Crawick Multiverse 20th March 2016

Sanquhar is famous for its tiny post office (established in 1712) which claims to be the oldest working post office in the world.

 

 

Coal has also been mined in the Sanquhar area for many years and the open cast mines have left some rather ugly scars on the landscape. However the Duke of Buccleuch has funded a major project in the area that combines both land restoration and art. He asked the famous landscape artist Charles Jencks to design and create the Crawick Multiverse. It has turned what was an eyesore into an outdoor space to be enjoyed by everyone.

The Multiverse has areas of grassland, mountain, desert and a gorge and takes you on a journey past galaxies, comets, universes etc. It covers an area of approx. 55 acres and everything on site has been created from materials that were left behind after the mining stopped, including approx. 2000 boulders.

Approaching the site there doesn't appear to be anything to see. Tracks lead away from the car park passing a notice board, but there is no clue as to what you will find!

 

 

The board advises that there are two routes - the low road that takes an easy stroll through the site or the high road that takes you, via the ridge, to the viewpoint that oversees the whole site.

We thought we would try the higher route to start with. As we walked up the hill tantalising glimpses of the site appeared through the trees.

 

 

The largest rocks on the site mark the start of the Comet Walk.

 

 

This leads you to the highest point of the site called the Belvedere, via a ridge with scalloped edges that emulate comets' tails. The highest point gives you a stunning view of not only the site, but also the surrounding countryside.

 

 

 

 

 Returning to ground level from the viewpoint leads to further exploration of the individual areas of the site. A North-South line splits the site down the middle. The path is edged with approx. 300 boulders and other walkways cross this path East-West.

 

 

Following the path Northwards leads you towards the lookout again. You can really see the scalloped edge of the ridge from down here.

 

 

At this end of the site are the spiral galaxies of Andromeda and our Milky Way. They are represented by two mounds of earth (25 and 15 metres high) with boulders on top of them. You can walk along the spiral paths that lead you to the top of each mound.

 

 

You can also walk around the spiral path of the multiverse...

 

 ... and investigate the Supercluster. This is a collection of abstract triangles representing the forming of our universe and its place in the cosmos.

 

 

Returning along the North-South path you reach the amphitheatre.

 

 

 

This can hold 5000 people, faces due South and is at the heart of the site.

The Crawick Multiverse is an amazing creation and it is difficult to do it justice in a few photographs. There are parts of the site that I haven't even included in this blog - it is one of those places that you really need to see for yourself!

 

 

 

Charles Jencks, the designer has a home of his own just outside Dumfries, which is designed with a similar philosophy. The Garden of Cosmic Speculation is a 30 acre sculpture garden created by Jencks at his home, Portrack House, near Dumfries. Like much of Jencks' work, the garden is inspired by modern cosmology.

The garden is private but usually opens on one day each year through Scotland's Gardens Scheme. This year it will be open on 1st May.