An artist who built a 145 square foot model of part of the Lake District out of Lego is to see his work pieced together for the first time.
Jon Tordoff, from Milford, Derbyshire, started building the model more than two years ago during lockdown.
What started as a to-scale replica of Buttermere Lake has now grown into an enormous 14.5 by 10 foot impression of the national park spanning Crummock Water, Derwent Water, Borrowdale and Honister Pass.
Mr Tordoff, known as “Ton” to his friends, has had a lifelong interest in Lego but was inspired to pick it back up after a visit to Legoland Discovery Centre in Manchester with his niece and nephew.
He estimates that the model is made up of at least 160,000 Lego blocks - “but probably I’ve used closer to 200,000,” he told The Telegraph, admitting that it has become quite an expensive hobby.
“I love the Lake District, I love camping and walking there, and that’s why I wanted to recreate it.
“But it’s also very compact, with hills and valleys packed into a small area. It’s full of extremes that you can represent with Lego blocks in a way that looks faithful.”
Because of its huge size, Mr Tordoff has been building the model on more than 60 separate boards. So far he has built around 4 per cent of the entire Lake District National Park, he thinks, and is looking for a sponsor or an Arts Council grant to support his work in future.
“I want to keep going until I’ve represented the whole of the Lakes, but afterwards, I might try to build the Peak District.”
Mr Tordoff is also looking for a permanent home for his masterpiece, which he says is becoming too large to keep in his millworker’s cottage. He hopes that it will one day be displayed in the Lake District itself.
The model will be on display at Belper Library in Derbyshire on Jan 6-7.
Mr Tordoff’s nephew will see the model for the first time next weekend too. “He’s very excited to see his crazy uncle’s Lego building in person.”
