Winnie-the Pooh… and the enchanting Ashdown Forest
For 95 years Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood have been captivating readers of all ages, around the globe. He is possibly one of the most famous bears around the world whose name debuted on 24th December 1925 in the London newspaper Evening News and the following year the first collection of Pooh stories Winnie-the-Pooh was published in October 1926.
Ashdown Forest… Hundred Acre Wood
Ashdown forest is at the heart of the High Weald AONB and is protected nationally and internationally because of its wildlife. It is one of the largest free public access spaces in the south-east and its acres of unique heathland make it a great place for walking, enjoying spectacular views over the Sussex countryside and of course, it’s the home of a certain yellow bear!
AA Milne, author of the Winnie-the-Pooh stories, bought a country home just North of the forest and it is here that he drew inspiration for his celebrated books.
There are two walks at Ashdown Forest that pass the main Pooh sites mentioned in the classic novels, the walks can be downloaded from the Ashdown Forest website or picked up from the Forest Centre. Be sure to cross the iconic Pooh Bridge for a game of Pooh sticks!
Bearbnb
Earlier this year, in celebration of the anniversary, a Winnie-the-Pooh inspired house was curated, as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, for fans to immerse themselves in the iconic world of Pooh and Friends. The custom-built Bearbnb was situated in Ashdown Forest and constructed with exposed tree branches. The Disney-appointed illustrator Kim Raymond, who is local to the area, has been drawing the iconic bear for over thirty years and brought Pooh’s house to life by taking inspiration from the original decorations of EH Shepard.
Winnie-the-Pooh considered himself ‘a bear of very little brain’ but he was always filled with words of wisdom, and the timeless tales exploring life’s simplest pleasures will continue to be enjoyed for generations to come.
