Berwickshire Today reports that ramblers tackling the Southern Upland Way, Scotland's coast to Coast long distance footpath, may well be startled by the appearance of huge circles cut from the heather as they march through Minch Moor, near Innerleithen.
The circles are the work of Allanton-based sculptor Charles Poulsen, who had the idea to create living works of art, growing in a continuous corridor along the famous cross-country route.
Various agencies, such as the Forestry Commission, have given their backing to the project and it is said to aid conservation by encouraging new heather to grow through, thereby providing a habitat for Black Grouse.
Public art is not new to the Southern Upland Way:
On therteen hills stand therteen kists
In therteen kists sit hoards o' merks
From ilka kist take ane awa'
Bear on the merk, wha' kens ha' far
The Waymerks project is another sculpture project in which small metal tokens have been placed in concealed kists (containers) at thirteen locations along the route. The project is organised by John Behm and artists from the Scottish Borders Sculptors' Collective.
