Date and timing?

[StoryMing]

Watership Down was published in 1972, but can anyone tell me roughly what year the events of the book are supposed to take place? (Hazel’s group leaves the Sandleford warren in May, and the first litters are born in autumn, about 4-5 months later. Hazel himself lives “a tidy few summers” beyond that.)

[Chipster-roo]

The book doesn't mention any exact dates, and neither does TFWD.  Therefore, we can only estimate based on details.

One interesting detail is the steam train that saves Holly and the others when they escape from Efrafa.  According to this site, steam trains were discontinued on this line in 1967. (that site also has pictures of most WD locations in real life, taken in the 1980s) I would assume that the book took place at some point in the 1960s then.

[StoryMing]

Good to know! - thanks Chipster-roo! 

The story originated in a car trip en route to and from Stratford on Avon. As best I can make out from the online articles, this drive took place in 1966. Therefore I am inclined to place the year as 1966. Which is before the discontinuation of the steam trains in ‘67, so... it works...