Mountain bikers are encouraged to get in the frame by taking part in a photography competition organised by the 7stanes - with the chance to bag a camera worth £200!
The competition is focused around the new seven stone sculptures which depict the myths and legends of southern Scotland. The sculptures have recently been installed across the 7stanes mountain bike centres, as part of a drive to encourage people to visit Scotland's forests.
The huge eye catching works of art have taken six months to create and will provide visitors to the forest with an experience to remember. The 'stanes' have been placed in prominent locations near cycling and walking paths and range in size from one to three metres high and from two to six tons in weight.
Environment Minister, Michael Russell, said:
"Mountain biking has become one of the fastest growing forest recreational hobbies, drawing a whole new group of visitors into the forests in pursuit of outdoor activities, fitness and physical challenge. But there's much more to forests than the mountain biking. One of the Commission's aims is to build a better connection between visitors and local communities and their history.
"These sculptures are an example of high quality art in a rural setting, which will open up the forests to a wider range of people, as well as allow the current users to explore new areas of the forests."
The sculptures are found out on the trails and are accessible on bike, foot or horse. The sculptures are:
Glentrool, The Giant Axe Head. This area of Scotland is known for its stone age past and legends of Scottish and Irish giants throwing objects at each other. The Giant Axe Head - a 1.5 ton sculpture which overlooks Loch Dee - closely resembles actual neolithic stone axes and has runic text inscribed onto its top surface.
Kirroughtree, The Gem Stane. This trail is known as the 'hidden gem' and the sculpture has taken its inspiration from its reputation and close proximity to the Creetown Gem Rock Museum. This 1.75 ton stone is made from a Scottish pink quartz.
Mabie, The Ghost Stane. Situated in the 'misty glade' - a beech wooded area with a small stream - this stane is made from white marble. The 2.25 ton sculpture appears to be standing by itself and a local lace patterned surface engraving.
Glentress, The Meteorite. This six ton Ledmore marble stane contains text carved in Klingon with the obvious implication it may not be of this world.
Newcastleton, The Border Stane. The sculpture resembles a tail fin of an aircraft and has two sides for north and south. On the north side, representing Scotland, Auld Lang Syne is inscribed and on the south side, representing England, the words of Jerusalem. The highlight of the stane is that it also has a hole in the middle so people can stand on either side of the Border and shake hands through the middle of the stane
Ae, The Talking Head Stane. The head stane is made from a glacial granite boulder is 1.5 tons and looks south towards Ae village and the Solway. The stane has a carved, mouth, ears and eyes with the translation of a Norwegian poem inscribed on it.
Dalbeattie, The Heart Cleft Stane. This mammoth piece of Dalbeattie granite has been donated by Tarmac Limited from their local quarry. It is intended to symbolise the fact that the Dumfriesshire town was once the heart of the granite industry in the south of Scotland and exported their stone all over the world. The inscription on the giant heart gives an indication of where the granite has been exported to over the years.
To encourage more people to visit all seven locations, Forestry Commission Scotland is launching two competitions.
1) Photographers will be asked to submit their arty interpretation of the sculptures with the chance to win a camera worth £200. Two runners up will receive a free skills tuition day led by a qualified mountain bike leader.
2) Super sleuths can read the investigation into the mysterious arrival of the stanes and decipher the inscribed symbols on the stanes into a well known sayings. A leaflet explaining the mysterious arrival of the sculptures can be picked up from the 7stanes centres at Glentress, Mabie, Ae, Glentrool and Kirroughtree. Where there is no local 7stanes centre, the competition details and application can found on
www.7stanes.gov.uk/artsproject. All correct entries received by 31 March 2009 will receive a certificate and a tree planted in a designated south of Scotland forest.
The 7stanes team also has 7stanes buffs to give away to the first 200 people who visit all the 7stanes sites - simply take a photograph of you and your friends at all of the trail heads or the new sculptures and send it to
[email protected] or Margaret Bryden, Forestry Commission Scotland, 55/57 Moffat Road, Dumfries, DG1 1NP.
For more information on how to enter the competitions, the story associated with the stanes, or a copy of the leaflet check out
www.7stanes.gov.uk/artsproject
