Ashdown Forest is an area of open heathland and woodland on the highest sandy ridge-top of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB ). Over 10 square miles of the area has open access - allowing everyone to appreciate its beauty.
Grid Reference: TQ431323(OS Map)
Terrain: can be muddy in wet weather
What can I do?
* You can walk freely on much of the Forest.
* The easiest way to explore is to follow the wide tracks (called rides) which criss-cross the Forest.
* You can picnic freely on the Forest; just remember to take your rubbish home with you.
* You can horse ride with a permit, available from the Forest Centre, but cycling on the Forest itself is not permitted.
Where can I park?
You can use any of the 50 free car parks, spread across the Forest. These can get very busy during the summer, but please don't be tempted to park on the Forest itself.
What will I see?
* A patchwork of heather, gorse, bracken, trees and open ground - which changes colour with the seasons.
* Spectacular views to the North and South Downs and the small fields and rolling hills of the High Weald.
* Sheep and cattle grazing: they play a vital role in maintaining the precious heathand landscape.
* Evidence of how people used the Forest in the past, such as medieval rabbit warrens and abandoned sandstone quarries.
* Distinctive clumps of pine trees, planted by 19th century landscapers.
* Red iron stained streams, show where iron is buried; this made the Forest a centre of the iron production in both Roman and Tudor England.
* Places made familiar by A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh books.
| Publications | File Size |
 Walk 9 The Hindleap Walk | 1.27 MB |
| Walk 8 A Walk Amongst Friends | 1.16 MB |
| Walk 7 The Eastern Clumps Walk | 1.98 MB |
| Walk 6 Broadstone Amble | 4.47 MB |
| Walk 5 Old Airstrip walk | 2.57 MB |
| Walk 4 Tabell Ghyll walk | 3.03 MB |
| Walk 3 Chelwood Vachery Walk | 3.54 MB |
| Walk 2 Southern Slopes & Airmans Grave | 4.09 MB |
| Walk 13 The Military History On The Forest | 1.12 MB |
| Walk 12 Tabell Ghyll History | 1.36 MB |
| Walk 11 Chelwood Gate History | 1.13 MB |
| Walk 10 A Walk Beyond The Pale | 1.32 MB |
| Walk 1 Pooh Walks From Gills Lap | 3.97 MB |
| The Archaeology of Ashdown Forest | 995.3 kB |
| Old Lodge Trail | 2.37 MB |
| Church Hill Walk | 1.01 MB |
| Broadstone Amble Circular | 978.1 kB |
What will I hear?
* Skylarks singing in the sky, high above you.
* Stonechats, recognised by their distinctive call which sounds like two pebbles being knocked together.
* Chainsaws clearing trees in winter and tractors mowing bracken in summer: this stops them shading rare plants and keeps the heathand healthy.
Where can I get more information?
* You can buy a copy of the Map and Guide to Ashdown Forest in the Forest Centre.
* You can pick up guides to short circular walks from the Forest Centre or the Ashdown Forest Llama Park.
* You can find more information by visiting www.ashdownforest.org
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