Thorpe Meadows (Slight Return)

Peterborough Arch (1987) by Lee Grandjean

My previous day exploring the fabulous Sculpture Trail at Thorpe Meadows in Peterborough was cut short by the horrendously wet conditions. Horrendously wet conditions that we'd all be yearning for within a few short months of course...

Quarry (1987) by Simon Perry

Dreadfully claggy underfoot, underwater and impassable in several places even with sturdy Gortex lined walking boots, and relentlessly grey skies above. The only blessing was that it wasn't actually raining on the day. It did mean there were several sculptures on the trail that I couldn't get near to without the aid of wellies.

These things niggle you, or at least they niggle me. I was always going to want to finish the trail, ideally on a much fairer day. The one thing I could be reasonably sure of, even after recent rainy weather, was that the Meadows wouldn't be underwater this time. In fact the ground was damp but firm, and everything was accessible. I could even lay down on the grass when appropriate, all the angles covered with the trusty FED 1 and a roll of Kodak Gold 200, which performed admirably on the day.

'Peterborough Arch' and the Steel structure 'Untitled, 1989' are both visible from Longthorpe Parkway, the dual carriageway that skirts Thorpe Meadows, and our usual route into the city. A tantalising glimpse at speed of these sculptures over many years has made them particularly attractive for me to view close-up, but both were inaccessible back in April. These angles on the Peterborough Arch sculpture are probably my favourites of all the photos I took at Thorpe Meadows this year.