A native Scots pine woodland with a remarkably diverse regeneration, located in a rural corner of East Lothian, very easily accessible from Edinburgh or the south.

Bolton Muir Wood, of which Lees Wood is a part, has existed more or less in its present form from before 1802, when it appears on Forrest’s map of Haddingtonshire. Lees Wood is currently stocked with an impressive volume of Scots pine, whose canopy rises well clear of the surrounding trees. Well managed by successive thinning the trees are well spaced and have grown well. The long history of the land as woodland is clearly evidenced by the enormous diversity of the regeneration promoted by the open canopy. Birch, willow, sycamore and oak are well distributed throughout the wood, a careful search reveals the presence of a venerable yew.

The woodland floor is a rich carpet of grasses and moss with hard fern in the more shaded areas and foxglove in the lighter. Entwining honeysuckle bedeck newly emerging birch trees, hitching a lift to the light. Several well-marked trails cross the level topography, often used by transient badger and roe deer. A wider, grassy ride transects the wood enabling very easy access through the heart of the wood.

A succession of wildflowers populate the fringes of the wood and mark the successive seasons as their blooms open, mature, then fall. Woundwort, foxgloves and orchids signal their wares to foraging bees in purple profusion. Sorrel and stitchwort add to the display in the deeper recesses of the wood.

Lees Wood is an ideal location to get involved in your very own wood. Whether your interest is in conservation, nature watching or maybe a sustainable source of firewood, this is the place for you. An overnight stop would be an excellent opportunity to spend more time in natures' embrace and is facilitated with dry, open, level glades throughout the wood.

The picturesque village of Gifford is nearby and sits astride the Gifford Water. It dates from the 17th century and was built to replace the village of Bothans, which was demolished to make way for a walled park around Yester House, and housed agricultural workers from the estate. Despite this agricultural tradition, the village housed industry as well. A thriving linen industry harnessed the energy from the river to manufacture fine textiles. The Lees are an alkaline solution used in the beaching process of the cloth.

Beyond the village are the Lammamuir hills which overlook the landscape below. Home to numerous excellent walking and cycle tracks they are well worth a visit. The Pencaitland Railway Walk which starts in Gifford offers wonderful views of parts of East Lothian that are inaccessible by car. The trees and hedgerows along the route offer shelter to a great diversity of wildlife and many rare wildflowers are established along the embankments.

A viewing of the wood is definitely recommended; please allow yourself a generous amount of time to fully explore the wood throughout.

Sporting rights: these are owned and included with the land.

Click HERE to see free OS maps.