The Bridge from the Stories

The original bridge was built in 1907 to cross a tributary of the River Medway, and was known then as Posingford Bridge. The walk to reach it takes about 15 minutes through woodland, passing handmade "Eeyore Houses" along the way – those rustic wooden A-frame lodges originate from the story where Pooh and Piglet rebuild Eeyore's home (whilst Eeyore, characteristically, complains that nobody loves him).

Located near Cotchford Farm where the Milne family lived, the bridge became famous through E.H. Shepard's illustrations. By the 1970s, the original structure needed replacing. With a substantial donation from Disney and contributions from Pooh fans worldwide, the bridge was rebuilt to match Shepard's drawings. In 1979, Christopher Robin Milne himself reopened it, officially naming it Poohsticks Bridge.

Today, in its current guise dating from 1999,  it's still the perfect spot to play the game Pooh invented – dropping sticks from the upstream side and hurrying to the downstream side to see whose stick emerges first. Simple pleasure that connects visitors to these timeless tales.

Note: The bridge can be busy during peak times, especially summer weekends. Your guide knows when quieter visits are possible.

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