Sycamoreless Gap

Some total asshatt has gone up to the military road overnight and hacked down the sycamore in what was sycamore gap.

(apologies for the clickbait local rag link)

https://www.hexham-courant.co.uk/news/23819352.sycamore-gap-northumberland-damaged-storm-agnes/

What the actual 😡 why would anyone do that?

Even by local rag standards, that’s piss poor reporting.

The tree has “fallen down overnight” ???

I’m no arborist but it looks to me very much like it’s been cut down.

Wtf

Article made me laugh.

“Appears to have fallen down” golly gosh I wonder how that happened? What a mystery. Anyone seen my glasses?

That’s made me really angry and upset.
🤬

“It is not clear currently whether the tree is a victim of Storm Agnes or it is a deliberate act – though pictures indicate a clean and straight cut.”

Really?

Ooh the article keeps changing.  Now they “have reason to believe it has been deliberately felled”.

Not so sure myself. Maybe a chainsaw was just blowing along in the storm? Or an extra strong gust of wind just snapped it cleanly off like broccoli?

I’ll be here all day hitting refresh on that article until they figure it out.

Well bang goes Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves 2.

Bastards.

I’m actually gutted by that. I’ve been up there loads of times and saw it a couple of weeks ago whilst driving to meet my Uncle at nearby pub. I was slightly excited every time I saw it. Its hard to explain why.

Mindless staff. Why would someone put effort into vandalism like that?

If it helps me and my chainsaw are free this afternoon to clear it up. Sycamore does burn well in my burner. Just sayin’

What the actual 😡 why would anyone do that?

I would start by looking at anyone who’s had a TPO slapped on them recently. Honestly its like the wild west up here sometimes. Next they’ll be shooting planning officers. Oh wait…

Walked Hadrians wall with my sister last year as part of her 60th birthday celebrations, her husband (Aussie) says that’s a “suicide” cut done by someone who doesn’t know how to cut down trees properly 🤔

Walked Hadrians wall with my sister last year as part of her 60th birthday celebrations, her husband (Aussie) says that’s a “suicide” cut done by someone who doesn’t know how to cut down trees properly 🤔

Its come clean off at the hinge without splitting, in the direction they wanted it to go (judging by the hinge location). Might not be the best cut ever but it did exactly what the feller wanted.

Why would someone put effort into vandalism like that?

Because, as hot_fiat quite correctly says, asshats. They’re bloody everywhere. FFS, completely pointless. And has very likely caused damage to the adjacent piece of the Wall as it fell. I hate people.

What it should look like.

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=782986813834028&set=pcb.782987443833965

Not so sure myself. Maybe a chainsaw was just blowing along in the storm? Or an extra strong gust of wind just snapped it cleanly off like broccoli?

Sorry it was my fault. Left a bunch of circular saw blades out and they just went flying.

More seriously. I know there are assholes out there but that one really is pushing it. Utterly mindless vandalism.

Beyond comprehension! Why on earth would anyone do this! Not like it’s an area someone is trying to build a house on! RAGE

Someone caught some footage of the asshats.

Looking at that picture a large part of the trunk is missing. The piece lying on the ground looks a lot thinner than the stump. Might just be the angle but if that is the case someone has cut it up…

EDIT – seen some pics from different angles now and it just looks like it’s been felled and left as is.

I would start by looking at anyone who’s had a TPO slapped on them recently.

What you did there….. I see it!

Looking at that picture a large part of the trunk is missing. The piece lying on the ground looks a lot thinner than the stump. Might just be the angle but if that is the case someone has cut it up…

Its just the angle. The hinge is still visible on the felled part, and if they’d cut it up they’d have made a right mess over the wall/ground too.

I would start by looking at anyone who’s had a TPO slapped on them recently.

What you did there….. I see it!

I was being serious though, I would bet its the recent recipient of a tree preservation order from Northumberland council thats decided to cut down Northumberland’s most famous tree. It’s exactly the sort of thing someone from round these parts would do.

Well bang goes Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves 2.

Worth it for that alone

better photos here

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-66947040

senseless. I love that walk along the wall, dripping in history. Sycamore gap was the perfect place to sit down, let the kids have a play and have some food. As someone above said, we loved glimpsing it on the drive along the military road.

sad times…

I was being serious though

I know.  And it’s utterly shite that some complete nobber has thought this is an OK think to do.

Very sad.

Hang on… weren’t sycamores only introduced to the UK after Robin Hood’s time?

I think that film may have historical inaccuracies.

Mental

What a total (insert expletive). If they catch the culprit a community order to plant 10,000 trees at their own expense would be too lenient.

WTF is wrong with people?

Really annoyed by this. Thought it was a joke at first.

I have no words.

WTF, how are places named in Google? Some sick f*** has changed it to..

Well I laughed.

What Drac said.

some ****s around. ‘Luckily’ Syccies are pretty much weeds, won’t take long for a newly planted one there to shoot up.

On the suicide cut stuff – not far wrong looking at the photos on BBC. It’s a shit job by someone who doesn’t really know what they are doing. That notch is way too shallow and the hinge way too thin for a tree of that size. And it doesn’t look like the hinge is along the edge of the notch cut so probably a poorly cut notch where the two cuts haven’t met.

Rush job in the night obvs but does smack of local farmer / landowner rather than an arborist.

Plus no reason why it couldn’t have been felled in the other direction away from the bloody wall.

But why? It’s not as if it was holding up some Grand Designs mega build or blocking someone’s view.

It’s absurd. Presumably there is a motive behind this, someone who doesn’t like tourists?  I’d like to think they will be able to find telltales from the chainsaw cut, a damaged tooth etc and the type of chain might be possible to work out.

If there is any damage to the wall they could be prosecuted for damaging a scheduled monument I think.

You are **** kidding me

What sort of crime are we looking here? If the police catch them, what charges could they be looking at?