British roots
of Winnie the
Pooh stories

Hal Halden
Contributing Writer

CUDDLY teddy bears
have been favoured
gifts tor children for
almost a century and
show no signs of losing
popularity, according to
Ron Carels who runs
Bears Toy Store in West
Vancouver.

Their appeal is exemplitied
by the world’s famous roy
bear, Winnie-the-Pooh. His
popularity has never been
greater since English writer
A.A, Milne created the lov-
able character in his whimsi-
cal children’s books Wisnnie-
the-Pooh and The House at
Pooh Corner in the late
1920s.

For a self-described “bear
of very little brain,” Pooh has
come a long way from
Cotchford Farm, abour 60
km south of London, where
Milne wrote the books.
Although Milne died in 1956
and his son, Christopher
Robin Milne, immortalized as
the young friend of Pooh in

THE Lone Pine stands near Christopher Robin's Enchanted Place where Pooh and Pi

falumps”. Beyond are the North Downs.

Pooh Country is at the

northern end of a 6,400-acre

reserve of moor and wood-

and. Ashdown Foresz is wild
and undeveloped, much as it
was when Pooh stumped
around it. Visitors can choose
a number of posted walks. A
place to start is Ashdown

The clump of pine trees
on a grassy knoll was the
“enchanted place.” It was the
only spor in the forest where
Pooh could carelessly sit
down without prickling his
bottom.

But it was also the magical
place where Christopher

PCOHSTICKS Bridge, where Pooh and his friends dropped twigs into the
stream and then dashed to the other side to see which twig arrived first.

the books, died in 1996,
Pooh seems unstoppable.

Hc has starred in movies
and videos, and the image of
the stumpy, somewhat stout
bear with kind but slightly
crossed eyes has graced
countless products, including
Canadian postage stamps.

- The place where Pooh and
friends played in Ashdewn
Forest near the village of
Hartfield in East Sussex, is a
shrine for Pooh lovers of all
ages. A million people annu-
ally visit the spots which E.H.
Shepard illustrated in Milne’s
books with warmth and
imagination.

Forest Centre, where you can
pick up a Pooh Walk Icaflet,
with directions and maps
marking Pooh places includ-
ing Eeyore’s Sad and Gloomy
Place, Poohsticks Bridge and
Enchanted Place.

Some walks take you over
open heath, through gorse
and purple moor grass,
heather and bracken—often
shoulder high. Others wander
along bridle paths bordered
by holly bushes and through
delightful tunnels of over-
hanging beeches and oaks.
One path leads to Gill’s Lap
which Christopher Robin and
Pooh called Galleon’s Lap.

Robin decided to knight his
loyal little friend and reluc-
tantly tell him that their
happy playing days would
soon be shortened by school.
Touching Pooh an his shoul-
der with a stick, Christopher
Rabin said, “Rise, Sir Pooh
de Bear, most faithful of all
my knights.” :
Hidden up another trail is
Pooh Bridge, where two
recent visitors on what Pooh
would have called a hummy
sort of a day played Pooh
Sticks. Like the silly old bear
and his friends, they dropped
twigs on one side of the
bridge over a small stream

and watched to see which
twig reached the other side
first.

Although Pooh fans are
aware of his British roots, nor
so well known is bis Canadian
link with the northern
Ontario town of White River.
During World War Ta troop
teain carrying veterinarian
Harry Colebourn stopped
there. On impulse,
Colebourn bought a black
bear cub which a friendly
hunter had brought to the
station.

Colebourn named her
(yes, the original bear was a
girl) after his home town,
Winnipeg, and as the regi-
mental mascot she became
known as Winnie. When the
regiment went to France,
Winnie was given to the
London Zoo. There she
endeared herself to visitors,
including A.A. Milne and
Christopher Robin, who
renamed his stuffed bear
Winnie-the- Pooh.

Colebourn, survived the
war and had intended to take
Winnie home with him but
changed his mind when he
saw what a favourite she was
with young zoo visitors.
Winnie died in the zoo in
1934 at the age of 20.

Meanwhile, White River
keeps alive Pooh’s Canadian
connection with Winnie’s
Hometown Festival, celebrat-
ing its 10th anniversary this
year during the third week in
August.

Near Ashdown Forest, on
the main strecr of Hartiield
village is Pooh Corner, a half-
timbered, late | 7th century
house. As a bakery and sweet
shop, it was a favourite stop
for Christopher Robin and
his Nanny, Alice. Now, for
Pooh lovers, it is a grand
place to go when you feel, as

Pooh frequently did, like “a
little something.”

Tt is, perhaps, a place
where you might hope to
happen across the original
tovs.

Sadly, Roo was fost in
Ashdown Forest, and Owl
and Rabbit were imaginary.
Since the Second World War,
Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger,
Kanga (and a repiacement for
Roo), have been in contented
repose in the Children’s
Room of New York Public
Library’s Donnell Library
Centre (20 West 53rd St. in
Manhattan).

igtet built a trap for “hef-

How To Get There

Pooh Country is 60 kn.
south of London and 10 km
cast of Gatwick Airport.

Nearest village is
Harttield, half way berween
East Grinstead to the west
and Tunbridge Wells to the
cast — 13 km cach way.
Pooh Country is about three
km south of the village.

Public Transportation

Trains run trom London’s
Victoria Station to East
Grinstead or from Charing
Cross to Tunbridge Wells.
From either rown take the
#291 bus to the High Street
stop in Hartticld (about 12
km).

After about a three-km
taxi ride or hike along the
B2026 south to Marestield,
Pooh Country begins (near
Poohsticks Bndge) and ends
at Gil’s Lap about three km
farther along.

Ry car from London, take
23 south and ar Purley, take
A22 to East Grinstead, then
82110 to Hartfield. From
Hartfield rake B2026 toward
Marestield to Pooh Country.

Accommodation

The Stairs Farm House
and Tea Room, across the
street from the Pooh
Cornershop in Harttield, fea-
tures natural farm products
and offers double rooms
ranging trom about $90.
Tunbridge Wells, a town of
65,000, otters a number of
hotels and B & Bs.

For More Information:
British Tourist Authority,
5915 Airport Road, Ste. 120,
Mississauga, ON, L4V IT],
Tel: 1-888-847-4885;
WealdenLeisure, Vicarage
Lane, Hailsham, East Sussex
BN27 2AX; Tourist
Information Centre, Monson
Way, Royal Tunbridge Wells,
TNE IRQ.

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