A "beautiful" walk through an ancient woodland in Sussex has been named one of the best in the UK to enjoy this spring.
Country Living has picked out just five of the best woodland walks across the country.
It said: "If you're lucky enough to live near an ancient woodland (or an old woodland which has been undisturbed for several hundred years), now is the time it will begin to come into bloom in a carpet of native wild flowers.
"Get your walking boots ready... Here are five of our favourites."
Ashdown Forest in Sussex named one of UK's best spring walks
Making the list by Country Living was Ashdown Forest, found in the High Weald National Landscape.
Ashdown Forest covers about 6,500 acres and is known for its open landscapes, rolling hills, and rich wildlife, including deer, birds, and rare plants.
The forest is owned by the Ashdown Forest Trust and managed by the Conservators of Ashdown Forest.
A small team of staff look after the forest to "protect, conserve and enhance the nature and culture of Ashdown Forest as the largest biodiverse heathland and open space in Sussex for the enjoyment, education, health and recreation of all".
The forest's heathlands are designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, a Special Protection Area for birds, and a Special Area of Conservation for its heathland habitats.
It is also part of the European Natura 2000 network as it hosts some of Europe's most threatened species and habitats.
The Ashdown Forest website describes the spot as having "lowland heathland and deciduous woodland habitats home to many rare and threatened species".
It is not the first time the forest has been highlighted as a great place to visit.
Ashdown Forest was named among the top places to visit in 2026 on a list of must-see UK destinations compiled by The Camping and Caravanning Club.
Ashdown Forest's links to Winnie the Pooh
What makes Ashdown Forest stand out is its connection to the beloved children’s stories about Winnie-the-Pooh.
Author A. A. Milne lived nearby and often visited Ashdown Forest with his son, Christopher Robin Milne, with the walks inspiring many of the settings in the Pooh stories.
Many places in Ashdown Forest directly inspired locations in the fictional Hundred Acre Wood.
For example, a small bridge in the forest is known as Poohsticks Bridge, where the characters in the stories play the game “Poohsticks” by dropping sticks into the water and seeing which one comes out first.
Visitors today often recreate this game, making it one of the forest’s most popular attractions.
Because of this connection, Ashdown Forest has become an important literary and cultural landmark.
Recommended reading:
Fans of the Pooh stories travel from around the world to explore the landscapes that inspired Milne’s imagination.
Walking through the forest today, many people feel they are stepping into the gentle, timeless world created in the classic Winnie-the-Pooh stories.
Have you visited Ashdown Forest before? Let us know in the comments.
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