tree – Filey

Fishtive Tree 2020

William Rusling — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 17:29:51 +0000

The Filey Fishtive tree has been lit, but sadly in line with the times, there was little or no ceremony. However, it is still quite a sight, made as it is from lobster pots, dressed with fishy bunting and topped by a golden salmon. Although it is only the fourth year that the tree has appeared on the Coble Landing, the fishtive tree has already become a much-loved institution.

The inspiration for the tree came from Ullapool in Scotland. A Filey resident saw Ullapool’s creel tree and proposed the idea to the area’s tourism association. Local fisherman were asked whether they could supply the pots and the tree made its first appearance on the Coble Landing in 2017. The name fishtive tree came from one of the pupils of Filey Junior School when they were designing a poster for the event.

The tree will remain lit during the hours of darkness until early January. Visitors are invited to make donations, which, along with generous sponsorship, will help ensure that the tree will return next year. Any surplus funds will be donated to projects involving young people in the town. There is a GoFundMe page for those who cannot make the journey to Filey in this year of restrictions. Additionally, there is a live webcam of the tree.

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Ullapool’s magical tree that inspired Filey’s

William Rusling — Thu, 19 Dec 2019 06:30:23 +0000

The inspiration for Filey’s ‘Fishtive’ Tree came when a Filey resident saw the Creel Tree at Ullapool on the west coast of Scotland. Made from 340 prawn creels, the tree is nearly thirty feet high. It was first erected in 2016 and it has gone on to become the focal point of the town’s Winter Festival that runs across a weekend in late November/early December. Highlights have included a Christmas market, torch light parades, a pop-up ice skating rink, a ‘northern lights’ concert featuring the Finnish composer Sibelius and, of course, the tree switch on. The winter festival is organised by the Ullapool community group ‘Fire and Light’.

Ullapool Creel Tree

The idea for Ullapool’s tree came when one of the member’s of Ullapool’s Fire and Light group visited Rockland, Maine, on the east coast of the United States. They hold an annual Festival of Lights in late November, the centrepiece of which is a ‘lobster trap tree’. Lobster trap trees in front gardens have apparently been appearing along the New England coast for quite some time. However, the first large scale tree is thought to have been at Gloucester, Massachusetts, where in 2001 they built a 40 feet high tree. Many communities have followed suit and there is now a tree trail people can follow along the coastline.

Rockland’s Lobster Trap Tree, Maine, USA

Another inspiration was Mousehole, a fishing village in Cornwall which draws in thousands of visitors every year for its own winter lights displays. The event began in 1963 when a Mousehole artist put up a string of coloured lights alongside the harbour. It captured the imagination of the local community and a wooden sea serpent appeared in the waters of the harbour. Today the display features 10,000 bulbs and costs around £20,000 per annum to run, the money is raised via public donations and fund raising events. It is certainly money well spent, the fishing village receives around 30,000 visitors during the four weeks the lights are lit. The village even has to set up a one way traffic system to deal with the traffic!

Mousehole Harbour Lights

The Ullapool tree also inspired a whisky tree on the tiny Isle of Raasay off the coast of Skye. It is built from fifty former sherry and bourbon casks and is constructed by the Raasay Distillery. They described themselves as ‘the first legal distillery on the Isle of Raasay’, they began distilling in 2017. The Raasay Distillery aims to produce the finest Hebridean single malt Scotch whisky and a unique whisky destination with arguably the best view from any distillery in Scotland. Quite a challenge! The first bottle will be released in 2020.

Raasay Distillery Tree

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Fishtive Tree Lit

William Rusling — Tue, 10 Dec 2019 18:20:09 +0000

Filey’s Fishtive Tree was lit on Saturday in front of a packed Coble Landing. The tree, made from lobster pots, is now into its third year. It has become something of an institution and indeed Christmas at Filey without it would now be unthinkable. The tree nestles among the boats of the Coble Landing and is built by local fishermen. The bunting has been made by a variety of school and local groups.

The tree is a magnet for photographers and sightseers alike. The tree will be lit during the hours of darkness from now until the first week of January.

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Filey’s Fishtive Tree 2019

William Rusling — Mon, 04 Nov 2019 00:37:53 +0000

Filey’s Fishtive Tree is set to be unveiled on Saturday 7th December. The ‘tree’ is quite a sight, made as it is from lobster pots, dressed with fishy bunting and topped by a golden salmon. Although it is only the third year that the tree has appeared on the Coble Landing, the fishtive tree has already become a much-loved institution.

The unveiling will commence at 5pm with songs from the Ebor Academy Choir. The lights in the tree will be officially switched on by 6pm. In case the real stuff does not put in an appearance, fake snow has been ordered.

The tree will remain lit during the hours of darkness until 2nd January. Visitors are invited to make donations, which, along with generous sponsorship, will help ensure that the tree will return next year. Any surplus funds will be donated to projects involving young people in the town.

The fishtive tree is organised entirely by volunteers. Should you wish to help out in any way, the organisers can be connected via the fishtive tree Facebook page.

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