MIRAGE - KIELDER Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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The sculpture is no longer there - but lovely views from the remaining viewing platforms.
The sculpture is fully accessible to all visitors from parking at Bakethin Weir car park - follow the way-marked multi user track that runs approximately 0.75 miles along the lakeside to the sculpture.
Kielder Water and Forest Park Lakeside Way - 27 miles - now complete.
Tucked away at the top of Northumberland, close to the Scottish Border and Hadrian's Wall, beautiful Kielder Water is the largest man-made lake in Western Europe and is set in the majestic Kielder Forest, one of Europe’s largest man-made forests. Home to one of Britain's biggest nature resorts, housing England's biggest colony of red squirrels, as many as 6,000 roe deer and many species of rare birds. Hills, rivers and open areas add to the diversity of the forest.
“This rich and varied landscape reflects the mood of Northumbria: a wild and romantic place to savour, a place to recharge the spirit”.
Kielder Water is the main reason why there are never any water shortages in Northumberland even though the county as a whole is one of the driest in the country. Constructed between 1975 and 1981 at a cost of £167 million, it is 7 miles in length, covers an area of 10 square kilometres and has a capacity of 200 million cubic metres – it took two years to flood the valley.
Kielder's quiet beauty is enhanced by a range of activities which include walking, cycling, horse riding, sailing, water-sports, fishing and a ferry cruiser.
There is a great selection of walks of varying distances, from easy to strenuous, around Kielder Water, Bakethin Reservoir and in Kielder Forest. The combination of water and forest creates a spectacular environment for walking and cycling with starting points all around the 27mile shoreline.
A 2.5m wide multi-user track around the shoreline of Kielder Reservoir is currently under development and the Art and Architecture programme at Kielder has led to the creation of a series of major new structures and installations around the Lake and in the Forest. An interesting 13 mile Forest Toll road connects Kielder Village at the head of the reservoir to the A68, providing a neat shortcut cross county for just £2 at time of listing all views inclusive of course 
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At all times along with the Country Code, please observe:
THE FOREST CODE
Guard against all risk of fire
Protect trees, plants and wildlife
Leave things as you find them - take nothing away
Keep dogs under control
Avoid damaging buildings, fences, hedges, walls and signs
Leave no litter
You will spot the sculpture first from a distance through the trees and your step will quicken to see the Mirage that animates a space in the forest using its inherited character; the forest, undulating hills, regularity of the plantation and the light generated by the vast shiny water and sky. Five hundred pairs of reflective stainless-steel disks hang in an undulating three-dimensional shimmering blanket, reflecting the light from the lake and sky beyond the forest. To complete the work, a series of interlocking terraced decks and ramps cover the undulating forest floor beneath the suspended work. It’s quite remarkable to sit in the custom built auditorium with the reflections from the sculpture in the sunlight constantly circling around, above and below and everywhere – very cleverly simulating a disco using nature’s tools.
And beautifully framed views of Kielder Water through the trees of course.
If you would like to replicate this effect at home, on a much smaller scale of course, hang a small ‘disco ball’ outside and the breeze and the sun will do the rest.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Va n gerr ebbg ol gur cngu.