The top campsites for sculpture
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Our pick of the best outdoor sculpture locations where you can view art without walls.
Visit ... the Kelpies, Falkirk, Scotland
One of the UK’s newest and most impressive public sculpture installations, the Kelpies are a genuine joy to behold. You don’t have to be a fan of horses to feel the thrill generated by this 30m-tall pair of equine heads, which are part of the Helix project to regenerate the canalside area of Falkirk. They are amazing from outside, extraordinary from inside (tours cost £4.95), and a potential distraction when driving the M9.
Stay at ... Beecraigs Caravan & Camping, Linlithgow
Visit ... the Barbara Hepworth Museum, St Ives, Cornwall
The sculptor Barbara Hepworth lived and worked in St Ives from 1939 to 1975, mostly at the Trewyn Studio that now houses her museum and sculpture garden. Here you can see some of the giant bronzes for which she became famous, along with earlier stone and wood carvings, in the environment where they were created. The nearby Tate St Ives extends the cultural appeal of the town, which has long been a magnet for artists and art lovers. Admission is £6/£4, plus a voluntary 10% for Gift Aid. A combined ticket with the Tate saves a couple of pounds.
Stay at ... Tehidy Holiday Park, Cornwall
Visit ... Burghley House Sculpture Garden, Stamford, Lincolnshire
Contemporary sculpture in the historic setting of a stately home that proclaims itself England’s greatest Elizabethan house, the Burghley House Sculpture Garden near Stamford in Lincolnshire includes a number of permanent artworks plus an annual themed exhibition. In 2014 the theme is ‘elemental’, with a series of dynamic sculptures that respond to the wind or sun. The house and the Gardens of Surprise are open daily until Sunday 2 November, 2014, and admission is £13 (14.50 with Gift Aid). Parking and admission to the parkland only is free, and this is the only area where dogs are welcome.
Stay at ... Top Farm CS, Lincolnshire
Visit ... the Henry Moore Foundation, Perry Green, Hertfordshire
Henry Moore was an English artist and sculptor best known for his semi-abstract bronze sculptures, which are located around the world as public works of art. In Perry Green in Hertfordshire (SG10 6EE) you’ll find the Henry Moore Foundation – a charity established for education and promotion of the fine arts and an exhibition of works by the artist. There is Moore’s family home, a gallery, tapestry barn and sculpture gardens, along with a visitor centre, gift shop, weekend tea room and village green with pub. Admission to all the attractions is £16 for adults, £13 concessions. The sculpture garden contains over 25 pieces of sculpture by both Henry Moore and fellow artists.
Stay at ... Lee Valley Caravan Park, Dobbs Weir
Visit ... Grizedale Forest Park, Cumbria
Situated in Cumbria between the lakes of Coniston and Windermere is Grizedale Forest Park. Lurking in the woods are around 50 interesting sculptures such as a giant fern consisting of 18 fronds individually carved from oak and a four-and-a-half-metre tall woodcutter. There are a number of trails to choose from to see them and the visitor centre shop (LA22 0QJ) has maps that show the location of the sculptures and there’s also a sculpture guide.
Stay at ... The Croft Caravan & Campsite, Cumbria
Visit ... Crosby beach, Merseyside
Visitors to Crosby beach near Liverpool will witness an unusual sight. When the tide is low you can see 100 cast-iron, life-sized figures spread out along nearly two miles of the foreshore and stretching half-a-mile out into the sea. This art installation is called Another Place and was created by Antony Gormley. In fact, the figures – each weighing 650kg – are made from casts of the artist’s own body, all of them looking out to sea, staring at the horizon.
Stay at ... Willowbank Holiday & Touring Park, Merseyside
Claimed to be the UK’s largest figurative earth sculpture at 200m long, Sultan the pit pony is the centrepiece of Caerphilly’s Parc Penallta country park, carved from a former slag heap. This and other sculptures throughout the park are connected by an audio trail, and there are a number of walking and cycling routes as well as fishing lakes and a children’s wildlife trail.
Stay at ... Cwmcarn Forest Drive Campsite, Wales
Visit ... the Angel of the North, Gateshead
For anyone travelling on the A1 near Gateshead, Antony Gormley’s art piece, the Angel of the North, is an impressive sight. Rising 20 metres high, with a wingspan of 54 metres (as big as a jumbo jet) and made from 200 tonnes of steel, the Angel is a major visitor attraction. Just glancing at it from your car as you drive by though doesn’t really do the artwork justice, you simply have to stand beneath it to really appreciate this massive sculpture. The car park for the Angel is signposted from the A1 and then it’s a short walk to the hilltop where the figure stands.
Stay at ... Bobby Shafto Caravan Park, Co Durham
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