Artist creates woodland trail in memory of Sycamore Gap tree

A popular artist has planted saplings to create a woodland in memory of the felled Sycamore Gap tree.

Lucy Pittaway decided to act after being devastated by the sight of the fallen tree which had stood for 200 years beside Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland.

The famous tree, popular with artists and photographers as it stood in a distinctive dip in the landscape, was felled in September and a police investigation continues.

Ms Pittaway has begun creating an area of woodland on the Swinton Estate near Masham, North Yorkshire, which had previously been devastated by larch tree blight.

The Sycamore Gap tree inspired artists for years (Owen Humphreys/PA)PA Archive/PA Images - Owen Humphreys

She said: “Like everyone else I was so saddened to hear about the felling of the tree.

“To now see this new woodland coming to life is wonderful and I’m so grateful to everyone who has helped us come this far.”

Based at Brompton-On-Swale, North Yorkshire, and with galleries across the North, Ms Pittaway holds the title of Britain’s most popular published artist.

She recalls visiting Sycamore Gap as a child and the lasting impression it made on her work.

After the devastating destruction of the tree, she painted an image of it with a Northern Lights backdrop and sold 2,400 prints, making a donation for legacy woodland from the proceeds.

Felicity Cunliffe-Lister, owner of the Swinton Estate, answered the call for anyone with a suitable area of land to come forward and she joined Ms Pittaway in planting the first of the new saplings.

People were devastated when the tree was felled in September (Owen Humphreys/PA)PA Archive/PA Images - Owen Humphreys

“Like many areas of the countryside we have lost so many trees from larch blight and so regenerating the area through this project is a perfect fit,” the landowner said.

“I think we are appreciating more and more the importance of conservation and the positive impact that trees and the countryside have on our wellbeing.”

The first 600 saplings will be planted during April, mainly sycamore along with oak, rowan, hazel and other native trees, with hundreds more to follow in the coming months.

Visitors to the Lucy Pittaway Sycamore Gap Trail will be able to follow a woodland walk which will also feature artistic installations.

Ms Pittaway added: “I hope this is an area that can be used for relaxation for generations to come.

“If it can inspire people’s interest in art and the countryside then the legacy of the Sycamore Gap tree will be a positive one.”

Last month, the National Trust said seeds and buds rescued from Sycamore Gap tree are “springing into life” at a specialist conservation centre, giving hope the famous tree will live on.