Tiny 'Lonely Tree' vies with UK giants to be crowned Britain's best

A SMALL, slightly bedraggled tree next to a Welsh lake is in the running to be crowned the UK's most iconic.

- ANDREW FORGRAVE

The Lonely Tree of Llanberis is easily the smallest and youngest in this year's Tree of the Year competition, but it has quickly become one of the most photographed in Britain.

Perched over pebbles in Llyn Padarn, and framed by Eryri's mountains, the young birch has survived against the odds to become a cherished local landmark.

Ten rare, ancient or at-risk trees across the UK have been shortlisted in the Woodland Trust's 2025 competition. They include a cedar tree climbed by The Beatles, an oak that may have inspired Virginia Woolf, and a lime representing peace in Northern Ireland.

Another entry is the Borrowdale Yews at Seathwaite, Cumbria, which were immortalised by Wordsworth more than 200 years ago. Like the King of Limbs, in Savernake Forest, Wiltshire, which inspired the name of Radiohead's 2011 album, these trees dwarf the diminutive Llanberis entry.

Yet the Woodland Trust said that, despite lacking in stature, it is "a photographer's dream". The charity added: "Its bent, stretching shape has contorted in response to harsh weather conditions, making it a symbol of resilience and a fascinating focus for the lens through all seasons.