Hankley Common

Hankley Common has beautiful views and some of the finest heathland in Southern England, all criss-crossed by a network of paths. 

We have stumbled across lizards, onto film sets and down steep, sandy hills. 

The Atlantic Wall

Hidden in the trees near Upper Car Park is the Atlantic Wall, which was built by Canadian soldiers in 1943. 

This was used to train soldiers to overcome the German defences they might face in northern France. 

Dragon’s Teeth

Scattered through the nearby trees are pyramid-shaped anti-tank obstacles, which were also used for training.   

James Bond

Hankley Common was one of the locations used for James Bond’s childhood home in the film Skyfall.  

Thor’s Den

There is a nearby play area called Thor’s Den, which is on the edge of Thursley Common, just a short drive from Hankley Common.

 

Nearest Town:  Thursley, near Farnham
County:  Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU8 6LW

Opens:  Daily
Cost:  Free

Where to Eat:  Bring a blanket and a picnic.
Facilities: None

How Long We Spent There:  2 hours
Buggies:  I wouldn’t bring a buggy here as there are sandy hills to navigate. 

Parking:  There are two car parks that can both be found from Thursley Road. The first is called Upper Car Park and can be found using post code GU8 6LW. It is at the top of a little side road that comes off Thursley Road on the double bend (opposite a sign that says “Hankley TRG Area DZ Huts”). The second is called Thursley Public Car Park, which can be found using post code GU10 2LQ and is towards The Sculpture Park end of the road. 
Cost of Parking:  Free

Wildlife You Might See:  Birds, lizards, deer and insects.

Information Written:  November 2020
Information Checked:  May 2025

 

Our visit to Hankley Common in Elstead is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

 

The Trails

Various trails criss-cross Alice Holt Forest. Some are easy access, others are wilder.  Some are flat, others have steep hills. They are all marked and there are free maps available.

Story Book Trails

Alice Holt Forest is one of the venues that hosts story book activity trails based on the books of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. 

Trails have included The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo’s Child, The Highway Rat and Zog.  At the time of writing, there is a Superworm Trail.  

You buy a map bursting with activities to try along the trail – drawings to colour, puzzles to ponder and woodland things to spot.  

Along the way you also come face to face with characters from the stories, including the Gruffalo, Stick Man and the Gruffalo’s child.

The Timberline Play Trail

The 1km long Habitat Trail leads you past both adventure play areas 

and also hides huge play sculptures.

The Adventure Play Areas

Alice Holt has two adventure play areas.

Playwood Adventure Play Area is next to the cafe and has large wooden climbing frames, slides and swings.

Timberline Adventure Play Area is a five minute walk from Playwood and is a huge, circular obstacle course with wooden climbing frames, slides, bridges and nets. 

Other Activities

Alice Holt also has an Activity Centre and Shop that offers cycle hire 

table tennis 

volleyball 

and badminton.

There is also orienteering 

Go Ape 

and lots of picnic spots to try.

The Cafe 

This is located next to the main entrance and Visitor Centre.  You can its picnic tables to eat food you have bought there or brought from home. 

Nearest Town: Farnham
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU10 4LS

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic, hire a barbecue or eat at the cafe. 
Facilities: Picnic tables, barbecue hire, cafe, ice creams, drinks, snacks, toilets, accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: There is a large car park.
Cost of Parking: Various, starting from £3 for one hour. 

Wildlife You Might See: Ducks, geese, woodpeckers, hedgehogs, tadpoles, frogs, birds, insects and the odd story book character.

Information Written: March 2016
Information Checked: February 2025

Our visit to Alice Holt Forest and the Alice Holt Adventure Play Areas in Farnham is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Beaulieu National Motor Museum 

At the heart of Beaulieu is the National Motor Museum, which as you’d expect is packed full of cars 

and some motorbikes.

But mainly there are cars –

old cars 

new cars 

record breaking cars 

and famous cars like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang 

Mr Bean’s mini 

and Del Boy’s three wheeler. 

There’s even a car shaped like an orange!

The Monorail 

Beaulieu is also home to the oldest monorail in England, 

which glides above the attractions 

and through the museum building!

Open-Topped Bus

This dates from 1912 and drives you gently around the grounds. 

Ride in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

At certain times of the year you can book a ride in a replica Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and also in Mr Toad’s car from the film The Wind in the Willows. 

Have a look at the Beaulieu website for full details. 

World of Top Gear 

There’s also an exhibition of the cars created on ‘Top Gear’.  

Little Beaulieu Adventure Play Area

Probably our favourite part of the visit was Little Beaulieu, the adventure play area, 

which is a labyrinth of secret passages and bridges, 

slides, and walkways. 

The Grounds and Cafe

On top of all that, there are gardens to explore

with Alice in Wonderland shaped bushes 

and a cafe.

Nearest Town: Hythe, near Southampton
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: SO42 7ZN

Adult Cost Range: Various – please see their website for details. 
Child Cost Range: Various – please see their website for details. 
Free if: Under 5 years

Opens: Daily

Where to Eat: Cafe and picnic areas.
Facilities: Ice creams, snacks, cafe, shop, picnic areas, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 4 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly.

Parking: There is a large car park.
Cost of Parking: Free

Information Written: January 2023

Our visit to Beaulieu National Motor Museum in the New Forest is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Thomas Land

Thomas Land is a world of Thomas-themed rides 

and attractions.  

You can see characters like James 

Toby 

Cranky 

Henry 

Gordon 

Flynn

and Harold. 

Thomas, Percy and Rosie make regular appearances, pulling passengers riding in carriages Annie and Clarabel between Knapford station and Tidmouth Halt station. 

Tidmouth Halt Station

Once at Tidmouth Halt station, you find Spencer and an adventure play area 

a dinosaur trail and some zoo animals.

Drayton Manor

Drayton Manor is a theme park with rides for all ages, zoo animals and crazy golf. 

Nearest Town: Tamworth, near Birmingham
County: Staffordshire
Nearest Postcode: B78 3TW

Adult Cost Range: Various prices depending on when you go. Please see their website for details.
Child Cost Range: Various prices depending on when you go. Please see their website for details.
Free if: Under 2 years old

Opens: Various times and days throughout the year. Please see their website for details.

Where to Eat: Various restaurants, cafes and picnic areas.
Facilities: Toilets, accessible toilets, shops, cafes, snacks and ice creams.

How Long We Spent There: 5 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly 

Parking: Large car parks
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife you might see: Zoo animals, including tigers, red pandas, monkeys, meerkats, lynx, capybara, tapir, gibbon, marmoset, porcupine, frog, snake and bird like emus, cockatoos, flamingos and rheas.

Information Written: July 2020

Our visit to Thomas Land at Drayton Park in Tamworth, near Birmingham, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Swanage Railway

This full-size heritage railway operates a range of steam and diesel locomotives, as well as historic carriages

that huff and puff you through old stations 

and railway memorabilia 

to Swanage and the seafront and Corfe Castle. 

Devon Belle Observation Car

One of the historic carriages is the Devon Belle or Pullman Observation Car No. 14. 

This has been used as an ambulance to transport wounded WW1 soldiers, 

as a holiday observation car and also to tour the USA with the Flying Scotsman! 

The views from the Devon Belle are much better than the normal carriage. It currently costs an extra £3.50 per person.

The Railway Route

The steam trains puff along the 5.5 mile line between the stations at Norden 

Corfe Castle

Harmans Cross and Herston Halt

and Swanage. 

Corfe Castle

Corfe Castle sits next to the railway line. You can choose to steam on past or break your journey at Corfe Castle station, taking the short walk to the village and castle. 

Norden Station Play Area

The Sidings Play Area at Norden Station is themed on Swanage Railway and Corfe Castle and has equipment to climb on and explore. 

Nearest Town: Norden, Corfe Castle, Harmans Cross or Swanage, all near Wareham
County: Dorset
Nearest Postcode: BH20 5DW

Adult Cost Range: Various – please see their website for details. 
Child Cost Range: Various – please see their website for details. 
Free if: Under 5 years

Opens: Various times throughout the year. Please see their website for details.

Where to Eat: Norden station, Corfe Castle station and Swanage station have cafes or you can bring a picnic.
Facilities: Various, depending on which station you are at. Please see their website for details.

How Long We Spent There: 1 hour exploring Norden station and the play area.  Norden to Swanage is about a 25 minute train ride, one way.
Buggies: You can’t take buggies on the train but they can go into the Guard’s Van. 

Parking: Large car park.
Cost of Parking: £4 per day. 

Information Written: June 2022

Our visit to Swanage Railway in Dorset is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Paultons Park

Paultons Park itself is a family theme park that also has 

dinosaurs to spot

animals to watch

adventure play areas and splash pads

a wide variety of rides for all ages 

and a train and several garden walks for anyone who prefers something a little more gentle. 

Peppa Pig World

This Peppa Pig themed part of the park brings the Peppa Pig stories, characters and illustrations to life and allows you to explore Peppa’s town

meet her family and friends

 ride in their trains and boats

cars and helicopters 

and even meet Peppa herself. 

Peppa Pig Prep!

Believe it or not, we visited Peppa Pig World without having watched or read anything about Peppa Pig!

We still enjoyed our first visit, even without knowing the characters, but reading the books definitely made subsequent visits more magical!

George’s Spaceship Playzone

This is a soft play area with slides and climbing frames 

as well as an area for smaller children. 

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs roam around the Lost Kingdom!

We spotted several, including Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops, Velociraptors and the staggeringly large Argentinosaurus. 

The Dinosaur Tour Co. offer dinosaur safaris by Jeep! 

Water Kingdom

Paultons Park has two splash parks – a large splash pad with tipping buckets, fountains and water shooters and another smaller one called Muddy Puddles.

Adventure Play Areas

There are three adventure play areas, including one that is themed around Mr Potato from Peppa Pig and another dinosaur-themed one where you can dig for fossils. 

Nearest Town: Romsey, Near Southampton
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: SO51 6AL

Adult Cost Range: Various prices depending on when you go. Please see their website for details.
Child Cost Range: Various prices depending on when you go. Please see their website for details.
Free if: Under 1 metre tall

Opens: Various times and days throughout the year. Please see their website for details.

Where to Eat: Various restaurants, cafes and picnic areas.
Facilities: Toilets, accessible toilets, shops, cafes, snacks and ice creams.

How Long We Spent There: 5 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly 

Parking: Large car parks
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife you might see: Penguins, giant tortoises, flamingos, pelicans, tropical birds, owls, fish, lizards and insects.

Information Written: July 2017
Information Checked: April 2021

Our visit to Paultons Park and Peppa Pig World in Romsey, near Southampton, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

The Festival of Light

The Festival of light happens over the Christmas period and is one of our favourite festive adventures. 

You can either buy tickets for the whole park or just to see the lights. 

Every year the theme is different. 

The photos I have used are from the last five years, with themes like the many stories of Roald Dahl 

Grimms’ Fairy Tales 

monsters from the Greek myths

and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which was the theme for Christmas 2023. 

Longleat

Longleat itself offers an action-packed day, during which you get up close to animals and safari by land and water.

Adventure Castle Play Area

There is also a huge Adventure Castle play area.

Nearest Town: Warminster
County: Wiltshire
Nearest Postcode: BA12 7NW

Adult Cost Range: Various – please see their website for details.
Child Cost Range: Various – please see their website for details.
Free if: Under 3

Opens: The Festival of Light happens during the Christmas period. Longleat itself is open daily during the summer but with seasonal closures.

Where to Eat: There are various cafes and you can bring a picnic.
Facilities: Snacks, ice cream, cafes, picnic areas, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: A full day.
Buggies: Buggy friendly.

Parking: Large car park.
Cost of Parking: Free.

Wildlife You Might See: Zoo and safari park animals, including zebra, giraffes, camels, vultures, monkeys, an elephant, rhinos, deer, lions, tigers, cheetahs, wolves, insects and spiders, hippos, seals, gorillas, bats, anteaters, giant otters, meerkats and wallabies.

Information Written: January 2024

Our visit to Longleat and the Festival of Light, in Warminster, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Epic Fun

LEGOLAND^® is a LEGO^® brick theme park complete with epic music, shows, models, crowds and queues.

Themed Lands

LEGOLAND^® is divided into action-packed themed lands, which combine LEGO^® brick models with rides, water fun, live shows and adventure.

Drench Towers

There is also an enormous water play area called Drench Towers and Splash Safari that has Duplo^® animals (including the polar bear, giraffe and elephant) and interactive water features like water cannons, water slides and fountains. 

Miniland

Miniland features LEGO^® brick models of cities like London, Amsterdam and Paris as well as models of the space shuttle and remote controlled boats.

Legal notice: LEGO^®, DUPLO^® and LEGOLAND^® are trademarks of the LEGO Group of companies which does not sponsor, authorize or endorse this site.

Nearest Town: Windsor
County: Berkshire
Nearest Postcode: SL4 4AY

Opens: Various times throughout the year

Adult Cost Range: Various
Child Cost Range: Various
Free if: Under 90cm tall

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or eat at one of the cafes. 
Facilities: Cafes, drinks, snacks, ice creams, picnic areas, toilets, accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: We spent a full day at LEGOLAND^® Windsor Resort and still didn’t manage to see everything!
Buggies: Buggy friendly.

Parking: There is a massive car park.
Cost of Parking: From £8

Information Written: October 2016
Information Checked: December 2023

Our visit to LEGOLAND^® Windsor Resort in Windsor is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Can You Help?

Luckily, you can help to track down each of these escapees. Pick up a trail map identifying where each is hidden and follow it until you see a blue footprint on the floor. Look around until you spot something out of the ordinary.

Look Everywhere

It could be anything…you never know what is just around the corner in this town – a magical shadow or hidden animal, secret writing or an overt phrase, a tiny mouse or a huge pencil, a high up cat or a low down rat!

The Challenge…and Reward

When you have found it, fill in the clue on the back of your map. Once the map challenges are complete (or not!), take your map to the White House on Hockliffe Street to pick up your reward. We were given a badge, bookmark and an art card.

Leighton-Linslade

We spent a magical morning following the trail past old buildings, up winding mews and along busy streets.

It leads you to parts of the town you would never have realised were there. 

The Play Area and Splash Pad

You arrive at Parson’s Close Recreation Ground towards the end of the trail. 

It is a park with a large playground, a superb splash pad with jets of water and a huge sand pit. We played for hours.

Which Story?

Essentially, this is an art work or sculpture trail with pieces inspired by books like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Harry Potter, The Borrowers, Alice in Wonderland and The Gruffalo.

Some of the art works are easy to connect to a particular character or story and others tie more generally into themes commonly found in children’s books – for example, doors to other worlds, making wishes and magical items.

Have a look at the Children’s Trail Reading List before going if you feel in need of inspiration.

Where to Start?

Maps and a pencil are available for free from Leighton Buzzard Library or The White House (on Hockliffe Street).

Alternatively, you can download a map from The Leighton-Linslade Children’s Trail website.

If you’d like to see the Children’s Trail in action, check out the video that has been made to celebrate the 5th Birthday of the Childrens’ Trail.

There is One Teeny Tiny Street!

Access was easy but one of the streets the trail leads you down is called Peacock Mews. This is a charming, tiny street with a narrow alleyway. My double buggy managed to squeak through. 

If you do get stuck, you can go around onto Hockliffe Street and into Peacock Mews that way.

Magical Fun

We have visited the trail twice now. On both occasions we have had a fantastically magical day.

Everyone was so friendly – it is no exaggeration to say that in February we were invited to two events, given several hints, and were spoken to at least another 10 times.

Rushmere Country Park

If you would like to continue the story trail theme then head over to Rushmere Country Park for some fairy tale fun in the forest.

Nearest Town: Leighton-Linslade, near Luton
County: Bedfordshire
Nearest Postcode: LU7 1RX (or LU7 1HJ for the nearest car park)

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: There are cafes along the trail and places to picnic towards the end.
Facilities: Cafes and shops.

How Long We Spent There: 3.5 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: Hockliffe Street car park (LU7 1HJ), which is at the start and finish of the trail. It is a pay and display car park and was busy when we visited on a week day.
Cost of Parking: From £1 per hour

Information Written: July 2017
Information Checked: August 2023

Our visit to the Leighton-Linslade Children’s Trail in Leighton-Linslade, near Luton, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Leighton-Linslade Childrens’ Trail

We spent a magical morning following the Children’s Trail

past old buildings, up winding mews and along busy streets.

Parson’s Close Play Area and Splash Pad

You arrive at Parson’s Close Recreation Ground towards the end of the story trail.

The large playground has towers, slides, nets, swings and a huge multiplay. There is also a sandy play area

and a super splash pad with jets of water. 

Rushmere Country Park

If you would like to continue the story trail theme then visit Rushmere Country Park for some fairy tale fun in the forest.

Nearest Town: Leighton-Linslade, Luton
County: Bedfordshire
Nearest Postcode: LU7 1SD (or LU7 1HJ for the nearest car park)

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: There are cafes in Leighton-Linslade and places to picnic at Parsons’ Close.
Facilities: Toilets, accessible toilets, cafes and shops.

How Long We Spent There: 3.5 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: Hockliffe Street car park (LU7 1HJ), which is at the start and finish of the trail. It is a pay and display car park and was busy when we visited on a week day.
Cost of Parking: From £1 per hour

Information Written: July 2017
Information Checked: August 2023

Our visit to Parson’s Close Recreation Ground and Splash Pad in Leighton-Linslade, near Luton, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Preface: Story Trails

A.A. Milne and his son Christopher Robin discovered Ashdown Forest together. 

We decided to follow in their footsteps and create our own Winnie-the-Pooh story trail. 

We used a walking route we found online (full details below) and our copies of Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner .

Introduction: “We’re All Going On An Expotition…”

Like Winnie-the-Pooh, we called our expedition an ‘Expotition’.

We chose three areas of Ashdown Forest to visit: 

• Pooh Corner, Hartfield village (to set the scene at the Poohseum and to pick up maps so my children could ‘plan’ the Expotition over lunch)
• Pooh Bridge car park (as the first chapter of Winnie-the-Pooh starts at Pooh’s house, which is next to Pooh Bridge)
• Gills Lap car park.

Chapter 1: Pooh Corner 

Our Expotition began with lunch at Pooh Corner, a tea room and museum dedicated to all things Winnie-the-Pooh, which helped to set the scene for our story trail. 

We also had a good look at the map in the front of the books, which you also can see here on the EH Shephard website.  

The Pooh Corner staff are lovely and happy to give advice on places to visit in Ashdown Forest with maps.

Chapter 2: Pooh Bridge 

Pooh’s House 

Winnie-the-Pooh’s tree stump house is very near to Pooh Bridge.  

To find it, walk to the bridge from Pooh Bridge car park, cross the river and Pooh’s house is a very short walk away on the left of the path.  

When you find it, don’t forget to knock and “Rnig Also” to see if anyone is home!

Pooh Bridge 

This picturesque spot is where Pooh invents the game of Poohsticks.  

The bridge jumps straight out of the pages of the books, having been rebuilt in 1979 to match Shepard’s illustrations. 

Piglet’s House

You can find Piglet’s tiny house in the woods to the left of the main path (when walking back to Pooh Bridge car park).

Owl’s House

Owl’s high up house is there for the finding too.

Chapter 3: Gills Lap 

Note: We followed the walking route linked to below but in reverse because I wanted our trail to end at the Enchanted Place, the location for the last line of the books.  

These places and the route are shown on the map linked to below. 

Eeyore’s Sad and Gloomy Place (map marker 6)

We didn’t walk all the way to Eeyore’s Gloomy Place – it’s a long way and the name didn’t exactly sell it as a destination!  

Instead, we walked a little way past the stream and gazed across at the Gloomy Place before heading back to the stream and Quarry car park. 

The North Pole (map marker 5)

A little stream runs through this part of the forest and is believed to be the spot where Roo falls into a pool of water and Pooh finds the North Pole.   

Roo’s Sandy Pit (map marker next to the Quarry car park)

This former quarry is now overgrown and is where Pooh and his friends trick Kanga into leaving with Piglet instead of Roo.

The Milne and Shepard Memorial (map marker 3)

The memorial plaque commemorating A.A. Milne and E.H. Shephard has a stunning location

with places to sit and have a picnic or rest tired legs whilst marvelling at the view.

The Heffalump Trap (map marker top left)

If you are brave enough, you can build your own Heffalump trap in this Very Deep Pit dug by Piglet. 

But be careful, Christopher Robin spotted Heffalumps just lumping along in this part of the forest…

The Enchanted Place (map marker 2)

Our final stop, the Enchanted Place, is mentioned in the last line of The House at Pooh Corner, which makes me cry every time: 

“…in that enchanted place on the top of the Forest a little boy and his Bear will always be playing.”

Notes: Planning Your Expotition

Maps and Leaflets

The Pooh Corner staff give advice on which places to visit in Ashdown Forest and also have a little expotition map for children. 

I also printed this map and guide I found on another website called Pooh Walks from Gills Lap.

The Paths

The conditions along the paths varies – some parts are uneven and steep and others are flatter and easier.  

I have easily taken an all terrain buggy to Pooh Bridge from the Pooh Bridge car park but would opt for a sling when exploring the area around Gills Lap car park.

Nearest Town: Hartfield, Ashdown Forest, near East Grinstead
County: East Sussex
Nearest Postcode: TN7 4AE, TN7 4EX and TN7 4EN

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free 

Where to Eat: Eat at Pooh Corner Tea Rooms or bring a picnic and eat in Ashdown Forest.
Facilities: None but there is a cafe offering snacks and ice cream at the Pooh Bridge car park (TN7 4EX). 

How Long We Spent There: Full day
Buggies: You can take an all terrain buggy to Pooh Bridge.  The ground is uneven around Gills Lap. 

Parking: You can park at Pooh Corner (TN7 4AE), Pooh Bridge car park (TN7 4EX) and Gills Lap car park (TN7 4EN). 
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Cattle, deer, ponies, birds, butterflies, other insects, snakes and mammals.

Information Written: September 2022

Our visit to the many enchanted places of Ashdown Forest in Hartfield, near East Grinstead, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Ashdown Forest

The atmospheric Ashdown Forest inspired A.A. Milne to write about the adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh, Christopher Robin and friends.

Pooh Bridge

No visit to Ashdown Forest is complete without a visit to picture perfect Pooh Bridge, where Pooh invented the game of Poohsticks. 

Be sure to pick up some Poohsticks on your walk to the bridge – they can be hard to find, probably because they are all in the stream! 

The Walk

We walk to the bridge from Pooh Bridge car park, which has a little cafe. 

The paths are generally flat and buggy friendly, with a gentle hill leading away from the car park. 

The Houses

Following the path to Pooh Bridge leads you past a little balancing course and down a hill.  

If you leave the path and head into the woods on the right you can find Eeyore’s gloomy house

Piglet’s tiny house

and Owl’s high up house. 

The Bridge

The bridge jumps straight out of the pages of Milne’s stories, having been rebuilt in 1979 to match Shepard’s illustrations. 

Pooh’s House 

Winnie-the-Pooh’s house is in a tree stump very near to Pooh Bridge.  

To find it, walk to the bridge from Pooh Bridge car park, cross the stream and walk a little way up the lane.  

When you get there, don’t forget to knock and “Rnig Also” to see if anyone is home!

Other Story Locations

Ashdown Forest is home to other locations from the Winnie-the-Pooh stories, including Roo’s Sandy Pit, the Enchanted Place, Eeyore’s Gloomy Place and the Heffalump Trap.  

It also has a memorial plaque to A.A. Milne and E.H. Shepard.

For full details, please see my post about how to create your own Winnie-the-pooh Expotition. 

Pooh Corner Tea Rooms and Pooh’seum

A short drive away from Pooh Bridge is the village of Hartfield and Pooh Corner, a tea room and museum dedicated to all things Winnie-the-Pooh. 

The Pooh Corner staff are lovely and happy to give advice on places to visit in Ashdown Forest with maps.

Nearest Town: Hartfield, Ashdown Forest, near East Grinsted
County: East Sussex
Nearest Postcode: TN7 4EX 

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free 

Where to Eat: Eat at Pooh Corner Tea Rooms or bring a picnic and eat in Ashdown Forest.
Facilities: None but there is a cafe offering snacks and ice cream at the Pooh Bridge car park (TN7 4EX). 

How Long We Spent There: Full day
Buggies: You can take an all terrain buggy to Pooh Bridge.  The ground is uneven around Gills Lap. 

Parking: You can park at Pooh Bridge car park (TN7 4EX). 
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Cattle, deer, ponies, birds, butterflies, other insects, snakes and mammals.

Information Written: September 2022

Our visit to Pooh Bridge and the other enchanted places in Ashdown Forest, near East Grinsted, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

The Tea Rooms

The tea rooms have indoor and outdoor seating areas and serve a range of homemade foods that you can enjoy surrounded by memorabilia.

The Pooh’seum

Also inside is a museum dedicated to all things Winnie-the-Pooh, including information on A.A. Milne

signed books 

and lots of photos.  

There are also plenty of toys on display!

Ashdown Forest

Ashdown Forest is the magical heath and woodland that inspired A.A. Milne to write two books about the adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh and friends. 

The Pooh Corner staff gave us advice on where to visit and a little Expotition map for the children.

You can find the houses of Pooh, Piglet and Owl

play Poohsticks on the bridge 

or walk to the real life locations for the Winnie-the-Pooh stories. 

Hartfield Town Croft Playground

Near to Pooh Corner is the Poohscape Play Area, a small, sandy play area with equipment that includes swings, a slide, a climbing frame, a wooden train and picnic tables. 

Nearest Town: Hartfield, Ashdown Forest, near East Grinstead
County: East Sussex
Nearest Postcode: TN7 4AE

Opens: Daily
Cost: The Pooh’seum is free to enter. The tea rooms charge for food and drink orders.  

Where to Eat: Eat at Pooh Corner or bring a picnic and eat at the nearby play area.
Facilities: Tea rooms offering food, snacks, ice cream, a shop and toilets. 

How Long We Spent There: 1 hour
Buggies: Buggy-friendly.

Parking: No car park but there is free parking along the road outside. 
Cost of Parking: Free

Information Written: September 2022

Our visit to Pooh Corner and the Poohscape Play Area in Hartfield, Ashdown Forest, near East Grinstead, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

100 Aker Wood

Walking through 100 Aker Wood was magical, like walking through scenes from the Winnie-the-Pooh books and cartoons. 

We found Winnie the Pooh’s house 

Eeyore’s Gloomy Place

a bridge to play Poohsticks

Wol’s tree 

Roo’s Sandy Pit 

Rabbit’s house 

a heffalump trap

and a bee tree.  

At the entrance there is a map of 100 Aker Wood that shows the places you can find along your walk.  

Aldenham Country Park

The Country Park itself is full of things to do, including orienteering and cycling trails 

mini golf and trampolines

a lake and nature trails. 

Aldenham Country Park Farm

On Aldenham Country Park Farm, a route leads you past farm animals, including cows and pigs

goats, donkeys and ducks.  

It also has various tractors to ride

and an area where you can pay a little extra and meet some smaller animals, like rabbits, guinea pigs and giant snails.

We even spotted Winnie the Pooh!

The Adventure Play Area

This fabulous Aldenham Country Park Adventure Play Area has wooden play equipment, including a zip wire, sand play areas

and a water play area complete with a water pump.

At the time of writing, you must book to use the play area and there was a charge of £3. 

Some sessions are exclusively for children with special needs. 

Nearest Town: Elstree, near Watford
County: Hertfordshire
Nearest Postcode: WD6 3BA

Opens: Daily

Adult Cost Range: The Country Park is free but you pay to enter the farm and the adventure play area. 
Child Cost Range: The Country Park is free but you pay to enter the farm and the adventure play area. 
Free If: You are only visiting the Country Park.

Where to Eat: Eat at the cafe, hire a barbecue or bring a picnic.
Facilities: Cafe offering snacks and ice cream, toilets and accessible toilets, picnic areas. 

How Long We Spent There: 2 hours at the farm and the rest of the day in the Country Park.
Buggies: Buggy friendly.

Parking: There is a large car park. 
Cost of Parking: From £4.50 per day.

Wildlife You Might See: Birds and insects and farm animals – cows, pigs, chickens, ducks, sheep, rabbits, guinea pigs – maybe even Winnie the Pooh!

Information Written: July 2022

Our visit to 100 Aker Wood and Aldenham Country Park in Elstree, near Watford, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Aldenham Country Park Farm

On the farm, a route leads you past the farm animals, including cows and pigs

goats and donkeys

ducks and peacocks.  

It also has tractor rides

and an area where you can pay a little extra and meet some smaller animals, like rabbits, guinea pigs and giant snails. 

Winnie the Pooh

When we visited, Winnie the Pooh was there to meet, cuddle and wave at the guests.

100 Aker Wood

After our visit to the farm, we walked through the Country Park to 100 Aker Wood and explored the magical places where Winnie the Pooh and his friends have their adventures.  

We discovered places like Winnie the Pooh’s house

Wol’s tree 

and the bees.

Aldenham Country Park

Aldenham Country Park itself has an orienteering course and cycle trails 

mini golf and trampolines

a lake and nature trails. 

The Adventure Play Area

This exciting Aldenham Country Park Adventure Play Area has wooden play equipment, including a zip wire, sand play areas 

a water play area complete with a water pump 

and accessible equipment.

At the time of writing, you have to book to use the play area and there was a charge of £3. 

There are sessions exclusively for children with special needs. 

Nearest Town: Elstree, near Watford
County: Hertfordshire
Nearest Postcode: WD6 3BA

Opens: Daily

Adult Cost Range: Various starting at £4.50. Please see their website for details. 
Child Cost Range: Various starting at £4.50. Please see their website for details. 
Free If: You are only visiting the Country Park (and not the farm or play area).

Where to Eat: Eat at the cafe, hire a barbecue or bring a picnic.
Facilities: Cafe offering snacks and ice cream, toilets and accessible toilets, picnic areas. 

How Long We Spent There: 2 hours at the farm and the rest of the day in the Country Park.
Buggies: Buggy friendly.

Parking: There is a large car park. 
Cost of Parking: From £4.50 per day.

Wildlife You Might See: Birds, insects and farm animals – cows, pigs, chickens, ducks, sheep, rabbits, guinea pigs – maybe even Winnie the Pooh!

Information Written: July 2022

Our visit to Aldenham Country Park Farm in Elstree near Watford is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Moors Valley Country Park Play Trail

The Play Trail is a route that guides you through the woods to 9 hidden play areas and the Tree Top Trail.

You can explore a Giant Wood Ants’ Nest

wander the Enchanted Woods

make music at the House of Baba Yaga

crawl through the Snake Pit

brave the Bewlidernest

fly through the Hawk House

soar along the Tree Top Trail

sneak past the Spiders

pick your way through the infested waters of Crocodile Crossing

and scramble up Timber.

The Paths

The Play Trail is about a mile long and took us about 2 hours to complete with a lot of stopping and playing. 

The paths are clearly marked and I did not have any problems pushing an all-terrain buggy.

The Miniature Railway

The Moors Valley Railway rumbles through the park (with seasonal opening hours). This is a miniature railway that connects Lakeside and Kingsmere stations.

Everything Else!

There are other marked trails to try – fitness trails, walking trails, cycling trails, audio trails and even a Hawk Walk, which is a walk through the forest with free flying hawks (this needs to be booked in advance)!

Also on offer is Go Ape Tree Top and Segway Adventures,

an orienteering course, a golf course with Footgolf and a family activity area with pitch and putt and equipment hire. 

Where to Eat?

There is a cafe and two picnic areas – one next to the lake and railway and another between the Visitor Centre and the forest.

The latter has life-size sculptures of the Gruffalo and the Gruffalo’s child.

The Moors Valley Play Areas

The fantastic play areas are divided into the Adventure Area, for older children, and the Castle and Sandworks area, for younger children.

The Adventure Area

The Adventure Area has:

• a large slide with a climbing wall
• a climbing wall
• a climbing boulder
• a zip wire
• a basket swing
• a large rope climbing frame
• a huge wooden fortress with a long tube slide, tunnels and rope bridges
• rope swings.

The Castle and Sandworks

The Castle and Sandworks has equipment including:

• a multi-play with a slide and easy to climb steps
• another slide
• a large multi-play shaped like a house with a slide, fireman’s pole, climbing wall and ropes to climb on
• toddler swings made of ropes
• a wooden train

• mechanical diggers you can operate
• wooden animals 
• an obstacle course
• springers
• spinners
• sand construction areas with buckets, chutes and pulleys.

Nearest Town: Ringwood
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: BH24 2ET

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or eat in the Visitor Centre cafe.
Facilities: Toilets, accessible toilets, ice creams, snacks, cafe, picnic areas.

How Long We Spent There: 4 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly. Note that this is not wide enough for a buggy but there is a path that allows you to skip past it.

Parking: Large car park but it is very busy at peak times.
Cost of Parking: Various charges, from £2 per hour.  Please see their website for full details.

Wildlife You Might See: Ducks, swans, birds and insects.

Information Written: April 2017
Information Checked: October 2022

Our visit to Moors Valley Country Park and the Moors Valley Country Park Adventure Play Areas in Ringwood is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Watership Down – The Novel

Hazel’s band of rabbits hop seven miles from their warren at Sandleford to the top of Watership Down.

Along the way they push their way through Newtown Common, cross footbridges, float along the River Test and discover Nuthanger Farm.

Watership Down – The Hill

“O Frith on the hills!” says Dandelion as the rabbits marvel at the new home Fiver has found them on Watership Down. Standing at the top of Watership Down it is easy to see why. The views are some of the best I’ve seen. 

Standing at the bottom of Watership Down is like looking up at a wall of grass.

An ideal spot for the hillfort built here during the Iron Age. 

Gallops

The top of Watership Down is separated from the hillside by Gallops, which are tracks and fences used to train racehorses. 

The fences are enormous!

There is a footpath across the Gallops but be careful to check for charging horses before you cross.

The gate onto the footpath is about a ten to fifteen minute walk from the parking area near Ashley Warren Down (see below). 

The Warren under the Beech Tree

In the book, the warren the rabbits find on top of Watership Down is hidden amongst the roots of an old beech tree.

This tree stood at the top of Watership Down but sadly was destroyed by a storm in 2004.  This spot is now marked by a young beech tree and a plaque in recognition of Richard Adams.

When I visited, the rabbits Fiver, Bigwig and Hazel had also been unofficially remembered…

Wayfarer’s Way

A long-distance route called the Wayfarer’s Way runs along the top of Watership Down, connecting Ladle Hill (to the west) with Whitehill (to the east).
This can be used by walkers and cyclists. 

A Fossil Find

On my walk up the hill I randomly discovered a mussel shell fossil just sitting on the path.

Finding Watership Down

To walk to Watership Down from the lay-by near Ashley Warren Down (RG28 7QH) take the path across the road from the lay-by.

This will lead you up a small hill, through a gate and on towards the Gallops and the Richard Adams memorial plaque.

The Paths

The paths are not surfaced. They can be grassy, stony, narrow and steep.

The path along the top of the hill is pretty flat. It is only the footpath up and down the hill that is steep. 

Note that this is not a circular route. The path down the hill is also the path you come back on. 

Nearest Town: Kingsclere, near Basingstoke
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: RG28 7QH (or RG25 3EJ)

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic and a blanket.
Facilities: None

How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: I wouldn’t bring one as there are steep hills and narrow paths. 

Parking: There are a couple of options – there is a lay-by to the west of Watership Down near Ashley Warren Down (RG28 7QH) and there is a car park to the east at Whitehill (RG25 3EJ). 
Cost of Parking: Free.

Wildlife You Might See: Rabbits and hares, butterflies and other insects, red kites and other birds.

Information Written: June 2022

Our visit to Watership Down near Kingsclere, near Basingstoke, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.
 

The Emma Sallis Adventure Playground 

The shady Emma Sallis Adventure Playground has equipment for children under 12 years old that includes a wooden castle with a climbing wall, nets, a slide and easy to climb stairs.

There is also a multiplay with rope bridges, wobbly bridges, nets, a tunnel, easy to climb stairs and a slide, swings, a wooden train, springers and a balance course.

The Lake

At the centre of Black Country Park is a lake edged by worn tree stumps.

Film Locations 

Black Park is located near to Pinewood Studios so it’s no surprise that the park has been used as the location for many films, including Harry Potter, James Bond, Stardust and Captain America. 

When we visited they were filming a secret jungle film, which meant some parts of the park were closed.

Go Ape

Go Ape at Black Park offers tree top rope courses, bike hire, Forest Segway and a Nets Adventure. 

The Paths

There are several marked paths and trails to explore, including a habitat trail and an orienteering course. 

Orienteering

There are twenty posts hidden around Black Park – how many can you find?  

You can download a copy of the orienteering course before you go or pick one up from the visitors’ centre. 

The Cafes

There is a lakeside cafe called the Black Park Cafe and a kiosk that sell snacks, drinks and ice creams. It also has picnic tables. 

Nearest Town: Wexham, near Slough
County: Buckinghamshire
Nearest Postcode: SL3 6DS

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or eat at one of the cafes. 
Facilities: Cafes, snacks, ice cream, picnic area, toilets, accessible toilets. 

How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly. 

Parking: There is a car with lots of spaces.
Cost of Parking: From £2.80 for two hours.

Wildlife You Might See: Insects and lots of birds, including ducks, swans, coots, moorhens and grass snakes.

Information Written: May 2022

Our visit to Black Park Country Park in Wexham, near Slough, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.