshire
Lying around six miles north-west of Aberdeen, the Tyrebagger sculpture trail can be described as groundbreaking as it was the first outdoor arts scheme of its kind in Scotland.
The commissioned sculptures for Tyrebagger Wood within Kirkhill Forest include works by Simon Ward, John Aitken and Chris Drury and were part of the Forestry Commission’s ongoing sculpture trails project.
The first artworks were installed in 1994 and since then the collection has grown and the project includes artists’ residencies, workshops and events.
When the project began, artists were asked to create works that would respond to the immediate area and to the north-east in general as the intention was to encourage visitors to take a fresh look at their surroundings and perhaps consider their relationship with nature and the environment.
As the splendid sculptures are dotted throughout the mature forest, filled with firs, larch, spruce, pine and a mixture of broad-leaved trees, connected by a series of paths, it continues to offer visitors food for thought while they enjoy a stroll in the woods.
There are four walks to choose from, starting with the blue walk, which is less than one mile long and has one sculpture. The red walk, which is just over a mile long, has more than 10 sculptures.
The yellow walk, managed by Aberdeen City Council, is around two and a half miles long and is mostly on the open hill with a good view. Finally, the brown walk, at less than a mile, takes you to the top of Elrick Hill and gives great views of Aberdeen.
For further information call 01330 844 537 or visit www.forestry.gov.uk/ forestry/INFD-7YDFXR
CLAN DONALD CENTRE
Armadale, Skye
This summer, Clan Donald Skye has hosted an inspiring sculpture exhibition in partnership with Atlas (Artists in Skye and Lochalsh) in their historic gardens, situated around the ruins of Armadale Castle in south Skye.
The seven artists, who are all resident and working in Skye and Lochalsh, have created a series of site-specific sculptures, inspired by the theme of “scale”.
The artists use an eclectic mix of materials and concepts that combine craftsmanship with a sensitivity to the context of Skye and the Clan Donald garden.
These sculptures aim to question and provoke our sense of perception and scale in the surrounding landscape.
Alongside the sculpture trail there have been a series of workshops run by the artists. The next, on Saturday, September 18, is a talk by Gill Russell entitled Cosmic Connections. You can join her at twilight to view her artwork, Horn. This will be followed by a talk and discussion on cosmic connections in art, science and mythology.
For more information call Rosie Somerville on 01470 532436.
The sculptures on the trail can be seen in the splendid gardens, which stretch to some 40 acres and boast magnificent trees, wildflowers and plants from around the world, until Saturday, September 25.
The trail is free to those paying the regular entrance for the gardens, which is £6.95 or £4.95 concessions.
For further details call 01471 844305 or visit www.clandonald.com