It was decided to destroy, or at least “adjust” one of the attractions from the Game of Thrones series, where tourists flocked. We are talking, as the Guardian reports, about the famous avenue of old beeches in Northern Ireland, known as Dark Hedges. At least six of its trees must be cut down, as they create a risk of falling branches, which is especially dangerous when there are crowds of people in the alley.
Authorities have now closed Brega Road in Armoy, County Antrim, where the landmark is located, to prepare for the felling of at least six ancient beech trees considered a risk to public safety.
“This decision was not taken lightly, but although the historic value of the alley is unsportsmanlike, the safety of road users is of paramount importance,” the region’s infrastructure department said in a statement.
The real history of the avenue is that the beeches were planted around 1775 as an avenue at the entrance to the Gracehill House estate. Then the alley became famous in the series “Game of Thrones”, where it “performed the role” of Kingsroad. To attract additional tourists, Northern Ireland organized shows and bus tours from Dublin and Belfast airports, tourists posed en masse for photographs here, but there was a significant risk.
It’s all about the age of the trees. At the moment they are about 250 years old. The typical lifespan of such trees is 150 to 200 years, the researchers add. They note that a survey carried out in June found that 11 of the 86 trees along the route were in poor condition and required urgent attention. Six will simply have to be cut down; with a few more, the possibility of restoration work will be assessed. The remaining trees will be monitored, the infrastructure department said.
Local activists would rather welcome the measure. Thus, Bob McCallion of the campaign group Save the Dark Hedges welcomed the intervention as “an overdue prioritization of safety over-tourism”.
“The failure to remove dead branches since 2016 has increased the risk of accidents. There have already been problems: they fall on the road even in calm weather. The risk factor is very high given the concentration of visitors congregating under the trees. We hope that Dark Hedges will become a safe place for both locals and tourists to visit,” he said, also calling for the removal of dead wood from the remaining trees.
Mervyn Storey, Ballymoney councilor and chairman of the Dark Hedges Conservation Trust said it was sad to lose six trees but the work would “balance the safety and aesthetic appeal of Dark Hedges”. “Combined with better traffic management, this should allow us to love and appreciate this place for many years to come.”