Monday, August 01, 2016

UC-Santa Cruz - the rest of the campus

One of the most beautiful and compelling aspects of UC-Santa Cruz's campus is the varied landscape. Thus far I've focused on the campus proper - the part situated at the top of the hill in the redwood forest. But the drive into campus is much different and very appealing.


There are barns and cattle on these golden rolling hills. It looks like a prairie - and is so beautiful. Below is the view from the parking offices.


And heading up the hill, which is very gently sloped:


Driving in, there is an area to pull off and walk and look at the mountains to the east:


I couldn't get enough of this vast view:


This view with the cloud made me linger.


Once you drive up into the redwoods and the campus proper there is a huge looping road that goes through campus and then back down on the other side. From this end you see Santa Cruz and the Pacific.


The arboretum (featured a few days ago here) is on this side of the campus as you head out. And this ocean view is visible from a few points in the arboretum as well as from the road as you're leaving.


Living in North Carolina where the ocean is on the eastern end of our state and the mountains on the Western edge, seeing mountains and ocean in opposite directions and such close proximity seems pure magic.


I loved this campus most of all, I think. It felt both infinitely majestic because of the landscapes and redwoods and yet very intimate and manageable walking from building to building. In a lot of ways it merged all the things I love about nature and higher learning into one fantastic package. 

Do you think they'd let November Hill relocate to the grassy hill right at the edge of the redwoods? I would be tempted.

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