Author Topic: [LEL17] Landscape and Culture.  (Read 4039 times)

[LEL17] Landscape and Culture.
« on: 17 October, 2016, 11:45:54 am »
Teesdale is one of the iconic landscapes that the LEL passes through. It's known to riders by its signature white barns. There's an art installation which took place this weekend, and will happen again on the 21st, 22nd and 23rd of October.

It's a part of the world that has some interesting aspects that repay a little enquiry.
http://www.northpennines.org.uk/about-us/annual-reviews/annual-review-2013-14/historic-environment/

We don't see the three main waterfalls on the River Tees on our journey, but images of them are projected onto three white barns in this work. The North Pennines aren't very well known, even in Britain, LEL riders are part of a community that appreciates that landscape. Here's a short film to give a taste of a tribute to that special part of the world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHFkZpQBpBk

Re: Landscape.
« Reply #1 on: 17 October, 2016, 03:18:03 pm »
That was beautiful! Would they do it again for the nights of LEL?

 

Re: Landscape.
« Reply #2 on: 17 October, 2016, 03:36:02 pm »
It's quite an undertaking, all four sides of 3 barns are used, so 12 projectors running off generators. The top barn is 2 km away from the entrance, and is a stiff climb.
Most riders will come through Teesdale in daylight, so this will have to suffice.

Tomsk

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Re: Landscape.
« Reply #3 on: 17 October, 2016, 07:13:17 pm »
Am I right in thinking you can hear High Force as you climb up Teesdale? Or was that another LEL hallucination?

alfapete

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Re: Landscape.
« Reply #4 on: 17 October, 2016, 08:14:53 pm »
Am I right in thinking you can hear High Force as you climb up Teesdale? Or was that another LEL hallucination?

I suspect you're right - it's only a short walk from the road and there was a huge volume of water flowing through when we drove up whilst recceing Barnard Castle control on Friday. Quite eerie on a dark night, I'd imagine
alfapete - that's the Pete that drives the Alfa

Phil W

Re: Landscape.
« Reply #5 on: 17 October, 2016, 10:01:54 pm »
Road passes within 500m of High Force and even closer to Low Force. Easy to hear in that quiet environment.

Re: Landscape.
« Reply #6 on: 18 October, 2016, 12:11:24 am »
It's always surprising how much birdsong you hear in high moorland. Snipe and Curlew being the most distinctive and eerie, the archetypal 'weird noise coming from the bushes'.

Re: Landscape and Culture.
« Reply #7 on: 03 April, 2017, 02:06:18 pm »
The cobbles in Alston were partially covered with asphalt this winter, as they were falling to bits.


It will be interesting to see if they are restored, as the High Street is in a conservation area. It has been used in films, as it looks old. One was a TV adaptation of Oliver Twist in 1999. From 5mins 28sec in this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sRkApg9ukk
The boat in the street is a bit incongruous, but it was supposed to be a fishing village, rather than England's highest market town at 1,000 feet.

Charles Dickens visited Alston in 1838 for background material for his novel, Nicholas Nickleby, so there's a double connection.

Re: Landscape and Culture.
« Reply #8 on: 03 April, 2017, 09:34:28 pm »
The cobbles in Alston were partially covered with asphalt this winter, as they were falling to bits.

That's really shameful. The cobbles in Alston are an essential part of the LEL culture. It's a bit like if the Tour the France was prohibited from climbing l'Alpe d'Huez "because the road is falling to bits".