Oakvillian

Quite possibly so; but the landscape in which the stories was set was very real and familiar to AA Milne and his son, and is where they used to go for walks in the mid-1920s at the northern edge of Ashdown Forest.

The stories were fictional; the bear was a real toy bear (and the other principal characters were also stuffed toys in the menagerie of young Christopher Robin Milne); the places are identifiable from their descriptions in the stories and the illustrations and maps drawn by EH Shepherd.

moneypenny20

Elstree was more than good enough for two girls under 10. Tbey had a blast, I didn't have to drive far. Win win.

Nutek

Stop that immediately.

moneypenny20

So this isn't the moment to mention that Spongebob Squarepants isn't real either? Ok, consider it not said.

mommapudding

So much to do in London, I'll leave that to everyone else, but grab a copy of Kathryn Aalto's 'The Natural World of Winnie-the-Pooh: A Walk Through the Forest that Inspired the Hundred Acre Wood' book, then book afternoon tea at The Ashdown Park Hotel, and have a game of croquet on their lawn during your trip to play Pooh sticks, you won't regret it.

Anian

Tower of London is hard to beat, plus you kind of get Tower Bridge in with it. British Museum is always worth a visit. One of those open-top bus tours is a great way to see a lot without much effort, and if you do it early in the trip then they might spot something they want a closer look at later.

markonline1

Funnily enough, chatting in the pub last night with my mate and he brings up the subject of the UK and how he'd love to explore it with a local, i.e. Me. The things he wants to see are authentic pubs (I told him pretty much every pub in the U.K. is authentic, I'm thinking the Cheers bar just off Picadilly Circus is a no go) and some real old school book shops, the sort JR Hartley uses.

Pulaski

He needs Charing Cross Rd in London, or Hay-on-Wye if he's traveling around the UK.

scot47

You may want to tell me that "Jyst William" is fiction too, but i have met Violet Elizabeth Bott in real life. i was married to her for a time.

robin1234

The quality and quantity of second hand book shops in England is absolutely phenomenal - certainly compared to the US. I live near Norwich, there are innumerable used book stores there, of all types from high end & specialised bookshops to junk shops and charity shops that have extensive book sections. There are so many, I just walk by some because there are only so many books you can look at.

I have a colleague in the US who likes to buy old LPs, 1950s & 1960s folk and rock and so on. Again, there are dozens of shops in Norwich for that.

In addition to Norwich, almost every other town I've visited in Norfolk also have second hand bookshops.

Ash UK/US

I like your thinking!

Nutek

Oxford?

BritInParis

In London, any Samuel Smith's pub will be the real deal. Outside of London, obviously avoid the Wetherspoon's, but otherwise use your own judgement.

Maste

My girlfriend and I love books. I took her to Hay-On-Wye. She absolutely loved the quirkiness of the book stores/books in alleyways/book swaps. She also fell in love with the little cottage we rented for the few days whilst there, and just loved how quaint and small everything was, and not so in your face lol.

I took her to the Old Stables Tearoom (Best afternoon tea I've ever had and she loved it just as much). Funny story too, there was only one other couple in at the same time as us. An elderly American couple, on vacation, from Atlanta!

I definitely recommend Hay-On-Wye to any American travelling.

markonline1

I wanna say I went to a jazz festival in Hay-On-Wye. It was mental. The pubs were heaving. It was like a mini Glastonbury.