The appearance of a gnarled, twisting crown of a veteran oak is perhaps unrivaled. A romantic site, such old oaks have an almsot evocative presence for man. Thoughts of the sites the tree has seen (including the clearance of those around it!), weather events endured, and the stories it could tell if it could speak.
Existing before my lifetime and very likely still existing after, old trees are vanguards of history.
This oak I find particularly alluring. Its growth form is incredible, and its sheer presence was enough to make me force my girlfriend to stand by it to compare its size to that of a 5’7″ human being!
No doubt plenty more like this exist within the landscape, and this woodland alone had plenty of fantastic trees to offer. One huge Cedrus libani by the visitor centre almost stood as a sentinel, forever gazing over the thousands who grace its presence each year. This oak certainly has fewer visitors, given it is off of the beaten path, though that doesn’t make it any less special – perhaps even more so.
Arboriculture 