Probably the most famous bear in the world, Pooh Bear, also known as Winnie-The-Pooh, is the much-loved creation of A.A.Milne, who wrote the classic children’s book “Winnie-The-Pooh” and “House at Pooh Corner” from his weekend home near the small village of Hartfield, on Ashdown Forest’s north-eastern edge.  

The stories were inspired by Milne’s only son, Christopher Robin, who appears in the books along with his real-life stuffed toys.The places described in the stories were modelled closely on Ashdown Forest: the fictional Hundred Acre Wood, where the animals live with Christopher Robin, is named after the real-life 500 Acre Wood.

The wooded area is large so it is best to do a bit of research before you arrive- finding locations associated with the Pooh stories isn’t a difficult but can take a bit of legwork. In fact, hiking is the other reason to visit, with miles of trails crisscrossing this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which also inspired E.H.Shepard’s much-loved illustrations for the books.