The silver birch tree in the back garden was the tallest tree in the immediate area and it was quite nice to be able to see when coming home on the train. However, it was also right next to the house so to reduce the risk of roots getting into the foundations or branches damaging the roof it needed to be cut back.
It’s a bit more of a reduction than was planned but it was dictated by the growing points of the tree. The leader has now been taken back down below the level of the rest of the crown so as it regrows it should broaden out rather than head straight upwards again.
The day before it was cut I made a point of climbing it, as a boy I knew all the routes up the tree at the bottom of our garden so I owed it to my younger self to make my way up this one. It was fairly easy and the view from the top was well worth it.
At this point I’m standing about where the new top of the tree is.