Salcey treetop walk

Salcey treetop walk was designed to provide sustainable, all-ability access to vantage points in the forest, to enhance ‘visitor experience’. The Royal Forest of Salcey is an excellent example of ancient woodland in the south of England, offering award-winning walking trails and opportunities to view a wide range of wildlife. The forest is a remnant of a medieval royal hunting forest, where a number of relics can still be found. There are miles of ancient wood-banks, some building remains and many ancient trees. The ‘Druids’ – or veteran oaks in Salcey – are rare wildlife habitats and some of the old oaks are believed to be more than 500 years old. The design remit for the walkway was to create all-ability access to the tree canopy, without damaging the environment – within a strict budget and short timescale. These parameters reduced many options but complete freedom was given to the designer to ensure rapid progress. The parameters given top priority were: site, materials, zigzag plan shape, no restraining guy ropes, minimal tree felling and branch cut, use of local materials and use of tried-and-tested components. Mechanical lifts were rejected at an early stage as the facility would be unmanned. Consideration had to be given to the future possibility and dangers of vandalism, while still trying to ensure that the walk would be exciting for both young and old visitors. This was particularly important for the handrail design and for the fundamental natural frequency of the structure. The structures provide 300 m of ramps at a slope of 1 : 12, winding through the forest and up through the canopy, to a platform at 15 m high and a ‘look out’ at 20 m. Steel structures were used for the high towers and long spans – however, local timber and advanced timber engineering was used wherever possible, to demonstrate sustainable forestry.