Ashdown Forest Winnie the Pooh style walk

Ashdown Forest Winnie-the-pooh walk

We went for a walk this week where Winnie the Pooh, Christopher Robin and their friends lived. The fictional “Hundred Acre Wood” is actually a real place in the Ashdown Forest in East Sussex. It’s not all forest either. Nearly two thirds of its 2500 hectares (10 square miles) is heathland.

For me it wasn’t just a chance to follow one of the two trails – the ‘Short Pooh Walk’ or the ‘Long Pooh Walk’ – but to have my own Winnie-the-Pooh-style moments with my twins.

“Christopher Robin was sitting outside his door, putting on his Big Boots. As soon as he saw the Big Boots, Pooh knew that an Adventure was going to happen…” (All the quotes in this post are from the A.A. Milne Winnie-the-Pooh books)

Although the sun was out, it was a chilly winter day so I made Luce and Theo put on their snow suits and boots.

lone pine Ashdown Forest Pooh walkOn arrival, instead of heading off left on the short trail (0.6 mile/1 km) to the Heffalump Trap where a lone pine rather than six stands, we continued straight.

AA Milne EH Shephard Memorial

landscape view AA Milne memorialWe first stopped at the memorial to A.A. Milne, Christopher Robin’s real father and the author of the Winnie-the-Pooh stories, and E.H. Shephard, the illustrator. Theo gazed out at the landscape which in the 1920s had inspired the stories about the fictional bear and his friends.

“I’m not lost for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.”

I printed out a map to bring with us but I think we may have got lost.

Roos Sandy Pit or lostWe thought we were in a boggy area which had been Roo’s Sandy Pit but we may have strayed off the path too soon. Nevermind, our adventure had begun.

“We’re going to discover the North Pole.” “Oh!” said Pooh again. “What is the North Pole?” he asked. “It’s just a thing you discover,” said Christopher Robin carelessly, not being quite sure himself.

And that’s where we headed too.

Heading towards North Pole Ashdown ForestNear North Pole Ashdown Forestdrainpipes bridge north pole ashdown forest

Was this where Roo fell in a stream and Pooh saved him with a stick that was the North Pole? Of course, my son was prepared with a stick too.

“Through copse and spinney marched Bear; down open slopes of gorse and heather, over rocky beds of streams, up steep banks of sandstone into the heather again; and so at last, tired and hungry, to the Hundred Acre Wood. For it was in the Hundred Acre Wood that Owl lived.”

100 acre woods ridge topUp the hill we then marched past Wrens Warren Valley – that is Eeyore’s Sad and Gloomy Place.

And off the trail we went again until we reached the 100 Acre Wood where the moon watched us from the clear sky above. Actually it’s called the Five Hundred Acres Wood on the official Ordnance Survey Map.

Moon 100 Acres Wood Winnie Pooh

Theo 100 Acres Wood Winnie Ashdown ForestSoon our way was blocked by ‘private property’ signs so we collected pine cones from the forest and headed back to a trail which wound above the valley and would lead us back to the starting point at Gill’s Lap.

Wrens Warren Valley Ashdown ForestWinnie the Pooh Walk Ashdown Forestplotting together
“We’ll be Friends Forever, won’t we, Pooh?’ asked Piglet. Even longer, Pooh answered.”

While I stopped and admired and took photos of the incredible landscape as the end of the afternoon approached, Luce and Theo plotted and made plans together. As they often do.

Enchanted Place Gills Lap

Soon we could see the Enchanted Place at the top of the hill just near where we’d parked our car at Gill’s Lap. The sun was setting at the end of our Pooh walk.

sunset Ashdown Forest valley

“If ever there is tomorrow when we’re not together… there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we’re apart… I’ll always be with you.”

We’d walked for over 2 hours and over 2 miles (3.25 km). I hope someday Luce and Theo not only remember following Winnie-the-Pooh and his gang’s footsteps, but they’ll have special childhood memories of adventures with their mother in Ashdown Forest. After all…we got lost, went on an expedition, found the North Pole, visited the 100 Acre Wood, and had rather a splendid adventure together in rather an enchanted place.

Discover Ashdown Forest Winnie the Pooh walks

12 thoughts on “Ashdown Forest Winnie the Pooh style walk”

  1. Oh perfect! Must do this with my children soon. Beautiful photos and wise words. I feel quite peaceful reading about your walk. The Winnie-the-Pooh effect! Happy New Year to you all! (wonder what they were plotting!)

  2. What a lovely idea, I would love to take my kids there, it looks enchanting. It’s great that you themed your walk around the Winnie the Pooh books themselves, I’m sure that will help this walk to stand out in the twins’ minds. Thanks for linking up with Country Kids.

  3. Wow what an adventure! I was waiting for some yellow bear to show up! This is such a big place to explore and there is always something to look for somewhere. And what’s best is that you are living a fantasy! Nothing can be more fun than that! #countrykids

  4. what a lovely post – beautiful pictures and I loved the quotes alongside them. I’m sure it will be a brilliant memory in years to come x

Leave a Reply to Coombe Mill Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Scroll to Top