It's not easy to find Pooh Corner. The song tells us that he lives "Deep in the 100 acre wood, where Christopher Robin plays...". Now that could be anywhere.
In fact (if not in fiction), the famous bear dwells just north of London, and within the M25. You can find a version of his home in Aldenham Country Park near Elstree, just about within the Oyster fares zone.
The '100 Aker Wood' forms a small, arboreal enclave to the east of the park. Here you can discover the abodes of Eeyore, Kanga and little Roo, Rabbit, Piglet, Owl and (best of all) Winnie the Pooh. The great bear can indeed be spied through his window, but was unmoved by our knocks.
Other features from the stories are dotted around, such as the 'North Pole', a heffalump trap and the Poohsticks bridge (though it's more fun to cross at the 'big stones' upriver).
It's a delightful discovery for small children, though perhaps not worth a trip in its own right. The wider park is, however, well furnished with 'stuff to do'.
Adults will enjoy a pleasant stroll around Aldenham Reservoir. The kids can try out two playgrounds and one of the better examples of a children's farm. This includes a softplay barn (with giant Winnie the Pooh toys and bouncy castle), plus a 'snug' with free hot drinks, a pool table and air hockey. A costumed Pooh makes daily appearances during school summer holidays.
How to get there
Aldenham Country Park is a doddle to get to if you have a car (a short drive from any of junctions 19-23 on the M25), but a bit of a pain by public transport. The easiest option is a Thameslink train to Elstree & Borehamwood (about 20 mins from St Pancras), followed by a 10 minute taxi ride. The 107 bus (to Edgware) goes reasonably close, so long as you're prepared to hike across some pleasant fields from the Elstree Hill North stop on Alum Lane.
See also: our guide to AA Milne's London. Of course, the real forest in which AA Milne set his books is the Ashdown Forest in East Sussex — here's our guide to following in Pooh's footsteps there, including visiting the real Pooh Corner.