Lost in the Woods

Of course I spurned the idea of a map, being somehow convinced that 'if we got lost it would be an adventure' and also that I had some kind of 'innate-woodland radar', which would forestall any 'getting lost' type of incident. Em and myself set off into the wood with light hearts. I had been here before of course. How could we possibly get lost?
I had, of course, forgot that Friston Forest is actually quite large, and though I had been there before, on both previous occasions had also got lost.
Still, everything started off well, half familiar places passed by; pools, the houses on the edge of the forest... After a short while travelling I only had a vague sense of direction of what way the entrance we had used was. No matter, I thought - what's this through the trees?
What was through the trees - well, in the middle of the trees - was some kind of building, surrounded by a fence. A large single storey building, surrounded by other smaller hut-type edifices. The place was surrounded by fences. It seemed abandoned. What was it? Was someone living here?
It seemed to be owned by 'Southern Water' and a signpost named it as 'Friston Pumping Station'. Ah, this was exciting. There were numerous manholes dotted about this now exciting fenced off area. Strange showerheads rising from the ground. Warnings of 'phosphoric acid 75%', whatever this meant, were bolted to locked doors..
I sat down on a raised concrete rectangle (containing another manhole) outside this edifice. It reminded me of 'It' by Stephen King, and I spent a happy cigarette or two thinking about the book, and also about how really excited I would be if I were a kid, and we fround this in the middle of the woods. Actually, it all reminded me of some of the buildings at RAF Kinloss, where my dad worked during our time spent in Scotland; nissan huts, sheds - mysterious edifices whose purpose lay concealed. We would have convinced ourselves certainly that this 'pumping station' was haunted. Maybe I could do so now?
Actually, it was relatively easy. Was that a figure watching me from inside the building? Didn't the air feel charged with something... watchful?
Roused from this reverie by Em, we headed off into the wood, and somehow ended up walking in a circle, back to the pumping station again. We then headed down another path - one we had definitely not chosen before - and ended up walking past houses that were different from those we had passed on the way into the forest.. We eventually came to a road - a narrow lane busy with rushing traffic. Unfortunately we had no way of knowing what direction the sea lay in. It was about 3:30pm. As we doubtfully headed back into the woods, nightmare images appealed to me of having to phone work the next day and tell them that I would not be able to make it in because I was lost in Friston Forest.
A short discussion followed on whether we should follow the signpost in the woods to 'Westdene'. What was Westdene though? Wasn't that in the opposite direction? Despite being convinced that Westdene was an error, I really had no idea of where I was. Neither had Em. The sun sinking across the sky, and achieving a slightly reddened 'sunset' type of colour did nothing to put my mind at rest.
We headed toward Westdene. To my delight we came across a sign saying 'Seven Sisters Country park 1/2 hour'. We were saved! I was feeling jaunty and cheerful again. 
As we walked back, em asked me if I had been panicking. I took a deep breath and prepared to lie, but then thought better of it.
'Panicking? Of course I was - I thought we'd never find our way out!'
I paused.
'Were you panicking?' I asked
'No, of course not. I knew we'd get back sooner or later.'
Hmm, I thought.
I soberly promised myself that next time I entered a wood I would bring a map with me.