Remembering Sycamore Gap

Remembering Sycamore Gap

Author: National Trust May 14, 2025 Duration: 28:49

On September 27th 2023, the famous Sycamore Gap tree in Northumberland was felled overnight in an act of vandalism, triggering a far-reaching wave of shock and sorrow. 

Join Heather Birkett, as she goes behind the scenes to explore the enduring impact of this beloved landmark, the aftermath of its loss, and the community’s efforts to preserve its memory.

This episode has been updated from an previous release; National Trust Podcast - Sycamore Gap |One Year on

[Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure.  Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more.  Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element, in the elements, at Cotswold Outdoor. 
www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/

Production
Host: Heather Birkett
Producer: Nikki Ruck, Katy Kelly, Pippa Tilbury-Harris
Sound Design: Nikki Ruck   

Discover more
To find out the latest information surrounding The Sycamore Gap Tree including The Trees of Hope campaign
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sycamore-gap

Find out what’s on in Northumberland Park and The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre
https://www.northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk/whats-on/

Follow Wild Tales on your favourite podcast app or on Instagram @wildtalesnt. If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected to our wild world, you can contact us at podcasts@nationaltrust.org.uk

There’s a story waiting in every landscape, a secret history woven into the hedgerows and hidden in the soil. Wild Tales | Nature Podcast, brought to you by the National Trust, goes beyond the guidebook to find those narratives. Each episode is a quiet exploration of the intricate connections between the natural world and our own place within it. You might find yourself listening to the surprising biography of a centuries-old oak tree, learning how coastal erosion reveals forgotten chapters of human history, or understanding the subtle language of birdsong at dawn. This isn’t just a catalog of facts; it’s an immersive audio experience that considers the science of a changing ecosystem alongside the cultural traditions it sustains. We visit specific places-ancient woodlands, rugged coastlines, and working farms-to hear directly from the people who know them best: rangers, historians, ecologists, and local communities. The result is a thoughtful collection of stories that change how you see the world outside your window. Tune into this podcast for a deeper sense of connection, a moment of calm reflection, and a renewed appreciation for the wild and historic places that shape our shared story.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 193

Wild Tales | Nature Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Warrior the War Horse | Survival Against the Odds [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:43
What happened to the animals who served in the First World War? Uncover the extraordinary story of Warrior the war horse who survived the Western Front. General Jack Seely's horse, Warrior, was anything but ordinary. He…
Halloween Special | Witches' Familiars [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:21
Is your cat the devil in disguise? Probably not, although they may act like it sometimes! But once upon a time, they would have been accused of luring you into witchcraft. In Britain in the 16th and 17th centuries witch…
Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers | New Series Trailer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:50
A new series of Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers is here. Awooo! Follow the adventures of Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers, a crew of colourful creatures who use their skills to solve curious cases. Beaver’s a super engineer.…
Nature Valley, Taiwan | Technology and the Wild [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:12
Taiwan is known for its technology — from the chips that power our phones to the satellites orbiting above us, but just beyond the city of Hsinchu, there’s a small forest that tells a different story. Trust in Nature Fou…
Sex, Death and Spiders [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:25
Warning: This episode contains the unusual mating habits of spiders. Autumn is the time for spiders, and the colder months mean our eight-legged friends are searching for something vital: sex. Join arachnologist Anna Mak…
Riverside Reflections | The Wey Navigations by Boat [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:30
Join producer and barge dweller Marnie as she leaves London’s canals behind to explore the Wey Navigations. Along the way, she meets the people who care for it, discovers its wildlife, and finds out why this waterway mat…
The Overview Effect with Luke Jerram and Tim Peake [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:25
On 20th July 1969 the world watched as humans first set foot on the Moon. More than half a century on, the view of Earth from space has given rise to a profound idea: the Overview Effect — the shift in perspective that a…
Plant Hunters | A Botanical Quest Down Under [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:27
In 2018 a team of intrepid explorers came in to the possession of a treasure map - one which would see them venture half way around the world to the Australian island of Tasmania. Those explorers were a team of garden ex…
Clowns of the Sea | The Colourful Lives of Puffins [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:07
On 10th August 1925 the Farne Islands came into the care of the National Trust. A hundred years on and this wildlife haven off the coast of Northumberland is home to a breeding colony of 23 different species of seabirds.…
The Return of the Eagle [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:00
The UK’s largest bird of prey is making a comeback. It’s now possible to spot white-tailed eagles, or sea eagles, as they’re also known, in many parts of the country thanks to an ongoing re-introduction programme. Join R…