Arguably the most famous tree in the country and certainly the best-known in Northumberland, Sycamore Gap stands alone in a dramatic dip between two hills on Hadrian's Wall.
A recent study declared it one of the top ten winter walks in the UK, at number five no less, with it being dubbed a "muddy yet scenic walk." And while I'd agree with scenic, muddy wasn't the biggest problem with my trip there in the middle of December.
My partner and I decided to tackle the stretch of Hadrian's Wall the morning after a stargazing experience at the Twice Brewed Inn. The UK had just come out of a cold snap that saw temperatures dip far below zero - when stunning photos of the Geminids Meteor Shower were captured over the famous tree on December 14 by photographer Wil Cheung, the temperature was -9°C.
Read more: I visited a Northumberland Roman temple frozen in time and it was magical
It was a much toastier 0°C when we visited, though the conditions on the trail were challenging, to say the least. For those who have never visited Sycamore Gap, let me tell you it is far from a flat route.
While there are a few paths and routes you can take from the Twice Brewed Inn, the Sill, or the nearby Steel Rigg car park, none of them are without steps or an incline. And after the temperatures were so low, climbing up uneven steps on Hadrian's Wall isn't the most blissful winter walk experience - though it is a lot of fun.
We set off on the marked path from the Sill under grey skies, swirling winds and several sheep looking at us and shaking their heads disdainfully. The first challenge was getting up to where Hadrian's Wall snakes along the Whin Sill.
The steps had frozen overnight and after watching a group ascend very slowly and gingerly in the distance before us, we followed suit, holding on to every bit of exposed rock that we could find that wasn't glistening with ice. We were overcome with relief when we reached the top, and made a mental note to take a different route back, unlike the couple we met at the top of the stairs about to descend.
Wishing them luck, we carried on alongside the wall with spectacular views out to Crag Lough, as the ice beneath our feet crunched from the thousands of shards those up earlier than us had smashed it into. Some of the pools and puddles hadn't been broken, so we avoided them much like the first dip we came to, which was marked with stone steps encased in ice either side of a gate, meaning we missed out on seeing Roman Milecastle 39.
From this part of the upper path, it was just a quick walk across the grass to the more even middle path, though that still had a few ice rinks of its own. After hopping over a stile and navigating a few boggy bits of grass to get round the ice, the tree came into view, stripped of its leaves, yet still with just as much grace and grandeur of any man-made landmark - no wonder it's the most photographed spot in the whole of the National Park.
We spent some time by the tree, spotting a smaller one over the wall behind it, before deciding we weren't brave enough to scale the other side of the gap for a different perspective of Crag Lough. Instead, we took the bottom path back towards The Sill hoping after a slight descent it would be a stress-free stroll.
How wrong we were! This was probably the most difficult path of the three as large sections were covered in sheet ice - how neither of us fell as we edged our way across the shiny pools, I'll never know.
But luck was on our side and as we walked the last stretch down to the road snowflakes started to fall, capping off a challenging winter walk to one of Northumberland's most iconic landmarks.
In the summer months, you can walk from Twice Brewed Inn or the Sill to Sycamore Gap in under half an hour. Because of the weather conditions, our walk took a bit longer, perhaps closer to 35 or 40 minutes each way.
I'd definitely recommend doing the walk at any time of year but in icy conditions and cold weather it's important to make sure you're prepared first. Have a sturdy pair of walking boots and make sure you're wrapped up warm.
However, the most important part is to know your limits - there were parts of the path that we immediately ruled out even attempting. That may have made the walk longer, but not as long as waiting for Mountain Rescue would have been!
And once you've finished the walk, treat yourself to a pint of award-winning beer at the Twice Brewed Inn or go to the café in the Sill, the official visitor centre for Northumberland National Park. The views from the latter are stunning and looking out from those huge floor to ceiling windows puts into perspective the walk you've just done - though the tree is obscured from there.
The food is good too, with many of the tray bakes and cakes home made. For roughly £12, we got two cheese scones, a coffee and hot chocolate, and a mince pie which felt thoroughly deserved as we warmed us up ahead of heading back to Newcastle, refreshed after a challenging but stunning winter walk.
What's your favourite winter walk in Northumberland? Let us know!
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