Nusquam – click any image for full size
Nusquam (latin: “nowhere”) is an atmospheric homestead region designed by Randi Lenroy, and which is currently featured in the Destination Guide Highlights for the week ending March 18th, 2016.
The name for the region becomes evident on arrival: the setting echoes the looks and feel of so many remote coastal regions to be found around the world – Canada, America, Europe, Australia, South America, New Zealand, it could well be anywhere. And so, because of all these echoes, it is in fact, nowhere other than where our imaginations decide to set it as we wander its rugged and open spaces.
The Landing point is located in the north-easy corner of the region, within a barn spanning an old railway line. The tracks run from north-west to south-west, running along the eastern seaboard before rising to run back westwards along the south side of the region, coming to an abrupt end at the ruins of a trestle bridge. This in turn suggests that the region was once connected to somewhere, further inviting our imaginations to extend or create a setting for the region.
Within the arms of this sweeping, undulating track – which frankly, has seen better days and was doubtless abandoned following the loss of the bridge to Wherever, is open farmland. This is neatly dissected into two fields by a dirt track pointing the way to an old workshop and barn, complete with a makeshift pier, the possible home for two fishing boats lying offshore.
A lighthouse sits atop the highest point on the land, occupying a rocky shoulder in the south-east of the island. The spur of the railway line sweeps by outside, just the other side of a cement wall, to continue out along a finger of rock, open sea on one side, narrow watery channel on the other, on its way to the bridge to (or is that from?) nowhere.
The lighthouse, barn and workshop are the only structures on the land, although it is clear this is still a place of work: hay bales are neatly rolled, a tractor has been working in one of the fields, whilst someone has been using another in an attempt to shift a fallen tree. Whether the latter came down by accident or design is hard to tell, but the way the telegraph poles are angled as they run beside the old train line suggests this place can suffer from high winds at times, so perhaps age and the weather took its toll on the tree.
Horses roam one of the fields, their sleek coats suggesting they are well cared-for, adding a further sign of long-term habitation here, and giving the visitor more hints by which they can weave a tale of their own about the place. East of the railway tracks, the unsurfaced road continues, passing a small parking lot bearing a sign promising fried chicken and gasoline further inland.
An overgrown board walk winds its way from this to barn landing point, while the road quietly dips under the lapping waves on the east side of the island, again suggesting this is a place that was one somewhere – or at least linked to somewhere. now a young apple tree rises slowly from what’s left of the track, a silent sentinel warning the onward progress is perhaps not advisable.
With it’s rugged, looks and open spaces, complemented by a subtle sound scape which is more noticeable along the coastline than further inland, and presided over by a dusky windlight which plays beautifully with lighting as you cam around, Nusquam presents the perfect destination for whenever you feel like you’d like to go Nowhere.
SLurl Details
- Nusquam (Rated: Moderate)
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 