As Winnie-the-Pooh turns 100 this year, travelers can visit the real-life Hundred Acre Wood for the centennial. Just keep your eye out for heffalumps and woozles.
A.A. Milne's books featuring the famous honey-eating bear have captured the hearts and imagination of children for a century. Travelers eager to return to the magic of childhood can visit Ashdown Forest in East Sussex, England, to see the woods that inspired Milne to write about Christopher Robin, Pooh and their friends' adventures.
Last year was the biggest yet for Pooh Trek, and founder Gerry Manser said he expects the anniversary to usher in growth for the day-tour operator. Manser created Pooh Trek in 2018 to introduce visitors to the destination featured in Milne's stories.
"We're really excited about what's going to happen this year," he said. "It's already shaping up quite nicely."
Pooh Trek brings guests to iconic sites featured in Pooh's world, like the Poohsticks Bridge, where guests can play the game Pooh invented. (Dropping sticks in the stream and seeing which one travels the fastest.)
Manser adds special touches, like providing drawing pads for children to sketch while on their trek and decorating the trail with children's favorite characters, like Piglet or Eeyore.
And though Winnie-the-Pooh is undoubtedly a children's tale, it still captures the hearts of adults. Manser's oldest guest was 100 years old, which he said highlights the cultural significance of Pooh.
"Once a fan, forever a fan," he said. "You never grow out of the stories."
Many visitors find their way to nearby Pooh Corner, a tea room with themed food and a free museum. The museum has a collection of rare and one-of-a-kind Pooh memorabilia, like first-edition books and a honey pot made by the real-life Christopher Robin.
Already, owner Neil Reed has fielded "lots and lots of phone calls from all over the world" as people plan their trips to Ashdown Forest. The cafe typically serves 80,000 guests annually but is expecting a 25% increase this year.
And for real Pooh fanatics, or "Poohsters" as Chris de Mestre calls them, they can go one step further and book a stay at Cotchford Farm, where Milne lived and wrote the books surrounded by the Ashdown Forest.
Fans of Winnie-the-Pooh can stay at Cotchford Farm, the former home of author A.A. Milne, who lived there while he wrote the books. Photo Credit: Cotchford Farm
De Mestre, the home's owner, began renting the property to the public after moving to the U.S. three years ago. He said he expects to see higher demand this year as publicity for the centennial mounts, but bookings are similar to this time last year.
The home sleeps 12 and starts at 990 British pounds per night (about $1,400). Most visitors come from the States, de Mestre said.
Ace Cultural Tours, based in Cambridge, England, will offer a special itinerary in June for the anniversary. Response to the five-day tour has been "overwhelmingly positive," said creative marketing officer George Wybrew.
Itinerary highlights include visiting the forest, a special viewing of the original "Winnie-the-Pooh" manuscripts at Trinity College's Wren Library and attending expert lectures.
"Good writing is for everyone, not just for children," said tour director Caroline Hopkinson-Woolley.