Blea Tarn 24th June 2010-07-06
Back to the centre of the circle but via Harrop Tarn from Thirlmere rather than up from Watendlath. We enjoy this route and savour the ‘newness of return’ to an earlier swim that started the circle just over a year ago. There is the excitement of finding the first post used copiously by the sheep to scratch their ticks and the resultant subtle colouring that it imparted to the post, and of finding the tree alive – just – in spite of the drought and predations of the same sheep.
The swim itself is informed by the exhibition; all the elements of the show seem present here and add to it’s intensity so that the sensations of the place are invested with, and filtered through, the very different experience of the film, sound track, pictures, photos, talk, and general hype of preview night. The compound experience is almost too much to fully appreciate – thinking has limits and digestion of this project will spill out over weeks, months, and years into the future.
Richard
