After 'Midnight Feast' and 'Waiting For Lunch' in 1984, Michael Winstone returned to Grizedale five years later. This time he worked on the far side of the forest, some distance away from his previous two Millwood trail-based works, to a favourite spot of his on the western slopes overlooking Coniston Water, where he built this beautiful sculpture of a plane taking flight, leaving a trail of smoke in its wake. Coniston Water is perhaps best known for its associations with Donald Campbell, the land and water speed-record-breaker who was the inspiration for this sculpture.

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Donald Campbell and his team had been coming to Coniston since the fifties, on an annual basis, setting several water speed world records there in the process, and in late 1966 they returned for another go in their latest version of the jet-powered Bluebird K7 boat. However, bad weather and teething problems with the craft conspired to keep Campbell off the water properly throughout December, and it wasn't until the 4th of January 1967 that they finally got the ideal conditions for a world record attempt.

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The first run went well and Campbell decided to go straight back out on the water. Bluebird K7 reached speeds well in excess of the world record, but it proved too much for the boat and it bounced badly, before flipping over and crashing into the water near the northern end of the lake. Campbell's teddy bear mascot was found straight away, but while a Royal Navy diving team spent the best part of two weeks searching for Campbell himself, no trace was found and they called off the search on the 16th of January.

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A fresh effort to find his body commenced in 2001 and in May of that year was successful. On the 12th of September 2001, Donald Campbell CBE made one last journey across Coniston Water on a steamer, before being buried at Coniston Cemetery, where his grave can now be seen.

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Also by this artist:

Midnight Feast 1984

Waiting For Lunch 1984

Piscatorial Flora 1991