New woodland planted in honour of Sycamore Gap

Artist Lucy Pittaway has helped plant more than 1,000 trees on the Swinton Estate in North Yorkshire

More than 1,000 trees have been planted to create a new woodland inspired by the Sycamore Gap tree.

Artist Lucy Pittaway, from Richmond, promised to plant a sapling for every copy of her painting of the Northumberland landmark sold after it was illegally felled in 2023.

The mix of sycamore, oak, cherry and crab apple will grow on the Swinton Estate in Masham, North Yorkshire.

The new plantation has replaced dozens of trees lost to larch blight disease and will form a visitor trail that will open in the spring.

The Sycamore Gap tree was felled from a gap in Hadrian's Wall

Ms Pittaway said: "It was incredibly important to me that what we are creating here at the beautiful Swinton Estate should be a lasting and fitting memorial to the felled Sycamore Gap tree."

There will also be sculptures and artworks included in the trail.

Bird's nest sculptures that form part of the trail

The two ends of the trail are marked with gateways made of large rings surrounded by a bridge of larch logs, while inside the trail are hanging wicker pod sculptures, made by artist Jess Wilkinson to look like birds' nests.

The pods are fitted with hidden cameras that will observe any wildlife that makes its home in the sculptures.

Felicity Cunliffe-Lister, who owns the Swinton Estate where the woodland is located, said: "We hope that the connection to Lucy's beautiful painting brings many people to this new woodland as it matures over the coming years.

"For one tree to inspire the planting of 1,000 more is absolutely remarkable."

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