I have always been fascinated by windy trees. The first one I really noticed was on the top of a hillside in Cornwall. Im not referring to trees that are being blown around by the wind. I’m talking about individual trees that are often far from any other vegetation and stand proudly alone. With the trunk on one side and the branches and leaves off to one side, almost like it is frozen in time.
I have since learned that the reason these trees grow like this is not specifically because the wind is blowing them. They are more often than not found by the sea and it is the sea salt that is carried by the wind and sticks to the prevailing side of the tree. The salt stunts the new growth. However, the tree continues to grow despite its harsh environment. The result is a beautiful tree crafted by its environment. As a lover of wind sports I enjoy traveling to new locations and finding these trees – it means its going to be WINDY!
