Sitting on the exposed 1,900 foot (580 metre) summit of Deadwater Fell, Specere is a stark contemporary timber shelter positioned at the point where mountain bikers begin their descent down a thrilling singletrack trail to Kielder Castle.
Specere can be interpreted as meaning ‘to see’ or ‘I see’. The structure is three sided with an entrance to the rear. One side is solid and offers protection from prevailing south-westerly winds, one is perforated providing a fragmented view to the east. The third is completely open, framing the view to the south of the full expanse of Kielder.
NOTE: THE HIGH-ALTITUDE ENVIRONMENT MAKES SPECERE SUSCEPTIBLE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS AND NATURAL PROCESSES. AS THE TEMPARTURE IS LIKELY TO BE COLDER THAN LOWER LEVELS, MAKE SURE YOU TAKE ADDITIONAL CLOTHING AND PROVISIONS.
YOU SHOULD ALSO TAKE CARE ON SPECERE ITSELF AS THE DECKING SURFACE IS OFTEN VERY SLIPPY.
OS map ref: NY626970
What 3 Words: presides.questions.wrist
This positioning of this artwork deliberately serves and appeals to mountain bikers using the Deadwater trails.
Specere is just over 1200 feet/360m higher than Kielder Castle Visitor Centre. The route is a long and a potential difficult uphill walk or cycle. The elevation makes the site very exposed and on most days it will be a great deal colder and windier on Deadwater summit. Visitors are therefore advised to take additional clothing and appropriate provisions with them.
For walkers, the nearest public parking is at Kielder Castle. The shortest distance along forest roads is close to 4 miles and walkers should allow one and a half to two hours to reach the top and the same for their return. It is recommended that visitors use the OS Explorer Map OL 42 or take advice from Kielder Castle to identify the best access route but in general, that will start on the Kielder Forest Drive, then moving westwards above Lightpipe to join the drive to the top of Deadwater.
Experienced non-mountain biking cyclists can also use this same route with care for both the ascent and descent. The road surface is generally acceptable, but most cyclists will find that conventional road bike gearing will not offer low enough ratios to cope with such a prolonged climb.
Further information about Adjaye Associates can be found at www.adjaye.com