Page 73 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - England's South Coast

KENT AND SUSSEX  71

gardens. A special highlight is 1890s by the Messel family. It
the Millennium Seed Bank, a is set around a Neo-Gothic
comprehensive conservation mansion, now partly in ruins.
scheme dedicated to preserving
over 24,000 plant species. Y Sheffield Park
Uckfield, East Sussex. Tel 01825
Environs 790231. Open 10am–5pm daily.
Nearby are another two lovely Closed 24 & 25 Dec. & 7 - =
gardens. Sheffield Park is ø ∑ nationaltrust.org.uk
considered one of the most Y Nymans
celebrated works of “Capability” Handcross, West Sussex. Tel 01444
Brown (see p25), with four inter- 405250. Open Gardens: Mar–Oct:
connected lakes arranged to 10am–5pm daily; Nov–Feb: 10am–
present different vistas in each 4pm daily. House: Mar–Oct: 11am–4pm
season. Nymans is a more daily. Closed 24 & 25 Dec. & 8 7 The ruins of a 19th-century mansion in
intimate garden, created in the - = ø ∑ nationaltrust.org.uk the stunning gardens at Nymans
0 Ashdown Forest

Once a hunting reserve, Ashdown Forest is a broad expanse of
wild, ancient heathland, intermixed with dense woods and
hilltop clumps of tall pines. The forest is closely associated
with A A Milne (1882–1956), who lived in Hartfield during
the 1920s while he wrote his Winnie the Pooh stories. With
his young son – the model for Christopher Robin – he
explored the woods, and many of “the enchanted
places” featured in the stories can be found here.
6 Ashdown Forest Centre 1 Hartfield
On one of the highest points in This little village is
the forest, the centre provides Upper home to the Pooh
information on walks, wildlife Hartfield Corner shop and
and other features of the area. tearoom, a must-visit for
Coleman’s Winnie the Pooh fans.
0 km 1 Hatch
COLEMANS HATCH RD
0 miles 1
Key
Tour route
Other road
5 Wych Cross and
Ashdown Forest 2 Poohsticks Bridge
Llama Park This is where Milne invented
The park offers the game of Poohsticks, which
llama rides. There involves dropping twigs on one
are also cafés and a side of the bridge and seeing how
CROWBOROUGH RD fast they come out on the other.
shop selling llama-
wool products.
3 Gill’s Lap
The woods and heaths around Gill’s
Tips for Drivers Lap are at the heart of the Pooh
Starting point: Hartfield. stories, from the Enchanted Place
Length: 20 km (12 miles). Memorial, a plaque in honour of
Stopping-off points: Pubs serve A A Milne and the illustrator
food in each village. The Gallipot E H Shepard, to the 100-Acre Wood.
Inn in Upper Hartfield and the
Hatch Inn in Coleman’s Hatch are 4 Nutley Windmill
particularly recommended. Pooh Over 300 years old, this wooden
Corner has a cozy tearoom. mill is one of only a handful still
functioning in Britain.

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