Pressmennan Wood (Part 2- The Longer Circuit)

From the car park, take the higher path to the right and follow the muddy track through the open wooden gate, heading straight into the heart of Pressmennan wood. This first part is the boggiest bit, don’t be put off, it is not thick mud all the way round. From here on in, so long as you stay on the main path you will struggle to get yourself lost.

Pressmennan is a completely different place according to the season you visit. Follow the path in spring and spot the first snowdrops of the year, head deep into the wood in summer and you will find yourself sandwiched between a lush green canopy above and a thick jungle of bracken below, huge sprawling green ferns that grow tall enough to umbrella over a small toddler. In autumn, crisp, crunchy brown leaves form a carpet under your feet and the trees talk to each other in creaks and whistles, mushrooms and toadstools spring up in every conceivable spot and the air holds a mystical scent of damp earth. In winter, the bracken dies down into a brown, crispy, crumpled hibernation and the trees becomes so sparse that you are able to see right down to the beautiful lake below.

As you follow the path gently uphill there is little for me to remark upon but plenty for you to experience. Sticks that have fallen in your path may become swords, lightsabers, vaulting poles or walking sticks- such is the magic effect of nature upon a small child’s imagination. Loose dogs will experience true freedom as they expertly weave in and out of trees, haring up and down the hillside that extends increasingly steeply down towards the lake on your left, simultaneously rising up on your right towards the summit of Deuchrie Dodd; there is a further, more hidden route in Pressmannen Woods that brings you to the very top tree line, so that you can hop a fence, escape out into the open and scramble steeply up to the trig-point to view the whole woodland laid out in front of you, and the far reaches of the Lammermuir hills behind. I am digressing however- that walk is for another day!

Sticking with our main path, as it widens and narrows, dips and climbs, lined by drainage ditches and run-offs full of thriving green plants and pinecones, you will soon emerge into daylight and find yourself in a small, random grassy clearing. Look left and you will spot a lonely wooden bench that at one time must have invited you to sit and take in a view over the tops of the trees, across the valley containing the lake and all the way to the hills on the other side, however the forest is thriving, and now the view is all thick bushes and trees and bountiful clumps of rowan berries. It is still a serene sun-trap however and a great spot for a snack. There is a small baby oak tree that I like to use to teach my kids how to recognise the type of tree from the shapes of the leaves, the perfect spot to rest and take in the birdsong and other sounds of the forest for a while before continuing onward.

One of the best benches in East Lothian- fully immersed in nature!

The path is narrow at this point as in summer the giant ferns start to encroach up the pathways and the wood becomes so thick in vegitation that there is no way you could fight a path through. Soon you will approach another landmark. A deep dip with a small single rustic seat at the bottom. There is a family rule here. This dip must absolutely, with no exceptions, be experienced at full speed- this has included full-pelt running, off road scootering and by mountain-bike! Just be careful when doing so that nothing like a mobile phone falls from your pocket in the process- YES we did learn that one the hard way, though there are worse places to spend a whole hour or so grubbing about in thick vegetation on a sunny day!

Onwards and upward the path widens once more and around here that the trees begin to thin out as you reach the top edge of the forest. You might be able to see some open fields up to the right and there is a large fallen log which (obviously) must be climbed on, with a plank that (obviously) must be jumped off, and we once found a tiny chalk board resting at the base of this log, simply with the words ‘thought criminal’ and sum 2x2=4 written on it – which was actually very surreal and slightly creepy as our 5 year old was obsessed with randomly quoting this sum around the same time(!)... Without doubt that there is magic at work in these woods! You will feel it strongly here especially, as this is also the spot where, much to my delight, we once discovered from out of nowhere, a whole spread of bluebells! It is a fair old trek to this spot in the wood but absolutely worth it if you are able to time your visit with mother nature in order to observe this spectacle for yourself- all of the tiny delicate bells, individually so fragile, but in such numbers that they appear almost as a purple mist drifting across the floor. Absolutely breathtaking!

You will now have reached the halfway point of this walk, and the path curves around to the left down a wide, shallow dirt staircase which eventually meets the lower path back to the carpark. If time is on your side, and your spirit for adventure is still strong, turn right at the bottom of the staircase instead of left, and follow the path maybe 200 yards or so before taking a left turn down an overgrown but obvious ‘off shoot’ that will lead you down to a small wooden bridge and an open grassy space at the very top end of the lake. We found a rope swing here, (and annoyingly some fly-tipping too), and it is another fantastic spot for a picnic or even to hang out for a few hours in the sun away from the rest of the world... You might be tempted to try and circumnavigate the lake from here but the other side is private property and a sign clearly states no through access back to the car park on the other side of the lake, unfortunately you need to tail back the way you came.

Down the steps leading back to the lower path

The small wooden bridge at the top end of the lake

Once you are back on the main path you can follow it in basically a straight line all the way back to the carpark, or if you like you can look out for the sculptured ‘wood bollard with a hole’ on your right that marks the turning point for the shorter loop- see my previous post in ‘Short Walks’.

One time recently we found some logs that had been cut and laid as stepping stones along this stretch of the path, just another magical touch in the magical woods, and another reason why this is one of my favourite places in the world- whenever you come here there is something new to discover and enjoy!

‘Stepping stones’ on the path that heads back to the carpark

Allow yourself a good 2-3 hours or so for this one, though as always, it is best enjoyed from the slow lane!

Aberlady Bay Nature Reseve (& our local submarines)

Tyninghame Links