Sycamore Gap and the "Robin Hood Tree" on Hadrian's Wall
Nestled within a gap along the Great Whin Sill, Sycamore Gap is a natural amphitheater located on Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland, England between Milecastle 39 and Crag Lough, about 2 miles west of Housesteads Roman Fort . This section of the 73-mile wall follows the edge of a cliff and has several sharp dips in it caused by melting glacial waters - the tree occupies one of those dips. The wall and adjacent land, including the site of the tree, is owned by the National Trust and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the area not just for its fascinating history but also for its dramatic views of the surrounding countryside. Sycamore Gap - which is visible from the roadway though at a pretty good distance - gets its name from a towering sycamore maple estimated to be over 500 years old. Actually I'm rather impressed with the following photo that I took from a moving car! Located in the middle of the dramatic dip in the landscape with Hadrian's Wall ris