Via lucem continens
“Via lucem continens” (light walk) is one of three remaining exhibits of the “Stour Valley Arts” project. The brainchild of Łukasz Skąpski (artist, professor, and head of the Department of Photography at the School of Painting and New Media of the Academy of Fine Arts in Szczecin), it constitutes two avenues of yew trees which line a clearing which is about a hundred metres long. Standing at the stone at the eastern end, the twin avenues of yew trees will frame the setting sun on midsummer’s eve.
Or that was the plan when it was planted in 1999. We will find out…
What is happening at this event…
Drive (or get a lift) up to Kings Wood on the evening of Tuesday June 23rd. Park your car in one of the car parks and have a walk. There are many beautiful walks round Kings Wood and there are many birds and squirrels to be seen, and deer are not uncommon.
And there are a few geocaches in these woods too…
Time your walk to be at the given co-ordinates by quarter to nine. If you get there earlier you might like to join the C.O. who will be having a late picnic.
The meet will be at the given co-ordinates which is the eastern end of the twin yew avenues from where we should have the intended view of the sunset.
Sunset is supposedly at quarter past nine, but the trees are higher than the horizon. Being there for quarter to nine means you will be in time to see the sun go down at the end of the avenue, and will have time to get back to your car before it gets dark.
Please bear in mind…
You would be best advised to use the lower car park if there are spaces there. Simply follow the track from the car part to the meet point. If this car park is full, then use the main car park, but it is unlikely that this would not have spaces.
If you are coming from the main car park I’ve given a series of waypoints guiding you along the shortest route.
As the crow flies the lower car park is three quarters of a mile from the meet, and the main car park is a mile from it. I regularly walk from the given co-ordinates to the main car park and the walk takes about half an hour.
Wherever you park you will have a walk of at least three quarters of a mile. I won’t say this is wheelchair inaccessible but if you are going to try it, come from the lower car park and bear in mind that the last fifty yards would be difficult (to say the least). I can’t recommend it for wheelchair users, but (to be fair) I have seen people in wheelchairs on the path from the lower car park. But I will say that you can't get a car any closer than the car parks... please don't try.
Dogs are very welcome, but they may easily get distracted by the wildlife. Mine do.