The Best Place to Cut Yews in OSRS
Old School RuneScape (OSRS) offers a wealth of activities for players to level up skills and earn OSRS gold, and woodcutting-specifically cutting yew trees-stands out as one of the most popular and rewarding. Yew trees require level 60 Woodcutting to chop, granting 175 experience per log, and their logs are in constant demand on the Grand Exchange for fletching, firemaking, and high alchemy. The key to maximizing efficiency, experience, and profit lies in choosing the right location.
Not all yew tree spots are created equal. The best locations balance proximity to banks (to minimize downtime), number of trees (to avoid waiting for respawns), and low competition (to cut uninterrupted). Whether you're a free-to-play (F2P) player just starting out or a member (P2P) looking to optimize your grind, there's a perfect spot for you. Below are the top locations to cut yews in OSRS, along with their unique advantages and tips.
Why Yew Trees Are Worth Cutting
Before diving into locations, it's important to understand why yew cutting is a staple activity for OSRS players. Beyond the 175 experience per log, yew logs are consistently profitable-with prices typically hovering between 500-600 GP per log, they offer a reliable source of in-game gold over time.
Yews also support cross-training: you can burn logs for Firemaking experience or fletch them into yew bows for Fletching gains, making them a versatile choice for players looking to train multiple skills at once. Additionally, the Forestry update (released in June 2023) made yew cutting more social and efficient, with group bonuses and predictable tree despawn timers.
Top F2P Locations to Cut Yews
F2P players have fewer options, but the best spots still offer solid efficiency and minimal competition when chosen wisely.
1. Edgeville (North of the Bank)
Edgeville is widely regarded as the best F2P spot for cutting yews, and for good reason. The cluster of yew trees sits just north of the Edgeville Bank, meaning you can deposit logs in seconds and return to cutting without wasting time on travel.
Competition here is surprisingly low, especially during off-peak hours. Many players in Edgeville are focused on combat in the Edgeville Dungeon or using the bank for other activities, leaving the yew trees relatively undisturbed. The spot has 2-3 yew trees, and with a yew respawn time of 59.4 seconds, you'll rarely wait for trees to regrow if you alternate between them.
2. Behind Varrock Palace
For F2P players near Varrock, the three yew trees north of Varrock Palace are a strong alternative. They're close to the Grand Exchange, making banking convenient if you're already in the area.
The downside is higher competition-this spot is popular among F2P players and sometimes bots, especially on busy worlds. However, switching to less crowded worlds (like F2P world 301, a dedicated Forestry world) can reduce competition significantly.
3. Edgeville Ruins
If you prefer a quieter F2P spot, the Edgeville Ruins (near the dungeon entrance) offer yew trees with far less competition than Varrock or even main Edgeville. The trade-off is a slightly longer walk to the bank, but the lack of interruptions makes it ideal for AFK chopping.
Top P2P Locations to Cut Yews
Members have access to more lucrative and efficient yew-cutting spots, with better banking access, more trees, and unique bonuses that boost experience and profit.
1. Woodcutting Guild
The Woodcutting Guild is the gold standard for P2P yew cutting. Located in Hosidius, it boasts 17 yew trees-more than any other spot in the game-and a bank chest just steps away, eliminating travel time entirely.
Members also receive a +7 Woodcutting boost while in the guild, which speeds up chopping and increases efficiency. Importantly, the guild does not host Forestry events, but its sheer number of trees and proximity to a bank make it the best spot for raw log output and fast experience gains.
To access the guild, you need 60 Woodcutting (boostable) and 75% Hosidius favour-small requirements for the massive benefits it offers.
2. Prifddinas
Prifddinas, the elven city, is a hidden gem for P2P yew cutters. Three yew trees sit right outside the city's bank, making banking almost instantaneous. The real advantage here is the chance to earn crystal shards-there's a 1 in 40 chance to get a shard per yew log, adding extra profit on top of your logs.
Prifddinas is also ideal for Forestry events, as world 444 is a dedicated group chopping world. With the Forestry group bonus (up to +10 Woodcutting for 10 players), you can chop yews faster than ever before.
3. Catherby
Catherby offers a scenic and efficient spot for P2P players, with seven yew trees west of the bank. The proximity to the bank means minimal downtime, and the area is less crowded than the Woodcutting Guild or Prifddinas.
A bonus here is the nearby flax field-if you want to take a break from yew cutting, you can gather flax to fletch with your yew logs, turning a single skill grind into a multi-skill activity. Catherby also sees moderate Forestry event activity, adding extra rewards occasionally.
Pro Tips for Maximizing Yew Cutting Efficiency
No matter which location you choose, these tips will help you get the most out of your yew-cutting sessions.
First, use the best axe you can afford. Higher-tier axes (like the dragon axe or crystal axe) speed up chopping, reducing the time per log and increasing your overall output. Axe upgrades make a noticeable difference, especially at lower Woodcutting levels.
Second, leverage Forestry mechanics. When chopping with other players, you get an invisible +1 Woodcutting boost per player (up to +10), which speeds up your chopping significantly. Yew trees also despawn on a 1 minute 54 second timer after the first cut, so plan your chopping to avoid wasting time waiting for respawns.
Third, choose the right world. For F2P, world 301 is ideal for Forestry group chopping; for P2P, world 444 (Prifddinas) or quiet members' worlds reduce competition. Avoid busy worlds during peak hours to cut uninterrupted.
Finally, consider 2-tick chopping if you're an advanced player. This technique involves precise click timing to chop trees twice in a single cycle, maximizing your log output. It requires practice, but it's worth mastering for serious yew cutters.
Final Verdict: The Best Spot for You
The "best" spot depends on your playstyle and whether you're F2P or P2P. For F2P players, Edgeville (north of the bank) is unbeatable for convenience and low competition. For P2P players, the Woodcutting Guild is the top choice for raw efficiency, while Prifddinas offers extra profit with crystal shards.
No matter where you cut, yew trees remain one of the most reliable ways to level up Woodcutting and earn cheap RuneScape gold. With the right location, equipment, and strategy, you'll turn every chop into progress-whether you're chasing 99 Woodcutting or funding your next in-game adventure.
