Winnie the Pooh’s 95th anniversary celebrations are un-bear-ably cute!

Experience the magic of the Hundred Acre Wood in Sussex’s very own Ashdown Forest.

For those of you that don’t know, AA Milne’s Hundred Acre Wood was based on East Sussex’s Ashdown Forest. For years, our children have been captivated by the magic within the forest, particularly since the addition of Pooh Corner in 1978 on the high street of Hartfield.

If you pop into Pooh Corner, you’ll be able to pick up an illustrated map of the Hundred Acre Wood, which will allow you to discover each and every one of Pooh’s places in the forest. What’s more, you can now stay in Winnie the Pooh’s home. This BearBNB was created by Winnie the Pooh illustrator Kim Raymond to celebrate 95 years of the books.

Alongside the recreation of each factor of the Hundred Acre Wood, from Owl’s House to the Poohsticks Bridge, there have been many other celebrations of the special anniversary. Once There Was a Bear is a brand new story collection published on the 30^th September, which is an official prequel to the stories we know and love. This lovely new set of stories has been written by Jane Riordan, and illustrated by Mark Burgess.

Jane will be in Lewes on the 30^th October, doing an event with Bag of Books. Pop by for the opportunity to hear the voice of the new book telling the story, with a number of activities lined up also.

Disney kicked off the celebrations of the 95^th anniversary of Pooh Bear back in July, with a 45-second animation that saw the friends of the Hundred Acre Wood paying tribute to the Queen, who was also celebrating her 95^th birthday.

The timeless stories of Winnie the Pooh and his friends have had a place in the hearts of every household across the country for almost a century. The release of the new stories alongside Ashdown Forest bringing the Wood to life has reignited a love for the silly old bear in all of us.

While your children are bound to fall in love with Ashdown Forest, we know a lot of you will be going to fulfil your inner child’s desire to be in a place of magic once again. Don’t worry – we’re not judging!

Pop into Pooh Corner

You can find the Forest at RH18 5JP, off the A275. For the ultimate experience, you can book to stay in Pooh Bear’s house on AirBNB. Don’t forget to visit Pooh Corner for your souvenirs and illustrated map, and be sure to check out Disney’s short from the summer.

You can find the newly published book Once There Was a Bear in most retailers. Why not read this one before starting the Winnie the Pooh books again? Immerse yourself in the magic of the Hundred Acre Wood with Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger, Rabbit and more, right here on our doorstep.