How old was the tree I wondered? I am no tree expert, so a little on-line research found an old Ordnance Survey map dating to 1886. There on the map was a line of trees, just where our specimen is. So at least 125 years old but probably much older. Companions to this tree can be spotted around the coombe where the camp site lies.
The tree has been pollarded in the past – now the management appears to be crown reduction, to keep the weight of branches down. With a hollow centre, large branches could break the tree apart.
The children and I loved climbing the tree. Height gives a different perspective of the world and it is always fun to call out to people whilst hidden up a tree. After the ash tree, the children then climbed some conifers and got really high off the ground. They enjoyed the sensation of the tree swaying in the wind but didn’t like the scratchy branches so much. They did report an empty nest though which reminds me of stories my dad told of tree climbing and egg collecting in the 1940’s. According to his brother (my uncle) he had gibbon like qualities and would climb the highest trees, carving his name at the top as proof of the ascent. His brother would climb the tree in disbelief, only to find AIF carved in a neat Roman script.
Which brings me to my last thought – is it ok to carve your name in bark? I suppose if you own or grew the tree it is. But at other times? Sometimes, it interesting to see old initials and hearts carved into bark (beech appear to be favourite canvasses) but raw lettering in a messy script much less romantic.
