Salmon Cubes are a series of sculptures that reflect on the amazing life cycle of the salmon that live in the river Tyne. The four Salmon Cubes sited along the Lakeside Way started life as part of the Tyne Salmon Trail, a sculpture project initiated by the Environment Agency to encourage more people to use and enjoy the river Tyne and to raise awareness of its healthy salmon population.

From Hawkhope car park follow the Lakeside Way west along the north shore of Kielder Water for 6.5 miles/10.5 km (approximately 2 hours 40 minutes walk time each way). From Kielder Castle Visitor Centre follow the Lakeside Way east along the north shore of Kielder Water for 6.5 miles/10.5 km (approximately 2 hours 40 minutes walk time each way). The route to Salmon Cubes is accessible to all users. A good way to explore all the artworks along the Lakeside Way is by cycle. Bikes should be to at least hybrid cycle grade with decent country tyres for the changing terrain of Kielder Water & Forest Park. Map Ref: NY 672903

Salmon Cubes was originally commissioned by the Environment Agency and formed a traveling sculpture trail of ten cubes, each depicting a different aspect of the Tyne Salmon. The family of cubes traveled along the banks of the Tyne following the Tyne salmon as they embarked on their amazing journey from Kielder to the mouth of the Tyne and the open sea, returning again over the period of a year. When the original ‘tour’ was complete a number of the cubes were resited along the Lakeside Way at Kielder Water, close to the headwaters of the river north Tyne. The four cubes are called, from east to west, ‘Reflection’ – inspired by the myths and legends associated with salmon ‘Birth’ – inspired by the pea-sized orange eggs that the salmon lay in gravel beds, ‘Scales’ – inspired by the beauty, strength, and agility of the salmon’s armour, ‘Colours’ – inspired by the changing colours of the salmon throughout their life cycle.

The architects say: “xsite wants to work collaboratively to generate great ideas. Whether these become buildings, art, objects, paper or stay as ideas we are interested in the process of producing beautiful and culturally significant projects with and for people.”

Salmon Cubes lie on the Lakeside Way between Robin’s Hut, nearly 2 miles to the east, and Janus Chairs, 0.75 miles to the west. Along the route to Robin’s Hut, the Lakeside Way crosses Plashett’s Incline at right angles. Although this now looks like a straight access route down to a slipway on the shore of the lake, at the end of the 19th century this was a railway track, or inclined plane, that brought coal down from Plashett’s mine, 2 miles away up on the hill, to a depot in the valley from where the coal could be exported to England or Scotland via the Border Counties Railway. Half a mile later the Lakeside Way passes close to Plashett’s Quarry, which is split into an active part above the track that provides Whinstone for the Forestry Commission, and a lower flooded section that provided stone for the construction of Kielder dam in the late 1970’s.