New aerial pictures released by the National Trust show a thick ring of fresh growth around the stump of the famous Northumberland landmark.
Three years after the illegal felling of the Sycamore Gap tree caused shock and sadness across the country, new aerial images show the stump is flourishing, a strong sign that the tree is recovering.
Photographs shared by the National Trust show a dense ring of green shoots around the protected stump beside Hadrian’s Wall, now standing two to three feet tall. The charity says the growth follows its work to fence off the stump, reduce soil compaction around the roots and limit disturbance.
Andrew Poad, General Manager for the National Trust at Hadrian’s Wall, said: “These flourishing shoots are really encouraging and show that the special measures we’ve taken – including reducing soil compaction around the roots and limiting human disturbance – are paying off.
“We’re grateful to all the visitors who, through the care they are taking, are supporting our efforts to protect the tree and give it the best possible chance to thrive.”
The recovery marks a big change from the first signs of life. When regrowth first appeared, the National Trust found eight small and very fragile shoots at the base of the stump. The morning after the felling, Mr Poad had told the BBC that the stump looked very healthy and might regrow as a coppice, where new stems sprout from buds at the base to form a multi-stemmed tree.
A national landmark
The tree stood in a dramatic dip in Hadrian’s Wall near Milecastle 39, on land owned by the National Trust within Northumberland National Park. It was planted in the late 1800s by the then landowner, John Clayton, as a feature in the landscape. It was one of the most photographed trees in the country, was named England’s Tree of the Year by the Woodland Trust in 2016, and became known as the “Robin Hood Tree” after appearing in the 1991 Kevin Costner film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.
Justice for the vandals
A video found on Daniel Graham’s phone showed the sycamore being cut down at 12.30am on 28 September 2023. Prosecutors said Graham and Adam Carruthers had driven from Carlisle to the landmark during Storm Agnes.
A jury at Newcastle Crown Court found the former friends guilty in May 2025, and each was sentenced to four years and three months in prison. Both were convicted of two counts of criminal damage: one for destroying the tree and one for damaging Hadrian’s Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Celebrating the tree’s legacy
As the tree regrows, the National Trust continues to work with partners and local communities to celebrate its legacy. Projects include Heartwood, a series of artworks by artist Shona Branigan inspired by the tree’s unique fingerprint, and the Trees of Hope initiative. That scheme grew 49 saplings from the tree, one for each foot of its height, which were gifted to communities around the country. The Trust received almost 500 applications for them.
In May this year, Helix Arts and George King Architects won a public vote to create an artwork using half of the tree’s timber. Their design, The People’s Tree, is a joint project between the North Shields arts charity and the London architecture studio. Stories and audio gathered through the project will be shown in exhibitions and workshops held to the north, south, east and west of Sycamore Gap. The main section of the trunk has already been installed at the gateway to Northumberland National Park.
Mr Poad added: “We’re monitoring the tree closely and, over time, our rangers will manage it depending on how it develops. But for now, we’re filled with hope by the way nature is taking its course.”
