Sycamore Gap
A lone sycamore once stood in a gap along the Wall. It was felled by vandals in 2023, and the spot remains a pilgrimage point on the Hadrian's Wall walk.
Sycamore Gap is a V-shaped gap between Peel Crags and Highshield Crags. The sycamore, about 150 years old, became famous after appearing in the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, and it was once named England's Tree of the Year. In September 2023, the ancient tree was cut down overnight by two men, which sparked outrage across the country, and the two were jailed in 2025. The stump remains on site and has sprouted new shoots. The National Trust has grown saplings from its seeds and distributed them across the country. Parts of the trunk were once displayed at The Sill. You can reach the spot on foot from Steel Rigg car park in about 20 minutes.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Steel Rigg & Crag Lough
- The Sill National Landscape Discovery Centre
- Vindolanda
- Housesteads Roman Fort
- Allen Banks & Staward Gorge
- Cawfields Quarry
- Walltown Crags
- Roman Army Museum