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A Game of Thrones filming location has been wrecked by a storm

The avenue was used for Arya's escape from King's Landing

Christopher Hooton
Friday 29 January 2016 17:15 GMT
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(Northern Ireland Tourist Board/Karenann Toney)

The Dark Hedges of Co Antrim, Northern Ireland have been damaged by Storm Gertrude, with some of the ethereal trees that line the avenue being ripped out of the ground.

The lines of beech trees were planted by the Stuart family in the eighteenth century and have become one of Northern Ireland’s most photographed natural phenomena.

They were so beautiful in fact that Game of Thrones location scouts chose them for filming in season 2, the trees leaning over Arya Stark as she fled King’s Landing on the King’s Road disguised as a boy.

The fallen trees are currently in the process of being removed.

(Picture: BBC)
(Picture: BBC)

Northern Ireland has served as basecamp for the HBO show in its five seasons to date, bringing a good deal of employment and tourism to the country.

The Queen visited in 2014, but cruelly for fans approached the Iron Throne but didn’t actually sit on it.

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