Bellsquarry Plantation

Wood, Forest in Midlothian

Scotland

Bellsquarry Plantation

Sculpture in Livingston - 'The Community' Although most famous for its weird roundabout art, Livingston also has a number of more accessible publicly commissioned sculptures dotted about.
This is one of the better ones, although aspects of it are slightly baffling after reading the artist&#039;s summary of his work. It is said to depict a family of four holding hands, and they are balancing in the main on a branched tree stump by the looks of it. It is meant to give the impression of a &quot;celebratory dance&quot;. Nobody could actually move anywhere in this dance though, as both children are standing on their mother&#039;s leg, which actually looks as if it could be quite sore considering the size of the children. The dad seems to have got it easy - maybe there&#039;s some hidden symbolism going on there! If it is the dad that is; both males seem to be about the same size.
It&#039;s pretty well done, nonetheless, and was made by Charles Anderson in 1996. It must have been a tricky one to do as he states he returned to painting after making this. — Sculpture in Livingston - 'The Community' Credit: Ian Dodds

Bellsquarry Plantation is a woodland area located in Midlothian, Scotland. Situated just outside the village of Bellsquarry, the plantation covers a vast area of approximately 500 acres. It is primarily composed of various species of trees, making it a thriving forest ecosystem.

The plantation features a diverse range of tree species, including oak, birch, beech, and pine. These trees provide a habitat for numerous wildlife species, creating a balanced and sustainable environment. The forest is also home to a wide variety of birds, small mammals, and insects, making it a popular spot for birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts.

Visitors to Bellsquarry Plantation can enjoy a network of walking trails that wind through the woodland. These well-maintained paths offer opportunities for leisurely strolls, jogging, or dog walking while immersing oneself in the tranquil surroundings. The plantation is a peaceful retreat from the hustle and bustle of nearby urban areas, with the sounds of birdsong and the rustling of leaves providing a soothing backdrop.

In addition to its recreational value, Bellsquarry Plantation also serves important ecological functions. The trees help to absorb carbon dioxide, mitigating the effects of climate change, and provide a natural barrier against soil erosion. The woodland also contributes to the local ecosystem by filtering air and water pollutants, improving overall air and water quality in the surrounding areas.

Overall, Bellsquarry Plantation is a valuable natural asset to the community, offering a haven for wildlife, opportunities for outdoor recreation, and environmental benefits for the region.

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Bellsquarry Plantation Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 55.869952/-3.5195934 or Grid Reference NT0565. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Sculpture in Livingston - 'The Community'

Although most famous for its weird roundabout art, Livingston also has a number of more accessible publicly commissioned sculptures dotted about. This is one of the better ones, although aspects of it are slightly baffling after reading the artist's summary of his work. It is said to depict a family of four holding hands, and they are balancing in the main on a branched tree stump by the looks of it. It is meant to give the impression of a "celebratory dance". Nobody could actually move anywhere in this dance though, as both children are standing on their mother's leg, which actually looks as if it could be quite sore considering the size of the children. The dad seems to have got it easy - maybe there's some hidden symbolism going on there! If it is the dad that is; both males seem to be about the same size. It's pretty well done, nonetheless, and was made by Charles Anderson in 1996. It must have been a tricky one to do as he states he returned to painting after making this.

Ian Dodds

Car park, industrial estate, Oakbank

JThomas

Platform, Livingston South Railway Station

On the line from Glasgow Central to Edinburgh Waverley via Shotts.

JThomas

Murieston Medical Practice

JThomas

Alba Business Park

JThomas

B7015 towards Livingston

JThomas

Bus stop on the B7015

JThomas

An Accidental Path?

While the tramlines shown to the right of here on the large scale map don't any longer seem to represent anything on the ground, bushes and small trees - some of which are showing at the top right of the picture - occupy the land in the middle of the lines for their entire length. The ground they occupy was part of a road a very long time ago, appearing on late 1700s and early 1800s maps, but no longer in use by the time of the first OS map from the 1850s - by then it is just shown as grass in the middle of two walls or fences. The short grass path is presumably completely unrelated to the old road. It may just be a random coincidence, but may also have been formed by sheep and cattle on their way to get round to the other side of the bushes. The land here is part of a very large untended field in the centre of a circular hard path route. There is a sign when entering the field from the North, warning of the dangers of livestock. I usually find these kinds of signs both bossy and unnecessary (unless warning of the presence of a bull of course). But in this case it is justified. There are often cattle in the field; combine this with the large number of people from nearby Murieston, an area of Livingston, that regularly walk their dogs round the path that circles the field - a lot of whom will not have had that much experience of walking in the country - and you have a potential problem. It must be at least a two minute jog from the centre of the field to the nearest section of path.

Ian Dodds

40-44 Newpark Road, Bellsquarry

These three old terraced cottages were once simply called Newpark Cottages - No 40 is on the right. Above the door of the middle cottage is a fancy placque which says 'ARP 1870', with the 'R' written slightly larger and in front of the other two letters. If they are the original occupier's initials it seems strange to have accented the middle letter. The new park used to be SouthEast of here, close to the road junction. The parkland is now Stromness Gardens, a cul-de-sac containing just two houses, both of such a size that they could probably be called mansions.

Ian Dodds

Some Comedy Art up a Tree

This was very unexpected. And due to having become conditioned to reading so much high-minded impenetrable bullsh*t alongside artworks, I have to admit it took me a little longer than it should have to realise that the accompanying write-up on the plaque below was a joke! It reads as follows: The Oozlum Bird - When startled this creature will take off and fly around in ever-decreasing circles until it manages to disappear completely, which adds to its rarity. Other sources state that the bird flies backwards so that it can admire its own beautiful tail feathers, or because while it does not know where it is going, it likes to know where it has been. David Evan Mackay, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design 2014

Ian Dodds

Elm Tree Bench, Bellsquarry

The wood on the bench, according to the plaque, came from an old elm tree that stood at this spot for over 150 years. The pub on the opposite side of the road near here used to be called The Elm Tree Inn. Although this is still written somewhere above the door, the place has had a refit within the last few years, and now goes by the name of Stones (or Stones at The Elmtree, it's hard to know for sure). It looks like a vast improvement on what was there before - occasionally I still have flashbacks to stuffed fish staring out at me from picture frames positioned behind and alongside the bar in the 1990s!

Ian Dodds

Army Reserve Centre

The centre is tucked away at the end of Beveridge Square, a non-residential street which isn't a square at all, though it does boast a not-very-pretty office building set out in a square around some open ground. To the untrained eye it looks like there is far more going on than there actually is. The sign on the right for the air cadets could have come down years ago, as they have now moved to the Craigshill area of Livingston. And regiments are actually umbrella groups subdivided into smaller units, which is why the bigger signs have two names on them. The 278 (Lowland) Battery is part of the 105th Regiment Royal Artillery, which is the section of the Army Reserves covering Scotland and Northern Ireland. The regiment's headquarters are in Edinburgh, and they have surprisingly few bases - just one in Northern Ireland and seven in Scotland (including one in the Shetlands). They must have been even smaller until fairly recently as this unit was only formed, along with a sister detachment in Edinburgh, in 2014. It is viewed, by Wikipedia anyway, as a continuation of the Edinburgh City Artillery, which ran for around a century until the early 1960s and was involved in operations in both world wars. In a similar vein the 243 Provost Company is part of the 1st Regiment Royal Military Police. I've never been too sure exactly how the military police while away the hours, but was pleased to read that they only have jurisdiction over military personnel, or people they believe to be military personnel. The only time they have powers over the general public is if they are on military property or encroaching onto land getting used by the military for training manoeuvres. This means there is no need to keep a close eye on your speedo when you notice one of their cars behind you in the mirror.

Ian Dodds

Old milestone

The milestone on Beresford Rise in Dedridge near to the A71 has been moved away from the hedge and set into its own paved area. This style of milestone was set up by the Calder District Turnpike Trust. The original legend, probably painted on, would have been Edinburgh 13 Carnwath 15.

John Riddell

Old milestone

This Calder District Trust milestone had been at the Klondyke Garden Centre for a number of years after being found buried in a field about 2005. At sometime it had been knocked over. Now it is back by the roadside on Hunter Road in Howden, set firmly upright with an information board nearby.

John Riddell