Country diary: My favourite tree in this hamlet | Mark Cocker

Knotbury, Staffordshire: This wind-felled elder seems to be hanging on, held upright by what strength remains in its seven rotting limbsIt might not sound much to describe a particular elder as my favourite tree in this hamlet, given that it's about the only native tree growing here. The exposed conditions of these moorlands (which include Flash, England's highest village) are not conducive to many species, and this elder is probably close to its own altitudinal limit.Yet each time I visit, I pay my respects. What gives the tree its favourite status are its curious conditions. Half the roots are exposed in a moss-mounded semi-circle and it is now only held "upright" by what strength remains in seven rotting limbs that are flat to the ground. Three branches comprise the main living tissue and are raised skywards, but at an angle of 60 degrees. Continue reading...