Bridge over Bourne Eau named one of best to play Poohsticks by Visit England

Illustration from The Poohsticks Handbook: A Poohstickopedia by Mark Evans (Egmont Publishing). Illustrations by Mark Burgess after E H Shephard. Copyright 2015 Disney Enterprises Inc. Based on the Winnie-the-Pooh works by A.A. Milne and E.H. Shephard. EMN-150826-091507001

After the formula for the perfect Poohstick was revealed by a leading scientist, VisitEngland has compiled a list of the best bridges to play the game, alongside the original bridge in Ashdown Forest, East Sussex.

The list in full is:

1. Sheepwash Bridge, Ashford in the Water, Derbyshire

2. Morden Hall Park, London

3. Heale Gardens, Salisbury, Wiltshire

4. Packhorse Bridge, Watendlath, Cumbria

5. Mottisfont, Romsey, Hampshire

6. Little Wittenham Bridge, Abingdon, Oxfordshire

7. Mathematical Bridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire

8. New Lower Bridge, Boscastle, Cornwall

9. Bridge over Bourne Eau, Bourne, Lincolnshire

10. Cantlop Bridge, Shrewsbury, Shropshire

11. Essex Bridge, Shugborough, Staffordshire

12. Hutton-le-Hole, Ryedale, North Yorkshire

The list includes bridges from all over the country, from Cumbria to Cornwall, which have been rated against a strict set of Poohsticks criteria.

It comes after Dr Rhys Morgan revealed a formula for the perfect Poohstick to celebrate the new Winnie-the-Pooh Poohstickopedia book. Prior to that, 57 per cent of Brits believed that the game was one of luck.

Poohsticks first featured in The House at Pooh Corner, published in 1928, and has remained one of the nation’s favourite traditional games alongside Hide and Seek (52%) and It (33%).

Dr Rhys Morgan, director of engineering and education at the Royal Academy of Engineering as well as a dad of two and avid Poohsticks player himself, has used his expertise to create a formula for the perfect Poohstick. According to Dr Morgan, the main variables that need to be considered when designing the perfect Poohstick include: cross sectional area, density/buoyancy, and the ‘drag coefficient’.

Rebecca Lowe, head of PR at VisitEngland said: “Poohsticks is a timeless game. From its first mention in A.A. Milne’s 1928 classic, The House at Pooh Corner, to today, it remains a great way for families to spend time together and enjoy England’s great outdoors just like Pooh! Our recommendations of top Poohsticks bridges are just some of the great spots to enjoy the game across the country, and will hopefully encourage families to get out and engage in some friendly competition over the Bank Holiday weekend.”

Do you think Bourne Eau is a good place to play Poohsticks? Have you played the game there with your family? Send your photos and comments to the newsdesk