Finally, to brighten up this Bleak February, some camellias in flower in Postman’s Park near St Paul’s Cathedral - from a few weeks ago 🌺 #spring #nature #trees

Hoping to go back soon to snap some of the others in the book. But, did capture a few beauties in the grounds of Clare College.

Not a great time for tree spotting, definitely not at their majestic best - but on a flying visit to Cambridge and managed (between showers) to snatch a picture of No. 445, Tentacle tree, peeking over the wall from Emma’s Fellows garden

Not a great season for tree hunting, but as I was sat next to 175 Exhibition Ash in the lovely Whitworth Cafe I decided to tick it off the list (and its sculpted metal companion) #treehunting

Today’s tree, 179 Cemetery Oak, is in the vast Southern Cemetery. An amazingly shaped Oak Tree. The tree lined avenues are also stunning. The history and achievements behind the row after row of gravestones are a key part of Manchester’s history. #trees #cemetery #Manchester

Today we found no 194, White Nancy’s Handkerchief Tree. It was tricky to find, weaving along paths between cottages, but now we know the way we can come back for the flowers. Took the chance to climb White Nancy. #TreeHunting #Cheshire

The Druids Oak is 800 years old - can it help save tomorrow's forests?

Making the most of the bank holiday with a walk in Macclesfield Forest. Lots of trees to see and a hill to climb #Trees #Macclesfield #Forest

No. 167 Effluent Fig. An unexpected fig tree overhanging the River Irwell opposite the aptly named Treehouse Hotel #TreeHunting

A final one on the Didsbury tour. Tree 180, the Foggy Lime. Another spot I have taken the trees for granted over the years and never really taken in this row of limes which give the park and surrounding streets their distinctive character #treehunting #didsbury

Back to Fletcher Moss for Tree No. 181, Ye Olde Cock Tree. Another one I must have passed a thousand times without ever really seeing. It stands right opposite what used to be the legendary Steak and Kebabs restaurant. What it will have witnessed? #Trees #FletcherMoss #Didsbury #UrbanTrees

Next stop was the leafy oasis of Marie Louise Gardens in Didsbury, a place I’ve driven and walked past so many times without ever noticing. We found Tree No. 183, Marie Louise’s Chestnut, straight away. #Trees #Didsbury #MarieLouiseGardens #UrbanOasis

Chasing down the Brontosaurus gave us the chance to revisit Fletcher Moss and wander along the river to Northenden. Plenty of good trees to spot and paths to explore — a reminder of how much there is right on the doorstep. Loved the avenue of poplars. #Trees #FletcherMoss #Didsbury #UrbanNature

A day of local tree hunting in Didsbury. Not the best start — Tree No. 182, the Brontosaurus, was lost to a storm in 2024. Looking up old photos, we realised we do remember how striking it was. Today we found only the stump… but also a young weeping redwood sapling planted in its place. #Trees

A lovely walk in the sunshine from Poynton into Lyme Park and back. Explored some different paths and had a quick lunch in the park. Met some splendid deer on the way too #Cheshire #Walks

Also found this amazing square, its edges lined with beautiful London Plane trees. Such a shame it’s used as a car park — it would make a brilliant pedestrian space where more people could enjoy them. This is the site of No. 169, the Preservation Plane. #Trees #UrbanNature

I’ll need to come back in spring to see this one in its full flowering splendour. I think I’ve found the right tree — No. 168, the Blue Fox — one of the foxglove trees planted in St Peter’s Square around the tram stops. Looking good even without the blooms. #Trees #TreeHunting

Catching up on a few recent tree visits. First stop: Altrincham, with some extra steps to reach the well-established John Leigh Park. There we found No. 192, the Altrincham Puzzle,an unusual and striking beech tree. Worth the detour. #Trees #TreeHunting

Until Storm Floris on Monday, we were custodians of a majestic weeping willow. Sadly, the storm was too much for our ageing tree, and it fell dramatically but safely 🙏. It’s left a real gap in our garden and we’ve all lost a beautiful local landmark #StormFloris #WeepingWillow #TreeLoss #UrbanNature

This one’s been under my nose my whole life — Besty’s Oak, No. 193. Now I can’t help but wonder how much it’s grown in the 5 decades it’s been in my orbit and whether Besty himself had a fondness for his leafy neighbour. #Trees #Treehunting

A quick trip to London — and while we didn’t manage to tick off any official trees from the book, it was impossible not to notice just how many trees there are all around the city. So many sizeable, well established, and add so much to make London seem so green

Visiting Stockport’s other tree No. 190, the Pinch Belly Wingnut, led us to a splendid park just outside Stockport town centre that we’d never explored before. The tree itself was lovely. Always a bonus when tree hunting leads to unexpected finds. #Trees

Next stop: sunny Stockport. Amazing what’s right in front of you that you just don’t notice. No. 189, the Overbearer, is one of those trees I must’ve passed hundreds of times without really seeing it. Also spotted Stockport’s colourful recycled plastic mural while we were at it. #Trees

Among the treasures in the packed glasshouses of Glasgow Botanic Gardens, we came across a fascinating find, a prehistoric Wollemi Pine from Australia. Thought extinct until the 1990s. #GlasgowBotanicGardens #Trees

No. 106 the Kibble Palace Champion. A very unusual tree in a truly beautiful setting inside Glasgow Botanic Gardens. Definitely one of the more distinctive ones we’ve seen. We also loved exploring the garden’s glasshouses, full of surprises. #Trees

Today’s visit took us to the beautiful campus of Stirling University for trees No. 48 and 49. The Serpent Tree was a standout, definitely unusual, nestled between the lecture theatres. As for Wallace’s majestic oak… we weren’t quite sure which one was the one, so we admired both!

Thanks Loch Tay for so many adventures. A peaceful paddle by canoe spotting ospreys circling their nest, a glimpse of a crannog, and even a wild swim. Plus dinner at Tayside Marina, the perfect spot to soak it all in. #LochTay

A quick detour to Cruachan Dam and the Hollow Mountain — an incredible piece of engineering hidden inside the mountain itself. Sadly too late to do a tour. Great views across Loch Awe though. #Cruachan #HollowMountain #LochAwe

Back to trees a little off the beaten track. We explored Shian Wood Wildlife Reserve, part of Scotland’s coastal temperate rainforest. Lush with trees, incredible ferns, mosses, lichen, and fungi. This place was a lovely surprise, felt like another world. #Trees

Heading down the A828 alongside Loch Linnhe, we made a quick stop to take the steep path down for a view of Castle Stalker perched on its own little island in the middle of the loch. A classic Highland scene, well worth the climb back up. #CastleStalker

Every road trip needs a good bakery stop and Stiff Peaks Patisserie in Ballachulish was a delightful (and delicious) surprise. Great name, even better raspberry and pistachio frangipane. One to remember. #BakeryStop

Spot the coo! We went in search of the Highland cattle herd near the Glencoe Visitor Centre and eventually spotted them in the distance! Bonus: great food at the busy café and really good visitor centre which really brought Glencoe’s geological and human history to life. #Glencoe

A cloudy trip to Glencoe with the Three Sisters partially hidden, but still dramatic and hauntingly beautiful. The mist only added to the mood. Our walk was soundtracked by a bagpiper playing for the coach tours as they stopped at the viewpoints. #Glencoe #ThreeSisters

Today’s tree was a bonus: No. 25, the Rannoch Rowan. Looking a bit bedraggled in the mist, but still a striking sight perched high on a rock by the main road. Definitely a landmark… but not sure it counts as urban? #Trees

Final stop of the day: Loch of the Lowes Nature Reserve. We were lucky enough to spot ospreys, woodpeckers, deer, grebes (and humbugs) and, best of all, an elusive red squirrel who appeared just in time for a treat. A perfect ending to the day. #LochoftheLowes

A brilliant day of tree hunting in and around Dunkeld, from ancient legends to quiet riverside giants. Highlights included the huggable Parent Larch and the historic Birnam Sycamore. We ended with the Birnam Walnut (No. 34) 7 trees and lots of fun. A return trip for Neil Gow’s Oak is in order #Trees

Right next to the oak, the Birnam Sycamore (No. 33) makes a stronger impression. Much more striking in size and shape, a real presence by the river. Sometimes the lesser-known ones steal the show. #Trees

Another with a historical connection — No. 32, the Birnam Oak. A rare survivor of the ancient Birnam Wood from Shakespeare’s Macbeth. A bit underwhelming in person, tucked behind a housing estate by the River Tay, and easy to miss — but worth it for the story. #Trees

Our next encounter was an unexpected Monkey Puzzle Tree on the same path in the grounds of the Dunkeld House Hotel. #Trees

Went in search of No. 31 the Dunkeld Larch but took a wrong turn somewhere and ended up on the wrong path. We think we spotted it up in the canopy though (see if you can see it in the photo). Either way, it made for a lovely walk along the banks of the Tay. #Trees

No. 29 was the very huggable Parent Larch. It has a place in history too. Planted from seed in 1737 for Duke James of Atholl, it’s now one of the largest European larches in the UK and the last surviving of the original five trees. #Trees

We were led to another gem by our tree searching. Dunkeld Cathedral’s grounds, on the banks of the river Tay, are such a calm and relaxing spot. Here there are 2 trees. First up, No.30 Cathedral Christmas Tree🎄, a towering Nordman Fir (I think we got the one🌲🌲🌲 #trees

A delicious pitstop at the Aran Bakery www.aran-bakery.com billed as one of the best in Scotland. The Cardamon Bun did not disappoint. Tasted as good as it looks. The focaccia got the thumbs up too #bakerystop

Tree hunting is taking us to lovely spots we might have missed. The Hermitage near Dunkeld is one of those. Another stunning woodland walk to a waterfall. Here we also ticked off the Apprentice Fir (No. 36) - not quite sure we pinpointed the right one, but this was more than suitable 🌲#Trees

More yew trees surrounding the burial sites at the ruins of 17th century Finlarig Castle near Loch Tay. Haunted by the beheading pit next to the castle. The crumbling mausoleum and encroaching trees add to the eeriness. #trees

More trees. Next stop was the Birks of Aberfeldy. Made famous by Robert Burns and named for the Birches. Woodland has been here for around 8,000 years. A mix of species line the invigorating climb through the gorge to the breathtaking Moness Falls. Well worth the effort to get to the top. #Trees

Next, a superstar among trees and a real treat. Thought to be around 5,000 years old, the Fortingall Yew (No. 28) is one of the oldest living things on Earth. Hidden away in a peaceful village churchyard, it’s incredible to imagine the history this tree has witnessed. #Trees

Not in the book, and probably not even urban, but this tree in Killin, leaning out over the Falls of Dochart, is spectacular. Clinging to the edge with quiet determination. #Trees

Ran out of time in Stirling, so 48 and 49 will have to wait for another day. But we squeezed in a quick stop at No. 47 — the Retiring Sycamore — tucked away in a churchyard just off the A84. The church was closed, but the tree was enormous and full of character #Trees

Started our Scottish travels today with a visit to two sycamores 🌳 First stop: No. 50, the Stirling Sycamore — standing proudly in a peaceful park nestled in a genteel part of town. A beautiful shape and perfect spot to rest in the sun after the climb to Stirling Castle. #trees