Sycamore Gap - tree has been felled!

[NepheliLoux]

Looks like someone has deliberately felled the famous tree in Sycamore Gap. I can’t believe anyone would do such a thing. I don’t normally get emotional but this has really upset me. It’s absolutely irreplaceable.

Instagram and other social media has driven an increase in people visiting the area though. We see it all the time in the Lakes. People climbing into fields off paths etc to get a shot. Not actually looking at the landscape around them, just there for the image to post online.

This was my first thought too, if it is, they're not doing their cause any favours.

Some felled Sycamore Tree's in my local park have new growth from the strumps so im hoping that the tree will regrow. Obviously it will look different and will take a long time to grow but at least it will still be the same tree. So fingers crossed that it will hopefully be around for another 400 years.

No way. Not for something so old and iconic. I am an environmentalist and work in this sector. I have seen many colleagues and friends driven to the point of tears over this. I truly don’t believe a group would fell such a tree to make a point. Not this tree.

It's on the National Trail. You don't have to clamber through various fields to get to it.

This sort of supposition doesn’t help. We can’t go round pointing fingers at the farmer or anyone else. We need to wait and see what comes out from this.

I am devastated, but I’ve been devastated at a lot of the governments felling of ancient trees for bus routes and HS2. Other trees this age and older have been destroyed in the past few years. It’s all fucking mindless. Some people won’t be happy till we have nothing to eat but money.

It's on the national trail.

even if they catch whoever did it. I bet there is no jail term possible for felling a tree. It might be a £500 fine. This needs to change.

It was really easy to get a good photo of it. No clambering whatsoever.

It reminded me of the youths who toppled a boulder at Brimham Rocks. That was just a bunch if daft unthinking kids though. The felling of this tree is obviously premeditated and deliberate which makes it so much worse.

https://metro.co.uk/2018/06/13/bunch-idiots-destroy-320000000-years-history-stupid-seconds-7628443/

It could’ve been cut further up the tree. It was felled professionally when it was realised, according to the article I read (which may, or may not be true).

I really hope you're right, I have family members who also work in the sector who are equally horrified, but then there's always some idiots out there.

It would have been poetic justice if it had fallen on them.

Always thankful that The Idol is still standing, despite decades of school kids pretending to try toppling it!

Why, just why?? 😡

I hope I’m right too. But I just can’t see them killing something they want to defend. Maybe I’m being naive, but I really hope not.

Surely it was quite dark, wouldn't they have needed to bring up lights as well? This sounds very organised.

Wild guess: it was Banksy.

this has been done by an adult and it was planned. looks like bits of the trunk are missing and you will probably see them turn up on ebay or as log circles at someones wedding.

what is it with people these days that they look at something beautiful and instead of thinking how can I protect and preserve this they just think I want it or Im going to take it down look at me look at my power!

I couldn’t get worked up about this. It’s just a tree 🤷‍♀️

Could they take a cutting and plant a new tree from the old one?

This is fucking disgraceful, I hope they find who did it and find out why but I doubt they will.

Awful, we took photos of it when we went for a walk there, it is easily accessible to everyone, it must have been done by someone that knew what they were doing, rather than a random with an axe

Who would want it?

I might be wrong but someone told me the fine for felling a tree is actually more like 20k.

300 years old!