Woodhall Dean, Spott
Woodhall Dean is a nature reserve, within area of woodland managed by the Scottish Wildlife Trust and is located just outside of the village of Spott, which is just inland and not far from Dunbar. It is one of my absolute favourite mid-length local walks and truly magical to explore at any time of the year. At roughly 5km of mixed terrain, allow a couple of hours at least- there is a lot to see/experience here and it is not one to rush!
The entrance to the dean
A quick google will direct you straight there, ‘there’ being pretty much the middle of nowhere down some pretty sketchy country lanes. You will find on arrival that there is a reasonable parking area, probably for 4-5 cars, however it is also worth noting that I have walked here several times and never actually met another living soul! The understated entrance to the dean is marked by a small wooden sign and a noticeboard to the left of the carpark. Whenever I have come there have been warnings about adders, apparently these frequent the area in the summer months so dogs should be kept on a lead. This warning alone is enough to traumatize my kids... even before we have come to the steep drops and dangerous bridges(!) Also worth noticing that disappointingly, despite my best efforts, I have yet to encounter an adder here, or actually, anywhere in East Lothian- I simply must not be spending enough time outside! I am even beginning to wonder if they might be a work of fiction created in an attempt to scare off the English (i.e. Me!) and to keep our hidden gems hidden, please do let me know if you have more luck!
The narrow, muddy path is easy to follow and follows the line of the burn on the left, it climbs higher and you do need to be a little cautious of the steep drop as you climb steadily up along the side of the gorge. If you are particularly nervous of heights, this is probably not a walk for you- my kiddies were not hugely enamored with this section but it really is only a tiny part of the walk, so keep little ones close, and at some point soon, you will reach a fork in the path where in the distance you should be able to see a small bridge over the burn. This is where the circular walk begins and ends so I don’t suppose it matters too much which route you take really, however I prefer to take the fork to the right which heads uphill into the woods and away from the water (and the drop!). Relax now, and soak up the nature as it surrounds you. The birdsong is constant and varied, try spotting the little nest houses dotted among the trees, and keep a look out for precious red squirrels amongst the canopy of ancient trees. There a few steps up to a wonderful viewpoint in the middle of the trees, at the highest point of the walk, the perfect spot to just sit and clear your thoughts- fully emerse yourself in the birdsong and the trees, just breathe...
The bench in the middle of the woods…
A few more steps up and down, and the path winds for a little while and opens into a small clearing with the most wonderfully sprawled tree. Huge branches extend outwards and it is just the perfect height to climb all over, a playpark provided by nature. Visit in spring and this area particularly is absolutely carpeted with bluebells, it is hard to put into words the beauty of it all- the fungi, the flowers, the overbearing scent of wild garlic and woodland moss, you really do need to experience it for yourself.
The sprawling tree amongst the bluebells
Continue to follow the path for some time (you really can’t get lost, I promise) and eventually the woodland begins to take on a different feel, the trees change, more light is let in enters as they become sparse and grass starts to appear under your feet. The path shifts upwards and to the right and you will feel yourself emerge out of the glen and almost right into the lammermuirs. You will know you have reached this point when you can locate a singular wooden bench, and you are able to see out and across the hillside, through fields of grazing cows. This is a truly wonderful spot for a picnic on a sunny day- you feel as if you are in the middle of nowhere, not a road or a building to be seen, and yet you are safe, on the very edge of escape back into the woods. Spend some time here whilst you mentally prepare yourself to re-enter the dark, mystical forest once more.
The open section- looking out across the Lammermuirs
The Path winds steeply down and winds to the left, skirting the farmers field one one side, spiky, coconut-scented gorse bushes to your left, briefly offering more wonderful views, before you descend back into the glen and cross the bubbling burn over a tiny stone bridge and then immediately start tracking back the way along the other side. The woodland on this side has a totally different feel once again, more open but more ancient somehow, it is not as steep and the path is wider, safer. In autumn, the ground is littered with fallen leaves and broken sticks crunching underfoot. A place to let the dogs and the kids run.
Eventually the path starts climbing up hill and a sign warns of steep drops, its plenty wide here though so feels safe enough. You will soon be able to look down to your left to gaze on a small bridge, the one you saw earlier at the start of the walk. You will also see further signage warning of unsafe masonry and steep drops... directly in front of you is the top of a second bridge, an ancient stone bridge that crosses a different stretch of the stream- you can (if you are extremely careful, and feeling very brave!) cross the top of this for a photo op, however it really is quite high, so instead I would recommend scampering down towards the other bridge and taking a right to scramble down a muddy bank onto a small beach area below for a perfect photo op of the stone bridge from below, it is very, very cool and a final unexpected little treat on this already wonderful wee walk!
You have been warned!
The old stone bridge, from below
Scramble back up and cross the safe bridge to rejoin the narrow gorge-side path all the way back to the car park, probably tired, certainly feeling like you somehow managed to explore the whole of Scotland in that one short adventure... and hopefully ready to jump on Instagram to tell me that you spotted an adder!