Sycamore Gap near Crag Lough on Hadrian's Wall. Photo: Bob Smith Photography
One of the most visited and photographed viewpoints on Hadrian’s Wall is no more, after an act of vandalism.
The tree at Sycamore Gap has been felled, apparently deliberately.
Northumberland National Park Authority and Northumbria Police have condemned the act, with police vowing to bring whoever was responsible to justice.
The national park authority said: “Sycamore Gap was voted English Tree of the Year in 2016 in the Woodland Trust’s awards and is much loved by people from across the world.”
The tree stood centrally in a col between two rises on the Whin Sill, the geological feature on which Hadrian’s Wall was built. The site, which featured in the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, is near Crag Lough and stands on the route of both the Pennine Way and Hadrian’s Wall Path national trails.
The national park authority said it has reason to believe the sycamore has been deliberately felled. “We are working with the relevant agencies and partners with an interest in this iconic north-east landmark and will issue more details once they are known,” a spokesperson said.
“Northumberland National Park Authority would like to ask the public not to visit the site at this time while we work with our partners to identify what has happened and to make the site safe.”
Northumbria Police said the tree is a world-renowned landmark and the vandalism has caused shock and anger throughout the local community and beyond
“Officers have condemned the vandalism of an iconic Northumberland tree and vowed to bring anyone responsible to justice,” a spokesperson said.
“A full investigation has been launched after the Sycamore Gap tree was felled overnight in what officers believe to be a deliberate act of vandalism.
“A range of enquiries are now ongoing, with the support of partners, as police look to ascertain the full circumstances surrounding the damage and identify those involved.”
Sycamore Gap is on the route of both the Pennine Way and the Hadrian's Wall Path. Photo: Bob Smith Photography
Superintendent Kevin Waring said: “This is an incredibly sad day. The tree was iconic to the north-east and enjoyed by so many who live in or who have visited this region.
“As a force, are fully committed to finding out the full circumstances and we will consider every tactic at our disposal in this investigation.
“Anyone found to have been responsible for this damage – which we believe to be a deliberate act of vandalism – can expect to be dealt with swiftly and appropriately.
“I would ask anyone who saw anything suspicious or knows anything that can assist our investigation to get in touch with us.”
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Kim McGuinness said: “I’m devastated that the famous Sycamore is gone. That tree was ours. It was an iconic north-east landmark standing tall in our beautiful Northumberland.
“I am incandescent that this looks like a deliberate act of vandalism. I’ll be raising this personally today.
“I know Northumbria Police are at the scene and officers will do their utmost to catch whoever is behind this. Terrible news.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Northumbria Police via the Tell Us Something page of its website or by calling 101 quoting log NP-20230928-0295.
The national park authority had described the tree as is one of the most photographed in the country. Sycamore Gap was looked after by both Northumberland National Park Authority and the National Trust.
Mike V
28 September 2023The way that the British justice system currently works, if I were to express my true thoughts about the abject cretins who perpetrated this, and what should be done to them if they are caught, I would probably be found guilty of a hate crime!
stevem7724
29 September 2023It will be disappointing to see what lack of punishment the British Justice system comes up with for this. Could the stump be removed and a new sapling planted? I suspect a gofundme page would be more than successful.
DD
29 September 2023Don't think this is just random vandalism, it would take too much thought and planning and was obviously done by someone who works in felling trees. Only logical reason is to stop tourism to that spot. I visited quite a few years ago, looked nice enough, but thought it was over hyped. Area obviously gets a lot of foot traffic, and is photographed a lot, but the rest of the area is just fields and looks so barren, plus car parking is a bit of a nightmare. Someone getting sick of the countless photographers and who visit I think, or someone insanely jealous of them. You can likely blame social media as the root cause, yet again.
Stan
30 September 2023"The national park authority said it has reason to believe the sycamore has been deliberately felled."
If the did actually say that it confirms how frightened organisations are of offending someone by saying the blatantly obvious. For God sake, why try to be so politically correct when anyone can see it was felled deliberately.
Most likely it was done that night because it was so stormy and the sound of the chainsaw wouldn't be heard as easily. Must have been pre planned.
Jock
30 September 2023Stan, Quite right. Yes I can't possibly imagine how one might cleanly fell a large, isolated tree using a chainsaw accidentally!
Matt Dalby
01 October 2023DD, I'm not sure whoever felled the tree had much experience. Often when trees are felled a wedge is removed from one side of the tree to ensure it falls in the desired direction. Simply cutting through the base of the tree could lead to it falling unpredictably,
and possibly onto the feller, especially in strong winds. Having said that whoever did it clearly had access to a large chainsaw so the claims that have been made in the media that it was done as a Tik Toc prank by youngsters seem unlikely.
John Pickering
01 October 2023no need to fell the tree whatsoever but it's just a tree. I'm sure most people have more important things to worry about.
Plant another, problem solved.
Alan
03 October 2023J P
Another sapling has been planted, close to where the tree was cut down., but National Trust has dug it up.
They say it was planted illegally.
Mike V
03 October 2023#Alan, whoever planted the sapling probably did so with the best of intentions, but I have to agree with the national Trust's response. The sapling may have been of inappropriate species, may have come from diseased stock, etc. etc. , and it might have encouraged others to take similar actions elsewhere.
To JP I would say this: -
It might be "just a tree" to you, but planting another to replace it most definitely does not mean "problem solved".
That tree was over 200 years old. It was an iconic symbol, loved by many tens of thousands of people, who all had their various reasons for sentimental attachment with it.
A small replacement sapling that will take more than a person's lifetime to reach maturity will not attain a physical size or command a reputation comparable to the cut down tree during the lifetime of any person presently living!
Mike W
04 October 2023JPs comment (which I know is just fishing for reaction) is sadly consistent with so many 'head in the sand' views on climate, environment and nature degradation. The 'we'll fix it later' response is convenient to deflect attention from current actions, but is not and potentially (sooner than we may like to realise) cannot be the reality.
Yakherd
05 October 2023Seems it's not as ancient and venerable as first thought - the landlord planted it as a feature in the landscape around 1890. Still can't be easily replaced overnight.