Autumn trip to Ashdown Forest

At the end of September we went to Ashdown Forest for an Autumn day trip. It was the 4th time that I’ve been to the real ‘Hundred Acre Wood’ this year and probably the last trip of 2018 as I wanted to see the changing of the leaves in the forest before the colder months started drawing in. We took my parents with us for this trip as my Mum is a big Winnie the Pooh fan too and we’d been talking on countless occasions about how she must come and join us for the Winnie the Pooh walks at Ashdown Forest. On a chilly but sunny Saturday morning we headed out to Sussex for an extra special Autumnal day in the forest.

Drinking tea at Piglet's Tearoom in Hartfield

Winnie the Pooh walks

Autumn leaves near the A.A. Milne and E.H. Shepard Memorial, Ashdown Forest

We started out at Gill’s Lap (Galleons Lap as it’s known in the books) and completed the first Winnie the Pooh walk to the A.A. Milne and E.H. Shepard Memorial. The plaque was surrounded by beautiful trees that were already showing signs of Autumn and as always, the view from the memorial spot was spectacular. If there’s anywhere in the forest that you should go to see a fantastic view, it’s the Memorial.

Kat Last and Mum beside the A.A. Milne and E.H. Shepard Memorial, Ashdown Forest

Once we’d completed the 1km loop, we drove on to Pooh Car Park for the walk to Pooh Bridge. When we visited the bridge for the first time in May, we parked in Hartfield and followed a long route through the fields down to the bridge and back. After speaking to some people at the bridge, I learnt that there is a separate car park nearer to the bridge, so that’s where we stopped this time. The footpath from the car park takes you past little houses made out of sticks that look just like Eyeore’s home in the books. After about 10 minutes of walking we reached the bridge and it was absolutely empty, what a treat! We were able to play poohsticks with no crowds and spend lots of time there enjoying the special Winnie the Pooh location. By late morning it was time to head off in the car to Hartfield for lunch at Piglet’s Tearoom, Pooh Corner Ltd.

Kat Last and Mum standing on Pooh Bridge, Ashdown Forest
Close up of a tree in Ashdown Forest

Pooh Corner

Winnie the Pooh characters in the garden at Pooh Corner, Ashdown Forest
Winnie the Pooh cushion at Piglet's Tearoom in Ashdown Forest

With it being a crisp but sunny Autumn day, we were able to sit outside in the garden at Pooh Corner. The entire dining area was packed so we were lucky to find a table. I had tomato soup with Winnie the Pooh shaped bread and Stuart and my parents had sausage rolls and cheese twists. The food at Piglet’s Tearoom is always delicious and very affordable too. We had a fantastic lunch in the sunshine among lots of other Winnie the Pooh fans. It was so nice getting to sit outside in late September.

Lunch at Piglet's Tearoom, Pooh Corner in Ashdown Forest

A stroll around Hartfield

Church in Hartfield, East Sussex

After lunch we went for a stroll around Hartfield village and imagined what it would’ve been like when AA. Milne and his family holidayed there. Hartfield was mentioned a lot in the new Christopher Robin movie and it was really exciting to be able to see it again after the big movie release. We followed a loop around the village and ended up back at the car in the early afternoon, ready to head into Tunbridge Wells for the latter part of the day.

Ashdown Forest was even more special in early Autumn. The leaves were already starting to turn and the blue skies were absolutely spectacular. If you like Disney and spending time outside, there is no better place to visit for a day out his Autumn.

Have you ever been to Ashdown Forest? Did you go on any of the Winnie the Pooh walks?

Thanks for reading my blog today.

Love Kat xxxx

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