A magical new story for Ashdown Forest awaits... ✨
We’re thrilled to announce the full details and tour dates for The Big One Hundred, a brand-new programme with performances, workshops and activities, commissioned by Ashdown Forest and Wealden District Council.
You’re invited to step into a family-friendly adventure filled with workshops, activities, and sightings of a magical new creature. Your mission: take part, uncover the secrets of Ashdown’s remarkable wildlife, collect your Explorer Badges, and earn your place as an official Ashdown Explorer!
This summer, our curious creature will journey beyond the Forest, appearing at historic sites, castles, green spaces and town centres across Wealden, bringing a touch of Ashdown magic to every corner through a series of Explorer Days and special sightings.
General release tickets will be available from 10am on 26th May.
Wealden residents can access tickets early from 10am on 18th May, sign up to our newsletter to be among the first to know.
Click the link in our bio to find out more
What a beautiful day at Cotchford Farm Open Gardens 🌿✨
With the gardens in full, glorious bloom and the most wonderful atmosphere throughout the day, it was a real joy to see so many visitors exploring this very special place as part of the Ashdown Forest 100 celebrations.
From discovering more about the lives and stories of A.A. Milne and his family, to reflecting on the fascinating connection to Brian Jones, today offered such a lovely blend of history, storytelling and shared curiosity.
Walking through the gardens, it wasn’t hard to imagine Christopher Robin roaming these very paths all those years ago, the kind of day where imagination feels just a little closer.
Thank you to everyone who came along and helped make it such a special occasion.
Exciting news… The nightjars are back!! 🐣
After several reports of ‘churring’ on the Forest, we are delighted to say that the first of our enigmatic Nightjars have returned 🎶
The warm (hopefully!) evenings to come will yet again be filled with the sound and sights of these magnificent and rare summer visitors.
To help protect them during breeding season and give them the space they need to raise their chicks, please remember to:
🐾Keep all paws on the paths. That includes human paws! (between March and September)
🐾 If your dog’s recall still needs some work, please use a lead or a long line to ensure that they stay close and don’t disturb the Nightjar and other ground-nesting birds.
🐾Pick up after your dog. Dog poo is full of nutrients which, if left, will alter the delicate balance required for the Heathland plants to thrive 🍃 it can also spread parasites to our grazing cattle, sheep and ponies.
Finally, & very importantly, please ENJOY the magical sights and sounds of the Nightjar here on the Forest (just after dusk is best) – and connect to what you are helping to protect.
Thank you from us – and from them! #spring #SSSI #sussex #wildlife #highwealdaonb #thankyou #nightjar
❗NEWBORN LAMBS ❗
There have been a number of lambs born in the Commoners' Grazing Enclosure.
If you see any young lambs in the grazing enclosure, please...
● Don't touch them, or try to pick them up.
● Leave them exactly where they are.
● Phone 01342 823583 (option 7)
We will pass the information to the owner straight away, who will collect the lambs and their mums.
These ewes were not known to be pregnant! 🤨
Please ensure that all dogs are under close control (preferably on a lead) in the Grazing Enclosure.
Introducing some of Ashdown Forest’s Next Gen! 🌱 The group met today for their induction and introduction to Ashdown Forest, followed by a guided walk where we observed Dartford Warblers and Stonechats.
We discussed our goals and the exciting opportunities that will form part of this professional development group. It was great to meet most of our first intake and hear about the diversity of interests and experiences.
For now, we are gearing up towards Nightjar surveys and Butterfly transect surveys 🦋 With loads more to come...!
#ashdownforest #highwealdnl #nextgen #conservation #passiontoprofession
🍃 Appreciation Post 🍃
Children from Dormansland School worked hard yesterday afternoon to create this lovely artwork, inspired by some of the special species on the Forest.
With huge thanks to the artist from So Sussex, who guided the children in their creative endeavours, and our fabulous Education Team.
There were too many beautiful pieces to include here, but we do hope you enjoy this selection as much as we did 🖌 #SSSI #sussex #spring #wildlife #highwealdaonb #getinvolved #childrensactivities
New details and tour dates announced for The Big One Hundred – a magical new story for Ashdown Forest awaits… ✨
A brand-new programme in partnership with Ashdown Forest and Trigger, The Big One Hundred will bring exciting performances, workshops and activities across Wealden, including the creation of a mysterious forest creature 👀
Join the adventure and discover Ashdown’s unique wildlife, take part in sightings of the magical creature, collect your Explorer Badges, and earn your place as an official Ashdown Explorer!
What’s more, this summer the creature will journey beyond Ashdown Forest into some of Wealden’s best-loved spots, including:
👀 Hailsham Town Centre
👀 Sheffield Park and Garden
👀 Uckfield’s Weald on the Field
👀 Herstmonceux Castle
Click the link in our bio to find out more ✨
"The natural world has undergone profound changes over the last century. And Sir David’s warnings about the need to act to stem the loss of species and habitats have become ever more urgent."
As Sir David Attenborough says in this piece by Channel 4 News to celebrate his 100th birthday, "If children don't grow up knowing about nature and appreciating it, they will not understand it; and if they don't understand it, they won't protect it."
Thank you to Sir David for helping multiple generations who through his work know more, appreciate more, understand more, and want to protect nature.
Happy 100th birthday, Sir David! We salute you.
Thank you to the children of Bonners school in Maresfield and to Hilary Rowberry for taking part in this wonderful piece by Channel 4 News filmed on Ashdown Forest.
To watch the video, see link in bio.
🌞 This bank holiday weekend at the Visitor Centre 🌞
Pop by for some fairtrade coffee, a choice of delicious cakes, and browse our selection of gifts, maps, and our current photography exhibition.
🌸Saturday 2nd May: 11am-5pm
🌸Sunday 3rd May: 11am-2pm
🌸Monday 4th May: 11am-5pm
(Please note access to the photography exhibition is by stairs only). #spring #SSSI #sussex #ashdownforest #conservation #aonb #highweald #cafe
Last week Helen Scott from @theeastgrinsteadbookshop came to explore the gardens at Cotchford Farm, former home of Pooh author A.A. Milne and his family. The woodland is full of bluebells and the garden’s flowers are starting to bloom! 🌸
You can explore the gardens too on 16th & 17th May, where you’ll also find Helen with a fantastic pop-up bookshop!
Tickets for this very special event must be bought in advance and are selling fast. Find out more and get yours via the @theashdownforestfoundation website - link in our bio via Linktree. All proceeds from the event will help support and protect Ashdown Forest, home of Pooh and his friends!
❗️UPDATE AT 12.45pm on Saturday 25th April 💦Our water supply has been restored so the Forest Centre is now open again with access to the public toilets and Changing Places facility. The café will be open from 1pm-3pm. ☕
❗️UPDATE AT 10am on Saturday 25th April
Unfortunately due to a loss of water supply overnight and current low pressure, we sadly have to close the Forest Centre for the time being. We hope that this situation will be resolved later today. Please check back for updates.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
🌞 This weekend at the Visitor Centre 🌞
Pop by for some fairtrade coffee, a choice of delicious cakes, and browse our selection of gifts, maps, and our current photography exhibition.
🌸Saturday 25th: 11am-3pm
🌸Sunday 26th: 1pm-3pm
(Please note access to the photography exhibition is by stairs only). #spring #SSSI #sussex #ashdownforest #conservation #aonb #highweald #cafe
It's a beautiful day and what better way to spend it than enjoying a freshly made bean-to-cup coffee and a little smackerel of something out on the deck at the Forest Centre looking out over the heathland...
We're serving some new cakes this week too - all freshly made for us by the lovely Karen at Baketastic. There's a choice of chocolate orange cake, coffee and walnut (GF). and scrummy flapjacks (vegan)... And coming soon... lemon curd cake and salted caramel brownies (GF).
Which would you choose? 😋
Where to find us:
Ashdown Forest Centre, Colemans Hatch Road, Wych Cross, East Sussex, RH18 5JP
What3Words: career.discusses.scribble
Parking charges apply - pay at machine or by cash/card in the café
