House Sitting Trail Leads to Top Tale: A House Sitter's Story

From time to time our housesitters share literary discoveries found along the house sitting trail. Some like this one by Maria Vano conjure up childhood memories of Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin, Poohsticks and the 100 Acre Wood. Read on to learn more.

Discovering a Top Tale on my House Sitting Trail – Winnie the Pooh and Tigger too!

While on a fun sit recently in East Grinstead (UK), I looked through the various tourist brochures the homeowner had thoughtfully left, and saw one that caught my eye. “The Stories are true!” Okay well that was enough to intrigue me to look at it! The subtitle was A.A. Milne and his son, Christopher Robin. What? Where? Here? Huh??

house sitting trail leading to the 100 Acre Wood — And so my house sitting trail led me to the 100 Acre Wood, well the outer fringes of it
Photo credit – Maria Vano

My Favorite Pet Sitting Experiences Along the Trail

So if you grew up going to sleep each night to the Winnie the Pooh stories being read to you, with visions of a bouncing tiger and a wise old owl, a sad donkey and all the gang singing and playing and jars of honey, then you must get to Hartfield, just outside of London.

Take the train, rent a car – if you’re fortunate enough to have a sit in the area, then run, don’t walk, to this fantastic little village. As I did during one of the days of my favourite catsit nearby. In fact I liked it so much later this year I’ll be returning.

Discovering Pooh Corner on my House Sitting Trail

Here is where you’ll discover Pooh Country, Pooh Corner and the 100-acre wood. Which is really a 500-acre wood but who’s counting 😊

Yes it’s real.

You thought it wasn’t?

Pooh Corner shop entrance — Finding the shop on my house sitting trail was a treat
Photo credit – Maria Vano

However, what you won’t find (at least you’ll find only very little of, thank goodness) is the Disney version of the Pooh characters. The real version, A.A. Milne’s drawings, only very slightly resemble Disney’s version. (Why Disney ever decided to change the originals and make them so very different is beyond me. The originals are fantastic!)

There are collectibles of every kind—from card sets to stuffed animals to serving-ware to books to just about everything, including bags of the same sweets that Christopher had. The store has a little tea area off the side, where you can enjoy a nice cup of tea served in character cups. There’s also a website, at https://poohcorner.co.uk

Exploring the House Sitting Trails of Ashdown Forest

In the store, you can pick up maps to the surrounding area: the famous 100-Acre Wood contained within Ashdown Forest. This is where your official house sitting trails turn into literal ones!

According to the map, you’ll be able to trace the footsteps of Winnie and the gang along these gorgeous walking paths. Place-markers will show you where Piglet lived, where Eeyore hung out, and all the rest.

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You’ll also find the iconic Poohsticks Bridge. Because thousands of tourists visit every year, the area has been picked clean of sticks—so make sure you gather a few along your walk so you can play your own game on the bridge!

Word to the Wise – Bring your own stick. The thousands of tourists have picked the place clean of sticks, so make sure you pick up a few along the way so you can play your own game on the bridge.

gifts and souvenirs available from the Pooh Corner Gift Shop

It’s hard not to pick up souvenirs on the house sitting trail

Photo credit – Maria Vano

It’s a recapture, I think, of innocence, of wide-eyed wonder; a bear with a honey jar stuck on his nose, a bouncing tiger, the floppy ears of a donkey, a wise owl, a rabbit. Maybe that’s why you leave the area feeling a bit more relaxed, a bit less stressed, and with a smile.

Go. It only takes a few hours to rediscover the joy. Find a housesit somewhere you’ve always wanted to visit.

Go. And remember.

Top Tips for First-Time House Sitters

Find a reputable house sitting platform to help you get started
Build a really good profile with background information, photos and describe your skills
Complete the ID checks they ask you to do, this reflects well on you and shows collaboration
Think carefully about your first applications, and make your note to the owners informative
Find a local sit first if you can, to ensure you get your house sitting sea legs, so to speak.

Start your house sitting trail with HouseSit Match as a housesitter

BIO

Maria Vano global housesitter and travel blogger for Housesit Match

Maria Vano is a self-confessed dreamer who believes that the world is there for all of us to see, to taste all the wines and foods, to interact with as many cultures as you can because it’s the only way to truly experience the world. She now fulfils her love of travel and of animals by house and petsitting her way around the world. Her first book is about her life as a solo traveller ‘When every road whispers my name‘.