There’s something quietly powerful about stories returning to where they began — and The Big One Hundred at Ashdown Forest feels exactly like that.
Launching in summer 2026, this free, large-scale cultural project marks 100 years of Winnie-the-Pooh by bringing imagination, outdoor theatre and storytelling back into the landscape that inspired it all: Ashdown Forest.
This isn’t a stage show.
It’s not a trail you rush through.
It’s an invitation to slow down, explore, and reconnect — with stories, with nature, and with curiosity.
A New Chapter for the Hundred Acre Wood
Created and produced by Trigger, The Big One Hundred introduces a brand-new mythical inhabitant to Ashdown Forest: The Curious Adventurer.
Inspired by the Forest’s rare heathland and threatened species, ten puppeteers bring this large-scale puppet creature to life through a series of interactive outdoor performances woven into the landscape. The creature won’t just stay put either — it will tour cultural and heritage sites across Sussex throughout summer 2026, with dates announced in due course.
It’s storytelling that moves. Literally.
Why Ashdown Forest Matters (Now More Than Ever)
Ashdown Forest isn’t just famous because of Pooh — it’s one of the largest remaining areas of lowland heathland in the South East, a habitat rarer than tropical rainforest, and home to some of Europe’s most threatened species.
As part of The Big One Hundred at Ashdown Forest, five new themed walks will launch, including the Forest’s first all-weather accessible route.
Each walk highlights a different native species:
- Dartford Warbler
- Silver-Studded Blue Butterfly
- Adder
- Tiger Beetle
- Dormouse
It’s gentle education. No lectures. Just stories, walking, and noticing what’s around you.
Why This Resonates With Me (And Why It Works)
I’ve seen Winnie the Pooh work beautifully as live theatre — most recently at Riverside Studios, produced by Mr Rockefeller Productions.
That production reminded me why Pooh endures: gentle humour, emotional warmth, and storytelling that doesn’t talk down to children or adults.
What The Big One Hundred does so cleverly is take that same spirit and return it to its roots — outside, unscripted, and shared.
If you’ve read my stage review, you’ll know I value theatre that connects generations.
This does that — without walls.
👉 You can read my full Winnie the Pooh theatre review here and interview with Johnathan Rockerfella
This Story Is Still Being Written
One of the strongest parts of The Big One Hundred at Ashdown Forest is how open it is.
Children, families and schools are invited to help bring The Curious Adventurer to life by:
- Drawing their own versions of the creature
- Writing short stories inspired by it
- Suggesting a name
Submissions can be shared by:
- Tagging @triggerstuff on Instagram
- Emailing hello@triggerstuff.co.uk
- Using #TheBigOneHundred
This isn’t just a celebration — it’s participation.
Plan Your Visit
📍 Location: Ashdown Forest, Wych Cross, Forest Row, RH18 5JP
📅 When: Summer 2026 (specific dates to be announced)
🎟 Tickets: FREE
🌐 Useful links:
A hundred years ago, a child played in Ashdown Forest and imagined a bear.
A hundred years later, The Big One Hundred at Ashdown Forest asks today’s children to imagine again — not just stories, but futures.
That feels like the right kind of legacy.
