Not every site of children’s fairy tales is a figment of imagination, perhaps few people know, but the well-known Hundred Moon Stork from Winnie the Pooh exists in reality. Alan Alexander Milne was inspired by the scenery of a beautiful British forest for the story of a bugger Bear Cub.
In 1925, the British writer, often referred to as AA Milne, bought an estate called Cotchford Farm near London, in the Ashdown Forest district, so that he and his family could spend their free time in the gentle lap of nature, he traveled here almost every weekend and holiday Summer.
Winnie the Pooh Hundred Moon Sparrow
It is a known fact that he drew a lot from his son Christopher Robin’s toy to write the fairy tale, but he was also inspired by the unique countryside. The Five Hundred Moon Pagon appears in the story as the Hundred Moon Pagon, which even the book’s illustrator, Ernest Howard Shepherd, visited several times to ensure its authenticity.
Today, of course, everything in the park revolves around the fairy tale, so that the next tourists will find their enjoyment in it, and it will take them back to their childhood a bit. You can see statues of Christopher Robin and characters from fairy tales, see where the old bear ponders his daily activities, and even visit the animal’s favorite stream. About a million people come to the region each year.
There is a bridge over the stream in the Forest of One Hundred Pagonies, where in the story Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends pass the time playing stick games: they toss branches to one side at the same time, then compete to see which one will drift to the other side of the bridge faster. Fans still love to experience the game today. It is no wonder that it is difficult to find small branches along the stream. The bridge was built in 1907 and renovated in 1999.
The most popular activity in the beautiful forest is a walking tour, where it is recommended to follow the marked routes. The area is mostly walkable in 3-5 kilometers, but there is also a 22-kilometer trail for those wanting longer adventures. Maps and travel brochures can be purchased on the official Ashdown Forest website. In addition to walking, horse riders with a permit and dogs that comply with regulations are also welcome. In order to protect nature, among other things, cycling, setting fires and drones are prohibited.
Photo: John Downing/Getty Images Hungary
The house on the property changed owners several times, first it belonged to the American Taylor family, and then it was bought and renovated by Brian Jones, a former member of the Rolling Stones. Subsequently, it passed through several distributions, attained Listed status, and was last sold in 2017 for £1.8m. In the forest, which also has the protection of the European Union, they pay close attention to nature, and tourism cannot do harm, since the number of commercial units is reduced to a minimum.
Sherwood Forest is also a magical place
Sherwood Forest in England was made world famous by Robin Hood. Look how beautiful!
(Images: Getty Images Hungary.)
