Went to Ashdown Forest today, about 18 miles from Brighton.
Aside from being stunningly beautiful it is the inspiration of the 100 Acre Wood, the home of Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore and the rest.
There are two tours of the area, the first, shorter walk visiting the Enchanted Place, the heffalump Trap, Roo’s Sandy Pit and the second, longer walk visiting the North Pole and Eeyore’s gloomy place. (This is one day gonna have links to pics of said places so you can see what I’m talking about.. not tonight though cos I am weary)
I had lost the rest of the family withing five steps of reaching Gills Lap, the start of the walk. “It’s too muddy” they all cried. “We’re off to the pub”I wasn’t going to let a little mud stop me on adventures and so set off on what was one of the most beautiful days. Sun was shining, cool weather, just perfect.
The short walk was stunning. There were some easily identifiable pooh scenery and the enchanted place was just beautiful. While there was certainly mud there was nothing too insurmountable and the scenery was worth the effort. It was peaceful, serene and breathtaking, even without the pooh bear connection.
Then there was the longer walk.
This goes down a hill deeper into what is called wren’s warren valley (Eeyore’s sad and lonely place) and it lured me into a false sense of security until i was sufficiently in it before it turned into a complete swamp.
I don’t know who Christopher Robin was but he’s a fit bastard if he visited all those places in one day. Especially in the mud
The hundred Acre Wood was the hundred Acre swamp. I took one step forward and slid three steps back. My completely inadequate footwear was soaked and black with mud. I was exhausted and giggling and exhausted some more.
Eventually I got up the hill and back to the car park only to have to wait for the family to finish their gammon and chips (“very lovely” was the review) before they could pick me up.
Word to the wise: the short walk is fine and only do the long walk if there’s been a week of sunshine. Also pooh sticks bridge is not on any of these walks!!! The bridge I crossed at the bottom of wren’s warren valley was not pooh sticks bridge. Possibly a good thing as there was no guards on this bridge and I could see little kids falling in the water a lot. The hundred acre death trap.
Depsite all of that, highly recommended. I’ts truly beautiful scenery and you can see how it inspired a book that has lasted generations.
“You can’t stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.”
“Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. “Pooh,” he whispered.
“Yes, Piglet?”
“Nothing,” said Piglet, taking Pooh’s paw, “I just wanted to be sure of you.””
Best. Pooh Quote. Ever.
home run, that man.
“So they went off together. But wherever they go, and whatever happens to them on the way, in that enchanted place on the top of the forest a little boy and his bear will always be playing.”
And Alexander Beetle has gone home to his mother.
Knowing what the Enchanted Place looks like now, that is incredibly easy to visualise. Thanks Nic