Northumberland’s Legendary Sycamore Gap (growing again?)
Sycamore Gap tree (which stood in a dip next to Hadrian’s Wall) was recently cut down in an act of eco-vandalism. This drunken act of stupidity cost two men over 4 years of their lives, recently imprisoned.
Situated in the wonderfully-named village of Once Brewed, the stump has recently sprung eight new shoots, a hopeful sign of coming back to life. Authorities ask people not to leave stones or tributes, as this could disturb the roots (even stepping on the soil could damage the tree’s chance of recovery).
Sycamore trees (along with yew and oak) are toxic to horses.
Out walking? Follow the Countryside Code to keep all creatures safe. Keep dogs away from steep banks, mushrooms (and other toxic plants/trees) and on leads during nesting season (and near barnyard friends and wild ponies).
Sycamore trees have puzzle-like bark and grow very fast, living up to 500 years. The bark sheds in patches to protect from pollution, insects and fungi, and in autumn produce fuzzy brown balls (fruit) that break apart into wind-dispersed seeds.
These trees have large hollow trunks, which provide homes for birds, bats and insects. They often can be found alongside streams and rivers, although London’s plane sycamore is a hybrid, often planted due to being resistant to pollution.
A lone tree and a Roman wall
Walkers reached it after miles of open ground, so the tree often arrived as a small reward. The tree became even more widely known after it appeared in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. After that, many people called it the Robin Hood tree.
Tourism followed, although not in a loud or flashy way. People walked to it, posed beneath it, proposed there, scattered ashes nearby, or simply stood and looked. Over time, the tree turned into a symbol of Northumberland itself, rugged, open, spare and deeply loved.
What happened after the tree was felled?
In the early hours of 28 September 2023, the Sycamore Gap tree was illegally felled. News spread quickly, and the response was immediate. People in Northumberland felt it sharply, as did people who had never seen the tree in person.
The good thing was that the whole of England was sad about a felled tree, something that often does not happen. Nobody in the media batted an eyelid when England’s second oldest pear tree in Worcestershire, was felled for HS2 project, which will do nothing to prevent climate change.
Is Sycamore Gap growing again?
After the felling, attention turned to what remained. The stump has stayed in place, and seeds and cuttings have been collected to try to grow more trees from its genetic line.
The stump is growing in part, but it would take years to become substantial. The hope is that it will grow back as a coppiced tree (with multiple trunks growing from the original root). This however will take several years, and people are told to view the site from a distance, to avoid disturbing the new growth.
Saplings from the tree are also being planted nationwide, from the New Forest to a Scottish National Park. And from Sussex to Wales. It’s almost like local people are defiantly telling anyone who decides to chop down an ancient tree, that they have the roots’ back. And won’t let it die forever.
And of course it was not just the tree that was felled. Many birds and wildlife almost certainly used it for food and shelter.
Why was the tree felled? It remains a mystery, although some say the modern obsession with selfies could be a cause (they filmed themselves felling the tree, presumably to show others).
