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Iconic tree at Hadrian's Wall's 'Sycamore Gap' has been 'felled'

hexham-courant.co.uk

101–110 of 209 posts

Re: Iconic tree at Hadrian's Wall's 'Sycamore Gap' has been 'felled'

#101

So? It's just a tree, why should we care about it just because a random person planted a seed a hundred years ago?

Yes, it's just a tree. A new tree can grow. The Philistine instagrammers will be disappointed. So sad. It's not a Roman tree. A new tree literally grows (on) trees.

As someone reasonably local to this tree, I can tell you that everyone here is pissed off. The anger is fuck all to do with Instagram.

Re: Iconic tree at Hadrian's Wall's 'Sycamore Gap' has been 'felled'

#102
post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I find it hard to believe a 16yo can fell a big chunky tree all on his own - although I guess I don't know how powerful modern chainsaws are.

The height and weight distribution of late teenage males is quite smeary ( https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/data/set2clinical/cj41c071.... ). Eye-balling this, the 90th percentile 16 year old is about as tall as the 80th percentile 20 year old, and as heavy as the 75th percentile 20 year old. Conversely, the 50th percentile 20 year old corresponds to like the ~55th percentile 16 year old in height and like the 75th p…

While true, this isn't the right way to analyze this. The right question is how much strength or size is necessary to operate a modern powerful chainsaw with a sharp chain. The answer is "not much". You need to be able to position a ~15 lb (7 kg) saw at waist height for a few seconds until each of three cuts is started. With a sharp saw, the forces are negligible after that for 2 of the 3 cuts required. With good technique, you can even use leverage against the trunk for the one short upward cut. There is considerable skill involved, but brute strength is not a requirement. While you are presuming a male 16-year-old here, I wouldn't be surprised if most female 14-year-olds were physically strong enough.

Re: Iconic tree at Hadrian's Wall's 'Sycamore Gap' has been 'felled'

#103

I'm sure you can do "tooth pattern CSI" on a chain saw cut to prove which chain saw made it.

Sounds like the start of "The Wall", a series in which the remnants of a felled tree are found exactly over the border of England and Scotland, forcing an English and a Scottish detective to work together. The English one is a working mom with a deadbeat husband and a past of drug abuse, the Scottish one is an divorced, alcoholic middle-aged man with estranged children. Both have "come to grips with ..."

Free after https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bridge_(2011_TV_series)

Re: Iconic tree at Hadrian's Wall's 'Sycamore Gap' has been 'felled'

#104
post #90
post #87

Teenager arrested: https://news.sky.com/story/sycamore-gap-iconic-tree-at-hadri...

I find it hard to believe a 16yo can fell a big chunky tree all on his own - although I guess I don't know how powerful modern chainsaws are.

It would be easy, that tree is small compared to what I've seen the tree murderers get up to with redwoods.

Re: Iconic tree at Hadrian's Wall's 'Sycamore Gap' has been 'felled'

#105
post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Low probability does not mean zero probability, and the vast majority of an investigator's job is dealing with low probability events. Journalists want them to make definitive statements about things that occurred just hours earlier, and their experience says that don't yet know enough to make such a definitive statement. Give 'em a break :)

Given how widely known this tree at Sycamore Gap was, you’d have to be the stupidest person alive to accidentally cut it down. There are literally no other trees nearby.

Yes. Zero probability. Just look at this pictures from the different sides of the gap:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hadrianswall-60-Syca...

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Looking_Southwest_to...

Re: Iconic tree at Hadrian's Wall's 'Sycamore Gap' has been 'felled'

#106
post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To be fair though, 1800 is a while ago, especially for wooden construction. But I've lived in a wooden house that was built in 1625 that probably was on it's fifth renovation by 1800. And it still stands today.

Pfft, in Italian terms 1625 is like, yesterday. I got married in a church built in the IX century, half the central buildings in my hometown are from 1300-1400. And we're just nouveau riche compared to Roma.

Yes, Italy (and Greece too as well as parts of Croatia) are amazing in that way.

Re: Iconic tree at Hadrian's Wall's 'Sycamore Gap' has been 'felled'

#107
post #95
post #87

Teenager arrested: https://news.sky.com/story/sycamore-gap-iconic-tree-at-hadri...

What's the right punishment for a case like this? Does anyone believe that full rehabilitation is possible, and that a teenager who does this will later come to realize the error of their ways and become be a valuable contributor to society sufficient to make up for this? Or is the sole goal a punishment that will deter others from doing similar anti-social deeds?

Most likely yes - most young people do very stupid things for little other reason than lack of attention or simply anger angst the world.

Growing up, people oft realize that they themselves make that worse - or just continue to blame the world for everything.

Then again, some people do not gain any wisdom as they age - and live like they're 10 - forever.

Re: Iconic tree at Hadrian's Wall's 'Sycamore Gap' has been 'felled'

#108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I believe you but I find it hard to imagine that something like this would go without serious consequences. Here in NL cutting down any tree, even if it is on your own land requires a permit. Doing it without a permit to a vandalize a valuable piece of heritage should not be without consequences.

You've misunderstood me. Cutting down this tree in the UK also needs permission. The question is only whether the landowner in question can or would be tied to the crime and punished. This is also an issue in the NL. I grew up in the UK but I've lived the most significant years of my life in the NL so I feel like I can speak a bit to both cases. If something happens in the countryside with noone around to see there's…

> And I know that this is HN and what I'm about to say doesn't quite meet general etiquette rules here, but the idea that farmers are somehow more controlled in the NL than elsewhere is laughable when the literal Farmers Party is one of the main political forces in the country.

No disagreement on that one, we're out of control to put it mildly. The next elections (which are soon) will be 'interesting' for all the wrong reasons.

Re: Iconic tree at Hadrian's Wall's 'Sycamore Gap' has been 'felled'

#109

local landowner* was getting cross with all the people coming to see it. I've had a couple of run ins with them walking the dog there * edit: i mentioned this on another forum and was corrected- the land is owned by the National Trust, my run ins were probably with a tennant farmer.

There were very few people there every time I've been, seems like a poor reason.

Re: Iconic tree at Hadrian's Wall's 'Sycamore Gap' has been 'felled'

#110
post #93
post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wish people would realize that their vacation photos should include, well, them. When I travel, I'm taking pictures of my family doing things, not the things they're doing. No one needs another generic copy of just the Eiffel Tower or the Statue of Liberty.

I don't want photos of me popping up in my holiday photos. I want things that reminds me of where I went, not my poor fashion choices when abroad!

I don't know why people don't just download a photo then?
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