Andy Goldsworthy – Breasty Haw – 1990
Photograph from book ‘Wall’ by Andy Goldsworthy
Alternate Titles: Wall That Went for a Walk, Grizedale Wall
Material: Stone
Trail: Bogle Crag Trail
Theme: Enclosure
Form: Realism
Size: Length 450 feet, 5 feet high
Maps Featured on: 1991 – 2020
Status: Still in situ, Oct 22
“Goldsworthy first proposed the idea of a curving wall in December 1988 for Mossdale Farm, a privately owned farm in the Yorkshire National Dales. [This] was not commissioned, and while visiting Grizedale in 1990, the network of derelict walls that crisscross the forest prompted Goldsworthy to rethink the proposal for that context.” – Tina Fiske Andy Goldsworthy Project
Sketch of Mossdale Farm proposal from Goldsworthy Sheepfolds book
Quote from the artist – “I enjoy the idea of walls travelling – old walls becoming new – changing shape in the process. I want to make a wall that responds to Grizedale as it stands now, which in time will become evidence of the changes that have taken place… The relationship between wall and the tree will be a fragile one.”
Photograph by Andy Goldsworthy from here
“Both the wall and trees are vulnerable to the wind. The rock prevents deep rooting and a blown down tree might break a wall. I like the delicacy and balance of this relationship – wind, stone, wood. In ‘Taking a wall for a Walk’ I wanted to make a work that uses the sense of a line being in sympathy with place, one that goes around a tree rather than cutting the tree down…”
“A dry stone wall is an expression of the stone used and the landscape through which it travels over hills, along ridges, down gullys, around outcrops…using the lie of the land to find a route. Whichever direction the wall goes and however it is perceived, the structure remains a work of art.”
Photograph taken 2008
Also known as Grizedale Wall and The Wall That Went For A Walk it was built from fieldstone from the site in September 1990 with help from Joe Smith, Philip Dolphin & Philip Owen. Possibly the most famous sculpture in the forest. A winding dry stone wall, weaving between the tall pine trees. In the early 00s the area was clear felled, the foresters left a few of the tall trees that the wall wound around, maintaining its context.
Photograph taken 2007
The problem with leaving these trees was that they could be caught by the wind and toppled. This has happen several times as can be seen below. Goldsworthy has said he would rather it be left to be shaped by the forest naturally. “The wall is a response to to Grizedale as it is now. And possibly will lose its purpose – the forest will change – possibly revert to fields – whatever – the wall will be evidence of the forest.” – Goldsworthy’s Diary 1990.
Photograph above from book ‘Wall’ by Andy Goldsworthy, showing the wall damaged by tree fall in 1997
After the damage occured Goldsworthy said “I liked the fallen trees, and the way they introduced a strong diagonal element to the work.” – Tina Fiske Andy Goldsworthy Project. Grizedale itself acknowledged this on the 2006 walking map stating “It has been damaged by fallen trees but the artist has requested that it is not repaired so as to reflect the changes that take place in the forest.”
It has since been repaired however, which is understandable from the forests point of view, as this is now a very iconic sculpture in Grizedale and as it is easily fixable by wallers. However Goldsworthy states “The leaving of the trees is was far more honest and interesting.” He also said “I can foresee a time when the wall is completely collapsed, overgrown and possibly only visible as a mound. As such, it could become as strong and powerful as it was when it was first made.” – Tina Fiske Andy Goldsworthy Project.
Photograph taken December 2014
It was incredibly striking when it was surrounded by pines, since the felling new growth of birch has grown up which obscures wall, as does bracken in summer. It would be extremely hard to locate without the waymarker. If you walk along it and climb the slight rise you get a decent view down it, seeing how it winds its way through the landscape.
Photograph taken 2017
Photograph from google maps of the sculpture from the air.
Left Photograph by Reece Ingram 1997. Right my photograph taken September 2017.
The current waymarker for this artwork is a caterpillar, above. Previously a Moth marked the work, this was moved to the Ridding Wood Trail around 2003. This coincided with the felling of the trees around Taking a Wall for a Walk. At this point it was so easy to see the wall it didn’t need a marker. This changed subsequently when the new scrub grew up, and the caterpillar was moved here.
Artist’s other work in Grizedale –
Woven Ash Ball – 1984
Seven Spires – 1984
Sidewinder – 1985
Gallery – 1988
Page last updated Oct 2022
Grizedale Forest Sculpture An Unofficial Archive 