An intrepid group of tree surgeons has climbed the 135-year-old Ardkinglas Grand Fir to accurately measure the tree’s height – and discovered that it is the tallest tree in Britain.

The Grand Fir (Abies grandis) at Ardkinglas Woodland Garden, Cairndow  proudly held the title of the tallest tree in Great Britain for many years, but that title was last year taken by the Stronardron Douglas Fir in Glendaruel at an accurately-measured 63.79 metres tall.
Climbing the Ardkinglas tree on Thursday April 8 were tree surgeons Iain Campbell Duncan of ICD Tree Services, Tarbert and Alastair Cameron from Furnace, accompanied by Chris Betts and Jai ‘Digger’ Gardner. They were supported on the ground by Dougie Cameron, the experienced Mid Argyll contractor.
The ascent, which also involved some minor tree surgery, was originally planned for April 1, but  poor weather conditions forced  its postponement.
The team was also raising funds for the Scottish Air Ambulance and Erskine Hospital as part of the climb. The current total stands at £500, but there is still time to donate, either at the Tree Shop, Cairndow, or directly to Ardkinglas Estate.
But what was the tree measured at?
The Grand Fir is 64.24 metres in height, which makes it the tallest tree in Britain.
The tree was planted as a sapling around 1875. Other events around that time include the Battle of the Little Big Horn in Montana; Alexander Graham Bell demonstrating his telephone to Queen Victoria, and Tchaikovsky completing the music for Swan Lake. The Dunoon Observer and Argyllshire Standard (then known as the Argyllshire Standard and Advertiser) was also then a mere sapling of four years old.
Britain’s tallest tree can be seen at Ardkinglas Woodland Garden, where favourable growing conditions lead to the exceptional size and longevity exhibited by many of the coniferous species introduced by 19th century plant-hunters. Other champion trees at Ardkinglas include 'the mightiest conifer in Europe', a remarkable European Silver Fir (Abies alba) with a girth of nearly ten metres, the Patagonian Cypress (Fitzroya cupressoides), Hinoki Cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa), Western Red Cedar (Thuya plicata) and Jeffrey’s Hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana var. jeffreyi).
For further information, check out the Ardkinglas Estate website at www.ardkinglas.com or call 01499 600261.

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