Six new walking routes have been created on Ashdown Forest as part of celebrations to mark the 100th birthday of Winnie-the-Pooh.
Marking the beginning of a new story for next 100 years, the Forest team worked with creatives at Trigger to introduce a spectacular character to the iconic site.
Premiered at an event on the Forest in July and enjoyed by hundreds in her tour across Wealden, Poppet is a mysterious, yet playful, shapeshifting creature dreamed up by local children and inspired by the Forest’s special species – their features brought together by the rich purple of the Forest’s iconic heather.
Now is the opportunity to explore the habitats of six of these special species – the dormouse, the Dartford warbler, the nightjar, the green tiger beetle, the silver-studded blue butterfly, and the adder – on new family-friendly routes across the Forest.
Beth Morgan, Head of Engagement and Development at Ashdown Forest, said: “With the Bank Holiday weekend and rest of the school holidays coming up, this is the perfect opportunity to come to the Forest and enjoy a relaxing walk, perhaps in an area of the Forest as yet unexplored.
“It has been a wonderful year so far celebrating Ashdown Forest – home of the original Hundred Acre Wood – on the Forest itself, in workshops in schools, and at events across the Wealden area.
“Now these six routes are part of the legacy of those celebrations that can be enjoyed for many years to come. By highlighting six of the species that live here, we want everyone to know more about the rare and fragile landscape and the remarkable wildlife it supports.”
Each of the routes starts with information about the species along with a QR code which links to a digital path guide.
These are the routes:
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Dormouse Dawdle (3.2 miles) will take around 85 minutes. Start point: Gills Lap car park, TN7 4EU. Take your time for a quiet meander around Gills Lap and Wren’s Warren Valley on this walk inspired by the sleepy dormouse. It’s steep in places, so why not take some time to stop and enjoy the views along the way.
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Green Tiger Beetle Trail (2.1 miles) 50 minutes. Start point: Bushy Willows car park (TN6 1XE). Whizz along the Forest paths like a speedy green tiger beetle in this fun circular walk from Bushy Willows car park to Camp Hill Clump and back.
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Silver Studded Blue Butterfly Stroll (1.3 miles) 30 minutes. Start point: King’s Standing car park (TN6 1XE). Float through the glades and purple heathland on this walk inspired by the dreamy rhythms of the silver-studded blue.
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Nightjar Jaunt (1.3 miles) 30 minutes. Start point: Long car park (RH18 5JN) Follow the hidden paths of the nightjar on this short heathland walk, ideal for those who like a gentler pace on relatively flat terrain.
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Dartford Warbler Wander (3.2 miles) 80 minutes. Start point: Long car park (RH18 5JN) Fly along the heathland and through the Forest like the Dartford warbler on this longer walk, perfect for those with a spring in their step.
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Adder Loop (3.1 miles) 75 minutes. Start point: Forest Centre car park (RH18 5JP) Park at the Forest Centre or in Broadstone car park to slither through the Forest in this winding walk inspired by the elusive adder.
Free maps showing the six new routes are also available to pick up from the Information Barn at the Forest Centre in Wych Cross.
As part of the Big One Hundred celebrations, the introduction of these trails has been made possible thanks to funding from Wealden District Council and the support of The Ashdown Forest Foundation, an independent charity that is dedicated to raising vital funds for Ashdown Forest to help maintain and protect it for the next one hundred years and beyond.
For more details about each walk and to zap the QR codes, go to www.ashdownforest.org/the-big-one-hundred-walking-trails/
