Country diary: After the storm, into the woods | Elspeth Wilson

Pressmennan Wood, East Lothian: It's a tempestuous period - the weather is racing across the sky as we search for trees toppled by the windsAs we drive along the bumpy track to get to the woods, the dyke that swoops down the adjacent field and up the other side greets us like a smile. It's the day after the latest storm, and as we get out, tightening our boots against the cloying mud, Mum and I debate how many trees will be down following the wild winds that swept East Lothian.We take the lower path that bends down towards the long lake and immediately see a few skinny trees as the first casualties. The narrow path is gnarled by roots - we dodge them and the occasional larger tree that has fallen - but is too covered with thick mosses to be a result of this most recent storm. Continue reading...