The *right* tree

[Toddy]

I've been over the burn and watched some kids falling off their tree swing. I told them it was the wrong tree just as one kid had to be pulled up from 15foot down the bank after the branch tore off. It's a huge Plane tree (Sycamore) that's growing more or less straight up with only arm thick branches coming out sideways.
"Haw missus, what's the *right* tree then?" said one.
"I don't know," I replied, "but I'll find out."

So then, what *is* the *right* tree for a tarzan swing over a burn?

When I was little mine my swing was on an old Apple tree, but they're kind of rare round here now since no one wants to clear up after them and folks don't bake and cook the same anymore. My own sons played on an Ash tree but that went down in a gale years ago.

Cheers,
Toddy

[Fallow Way]

My folks like about 4 miles north of me, the other side of the Forest I`ve grown up on. Most weekend I go to see them and park next to two very very dear friends. They are stunted and knarled old Ash. It was a tradition with the kids in the area to begin in the small Ash and when your old enough, you were allowed to climb and sit in the larger one.

They really are showing their wear and tear now, mainly due to locals lopping bits off to fit their caravans under, the smaller one has not gorwn and all and there is epicormic growth gone wild. They always make me smile when I see all the ways up and down we used to use and I always feel the bark when I walk past as it is one of the oldest memories I have. :D

[david1]

"Haw missus, what's the *right* tree then?" said one.
"I don't know," I replied, "but I'll find out."

So then, what *is* the *right* tree for a tarzan swing over a burn?

Cheers,
Toddy

right tree Im not sure any tree strong enough will do but a good swing is a long one.
The higher the branch the longer the rope the better the swing. now it is posible to tie a rope between two trees and then hang the swing from that rope to get it in the right place over the lake :-)

I just might of spent way too much time making swings when I was younger. It did help that rope was always around.


David

[Salix]

We used to rob our rope from the local cricket field, much to the anger of the old boy that looked after it. Rope was a highly sought after commodity back then :) .
As for the right tree, i dont think there is one when your that young, as the thought of mortal damage very rarley comes into your head.........your indestructible :D As a grown up climber of trees, and a lot heavier than in my youf, i always feel safer in a big old beech or oak, quite dislike sycamore, especially when wet eurghh!!!

Mark

[Marts]

Ash or Yew I guess. They make great bows after all :)

[pierre girard]

I've been over the burn and watched some kids falling off their tree swing. I told them it was the wrong tree just as one kid had to be pulled up from 15foot down the bank after the branch tore off. It's a huge Plane tree (Sycamore) that's growing more or less straight up with only arm thick branches coming out sideways.
"Haw missus, what's the *right* tree then?" said one.
"I don't know," I replied, "but I'll find out."

So then, what *is* the *right* tree for a tarzan swing over a burn?

When I was little mine my swing was on an old Apple tree, but they're kind of rare round here now since no one wants to clear up after them and folks don't bake and cook the same anymore. My own sons played on an Ash tree but that went down in gale years ago.

Cheers,
Toddy


When I was young the tire swing was in a green ash tree. Green ash are unusual here, where black ash are the norm. Where I live now, the swing is suspended between two large black spruce trees, one rope to each tree,

For swinging out over the river when we were young, we had a rope in an elm which was at a 45 degree angle out over the river.

My brother has a river swing which hangs toward the top of a 150 foot virgin pine, with all the branches sheared off that side. You can get a long run and end up far out in the river.

[demographic]

Ths perfect tree was always far less important than the depth of the water underneath it :)

[stovie]

I went back up home a little while ago (I still think of Northumberland as home, even though I've not lived there for over 25 yrs) and took some pictures of my kids swinging over the same beck I used to swing over at their age. The tree is an Oak, and the branch is as strong as the day I fell from it tying the rope on. Don't think it's my rope though ;)