Sunday. 6th February 2011.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They are installed in a cottage for a week with Joseph McIntosh, Douglas Sculptor, maps, boots, pencils, books, a ton of supplies and portable studio Matthews. With meetings and viewings arranged with the Wigtown Astronomical Society and  The Forestry Commission, the intention is to determine the site for the Yird Muin Starn build by Friday.  With Culsharg a strong contender, there are several possibilities to view to be sure. In the forest for a week couldn’t be better. The only problem is the lack of internet or mobile phone access which is, on day One, almost unbearable.

 

Monday. 7th February 2011.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They saw this last night, the moon.  Through a manually operated Dobsonian telescope at the Wigtown Astronomer Society’s HQ- the green shed in Dr Robin Bellerby’s garden, Glenamour.  The moon was like concrete lace.  The sky a velvet black with pinpricks of light. They were stunned. Neither had looked at the sky through a telescope before. Or stood looking with astronomers who pointed out Pleiades and Jupiter with its band and 4 moons and the Crab Nebula, revealing the truth behind the Great Bear and the little Bear and how the Plough fits in. Orion was hot favourite.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The day was spent visiting another site, Black Loch. Easily accessible from the Queens Highway, it’s a small walk up past the Mare’s tail waterfall and then down into a soft enclosed valley. It feels safe and much softer than the drama of Culsharg.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They are surprised how much they independently like it. There are also several art works there. Aging stone heads carved into the dry stone wall at the valley’s entrance and a red brick spike locally known as the Carrot at the water’s edge. Apparently it’s called the Eye but with no signage, impossible to know.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday 8th February
This is the path to Black Loch they were so excited by yesterday. Interesting how its ease of access for walkers and drivers and the presence of art works are now positive factors. Back in September, they were bidding for the Mound, the exposed knoll with magnificent views over the Culsharg valley, the reality of freezing winter winds dismissed as things to overcome in monumental design. Now on this third trip, they are subliminally attuned to the essential human requirements of warmth and safety for star gazing on clear winter nights, not forgetting unrestricted view of the sky.  This now is a question. Does this sheltered spot enable that ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They go visit after dark and there is Orion to the south, and Pleiades and Sirius and the polar star to the north. Yes, the  sky’s a bit enclosed here, the valley’s edge trimmed with a silhouette of trees. But it’s not bad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday 9th February.

Just as easily as the sun shone yesterday has it disappeared today behind blankets of non stop rain. They hunker in an offensive cafe, the only one with wi-fi in Newton Stewart. Their site finding has come this far. Black Loch is a definite contender. They decide to go back to their old favorite tomorrow, Culsharg, to make sure they have got it right.  This is the path up there and it still beckons.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday 10th February.

They have almost decided the site. Their original choice, down near the old Culsharg bothy up above Glen Trool seems to have won after all. In glorious winter sunshine they strode up the path beside the noisy bubbling burn, (never seen it as watery as this hen) through the silent forest, then bang open across the valley and down below at the bottom of the Merrick is the Culsharg bothy looking.

 

The immersion in the elements is overwhelming and silent and makes the Black Loch site feel like a country park. As ever working with McIntosh, they undeniably agree.  The final check will be the sky at night. Clouds stay away, they need to come see.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday 11th February.
The sky stayed clear and they drove up in the dark through the mud that shone like sand in the Pig’s headlights when lo,  there was a man with a massive 24 headlight machine swinging felled trees around. He came to check they weren’t deer poachers, “There’ve been a lot round here recently hen. Two we found last week and pilfering diesel.”  They showed him their forest access letter and he leant them his super-torch. It was a good meeting.

The Sky was magnificent. They whooped and hopped and grinned in the dark in delight. Orion leant over them, the black mountain silhouette a large and generous frame all around. Yes Black Loch skies are too small. This is THE site. To celebrate they invite the Galloway astronomers over for an opening and party even though the fire has stopped working. McIntosh’s cosmos inspired drawings and Matthews energy recordings are curiously received.