Trigger and Ashdown Forest present The Big One Hundred

‘The Big One Hundred’ is a magical new story for Ashdown Forest, where interactive performances, heathland walks and shared encounters reveal a curious new creature and invite audiences to write the Forest’s next chapter.

Ashdown Forest in East Sussex, A.A. Milne’s inspiration for the magical Hundred Acre Wood, is a rare heathland landscape – a habitat rarer than a tropical rainforest – and a Site of Special Scientific Interest that is home to some of Europe’s most threatened species.

Inspired by Winnie-the-Pooh, Trigger are creating a new tale for Ashdown Forest. From summer 2026, visitors will be invited to explore the forest and discover its newest inhabitant, a large-scale, mythical puppet creature inspired by the landscape and its unique species through a series of interactive performances.

2026 marks 100 years since the publication of A. A. Milne’s first collection of Winnie-the-Pooh stories. Rooted in Milne’s life at Ashdown Forest and his adventures with his young son Christopher Robin, these tales transformed the landscape into the magical Hundred Acre Wood.

To celebrate the centenary, Trigger will present The Big One Hundred, a series of free cultural events at Ashdown Forest and throughout Sussex.

In summer 2026, visitors will be invited to immerse themselves in the landscape where Christopher Robin played as a child through a series of interactive performances introducing the Forest’s newest inhabitant ‘The Curious Adventurer’.

Designed by Trigger, the new creature will be a large-scale, playful puppet brought to life by 10 puppeteers, drawing on the characteristics of several species of animals found within the Forest. This curious new creature will also travel the district, touring to local destination sites, with dates and locations to be announced.

Five new themed walks will also be launched, inviting audiences to explore more of the landscape of Ashdown Forest.

The walks will be themed around different special species including the Dartford Warbler, the Tiger Beetle, the Adder, the Dormouse and the Silver Studded Blue Butterfly.

Click here to read the full press release.