Kew Gardens, at its most beautiful in autumnal splendour, unveiled a brand new attraction today: an 18-metre high walkway that will let visitors walk in the treetops. It won't be opening till May 2008, but I went along this morning for a sneak preview.
Designed by the team behind the London Eye, a visit to the 'Xtrasa Treetop Walkway' will certainly be a thrilling experience, with some truly breathtaking views. But it is also intended to get people closer to nature and more aware of the importance of trees as the 'lungs' of our planet.
As you ascend high into the tree canopy, you'll find yourself getting intimately acquainted with the flora and fauna of the Capability Brown woodland; brushing past leaves, encountering insects, birds, lichens and fungi. Just don't look down too quickly -- it's a very long way! Despite this, the structure has been designed to be fully accessible for those with disabilities.
But it's not just the tops of the trees that get all the limelight; once you've finished your tour, you it's time to visit the 'Rhizotron' (not, in fact, a character from Transformers, but a zone dedicated to examining the trees' roots). You enter through what looks like a giant crack in the ground, to discover the unseen, underground world of trees.
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