Sycamore Gap is a location in Northumberland, England where a stretch of Hadrians Wall meets a valley, inside which there is a perfectly placed Sycamore tree.

Facts

Distance - 1km
Difficulty - Moderate
Time - Before dawn
Season - Autumn
Elevation - Slight

Trailhead

There are several options to walk to Sycamore Gap, but the closest is from Steel Rigg where there’s parking and access. From here the path follows Hadrians Wall, including its incline and descent, all the way to and beyond Sycamore Gap.

Photo Location

This photo is taken from the south perspective where there is open land facing the gap, allowing the tree to be perfectly framed by the surrounding two slopes.

Map

Outline

The walk from the parking at Steel Rigg to Sycamore Gap is short, but it does include some sharp inclines and descent as it follows the course of Hadrians Wall and is therefore suited to able bodied people.

Detail

The terrain is awkward in places, and because it is all grassland with some rocks it can flood when there is a lot of rain, turning the path into a mud-pit. It is not hard, but it can be tricky and care should be taken on such surfaces. When you get to Sycamore Gap itself you approach from the West and walk down a slope towards the gap. The path forces you to the South of the tree, which affords the perfect, iconic view.

What To Bring

This is a typically British countryside location, so the weather determines everything. The heat will require light clothing, but the cold and rain will require protection. What is important in any conditions is appropriate footwear and luggage. I carried my gear in my Wandrd VEER.

Gear

I used my Nikon Z 6 for this shot, with my Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. I stabilised the camera with my 3 Legged Thing Corey and Airhed ballhead. I carried my gear in my Wandrd VEER packable backpack.

Settings

This shot was taken at 1/20sec shutter speed and f/2.8, ISO 100. The focal length was 70mm. I added the moon and stars in post using Adobe Photoshop.

The information in this post is geared around how I got the featured shot, and as such the information may or may not be true to other seasons.

Sycamore Gap, England