Pyramids land sculptures on the M8 at Bathgate

The Pyramids are a land sculpture alongside the M8 motorway at Bathgate.

Originally named the "Sawtooth Ramps", it was sponsored by Motorola and formed part of the M8 Art Project.^[1] The sculpture was created by artist Patricia Leighton in 1993. It is 1,000 feet (300 m) long and consists of seven 36-foot (11 m) high ramps made of earth and seeded with grass. The artist based the design on local geographic features (drumlins) and the shape of the surrounding bings.^[2] Sheep are grazed on the structure which keeps the grass short. The pyramidal shape of the sculpture gave rise to the name of the nearby Pyramids Business Park.^[1]

Coloured sheep

Purple sheep on the Pyramids at Bathgate

In April 2007, a local farmer painted the sheep which graze on the grass mounds bright red with a harmless sheep spray.^[3] Over the years the sheep have been painted different colours to raise awareness of charities: pink for Breast Cancer Research, and purple for World Autism Awareness Month by Scottish Autism in April 2015.^[4]

Giant poppies

Red poppies on the Pyramids at Bathgate

Giant poppies have been painted on the grass ramps in November for a number of years. This is organised by Poppyscotland as part of the Remembrance Day commemorations and fund-raising.^[5]

In 2015, the extremist political group Siol nan Gaidheal painted their white poppy logo on one of the ramps, which was condemned as vandalism and a political stunt by Angela Constance, a local MSP.^[6]

References

55°53′28″N 3°36′17″W / 55.8911°N 3.6048°W / 55.8911; -3.6048