Visit the Oldest tree in Britain

The Fortingall Yew tree is said to be the oldest tree in Great Britain and is estimated to be between 1500 and 3000 years old.  Modern experts estimate it to be around 2000 years old and it is thought that it may be parts of the remains of a post-Roman Christian site.  Others have suggested it may be a 5000 year old tree!  Whatever its age it still remains that it is one of the oldest trees in Europe and possibly the oldest in the UK.

The problem about trying to age the tree is that  through natural decay it has lost the heartwood rings that would establish the true age of the ancient yew tree.

The yew tree has been cut, and even burnt in the past and it has the look of several smaller trees, however the main trunk is underground and all come from the same tree roots.