For at least a decade, Dark Hedges, a short, tree-lined path near the town of Ballymoney in Northern Ireland, has welcomed hundreds of tourists every day. In most cases, these are people who are enthusiastic about the TV series Game of Thrones (Game of Thrones): in fact, Dark Hedges appears in the collective only once in the entire series – especially in the first episode of the second season It has now become “Game of Thrones Street” and one of the most photographed places in the country.
The centuries-old beeches that surround the path were planted more than two hundred years ago: they adorn both sides of the path and over time have curved inwards, intertwined with each other and formed a natural arched tunnel that plays suggestive games with the path creates shadow and light between the branches. However, Northern Ireland’s Department of Infrastructure announced on Tuesday the start of work that will result in the felling of six of these beech trees for safety reasons. The felling of another tree is also being considered, while tree trimming work is planned for four more.
The potential danger posed by the Dark Hedges trees has been known for some time: research published in June last year and cited by the Guardian found that 11 of the 86 trees lining the route are currently in poor condition and Urgent intervention is needed to prevent them from crashing and endangering the safety of tourists.
The beech trees around Dark Hedges are on private property. They were planted by the Stuart family in the 18th century to impress visitors entering the Gracehill House estate. Her age is estimated at around 250 years. Beech trees generally have a lifespan of 150 to 200 years. The path also appears in the film Transformers – The Last Knight and was originally covered by 150 beech trees.
