Pressmennan Wood

Owned by the woodland trust, Pressmennan Wood is believed to be one of the last traces of Scotland's ancient Oak woodland. From the carpark the path took us close to the lake, (one of only four true lakes in Scotland) among mixed woodland, with many floral species - Ramsons, primrose, bugle, oxalis, yellow pimpernel (a new one for me) and the biggest marsh marigold I have ever seen at the water's edge. In the mud we saw the prints of roe deer, overhead heard chiff-chaffs, saw long-tailed tits, wren; pair of greylag geese with five goslings kept a watchful eye on us as we passed.

We did not make the acquaintance of the mythical creatures the Glingblobs and Tootflits, which must have been in hiding but on such a sunny spring day the whole walk was most enjoyable.