Bedfordshire - 82 Attractions You Must Visit
Contents in This Page
About Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is not only a wonderful county to live in, but also to visit and enjoy with all the family. Bedfordshire is the ideal location for a day trip, especially from the neighbouring areas of London, Buckinghamshire and Cambridgeshire. There is so much to do, you’ll wish you were staying longer, so be sure to make a list of all the places.
Types of Attractions in Bedfordshire
Activities Around
List of Attractions in Bedfordshire
Standalone Farm
Outdoors- Other
Standalone Farm is a great place to take the kids for a day out. A small working show farm set in 170 acres of Hertfordshire countryside. A delightful small working show farm set in 125 acres of farmland on the outskirts of Letchworth. The sights and sounds of newborn lambs, calves, and chicks delight the visitors. Ducks waddle around the farmyard and paddle happily in Pix Brook, which meanders through the farm.
Stanwick Lakes
Lake/ River/ Ponds
Stanwick Lakes is a unique 750-acre countryside attraction and nature reserve located in the heart of Northamptonshire’s Nene Valley. There are extensive and imaginative play areas, open spaces, and paths that families, walkers, cyclists, and nature lovers can explore at leisure. The visitor center, with café, shop, and function space, hosts events, family celebrations, business meetings and craft workshops throughout the year.
A huge country park which comprises 80 acres. It has an interesting history dating back to medieval times. It has a visitor center and a variety of habitats including a lake, ancient woodland conifer plantations, meadows, and heath. One of the best sites in the county which provides A pleasant stroll around water bodies & woodland with bat detectors, while keeping a record of bat activity. The park is partly in the Kings and Bakers Woods and Heaths Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Stockwood Discovery Centre
Museums
There’s so much to discover at Stockwood, which includes Beautiful gardens, interactive exhibitions and the largest carriage collection in Europe. The discovery centre displays collections of local social history, archaeology, geology and rural crafts. It also houses the biggest collection of horse-drawn carriages in Europe, the Mossman Collection.
Stockwood Park
Parks
Stockwood is a public park made from the grounds of what was a stately home from 1740-1964. The former walled vegetable garden now has a set of well-maintained period gardens'. They include a Victorian garden, a cottage garden and a knot garden. The surrounding landscape garden has a sculpture by Ian Hamilton Findlay. The park was originally the estate and grounds to Stockwood House, which was demolished in 1964.
Stotfold Watermill & Nature Reserve
Man-made Structures- Other
A majestic working watermill with three fully accessible floors and an adjacent 8.5-acre Local Nature Reserve. Milling demonstrations on open days. visitors can watch the millstones grinding flour and learn about the process from exhibits and demonstrations as they explore the building. The Mill stands in a local nature reserve with riverside and woodland walks.
Summer Leys Nature Reserve
Lake/ River/ Ponds
Outdoors- Other
Forests
This is a really nice place, full of nature if you fancy a round trip walk. It's about 2 miles and if you get a good pace on, it takes you about an hour.. This large, ex-gravel pit is made up of a main-lake with gently sloping banks, shallow areas of water and ponds, low lying islands, a large scrape, and a fringe of reeds surrounded by grassland and wet woodland.
Summerfields Miniature Railways
Man-made Structures- Other
Summerfields Miniature Railways has been a hidden gem in Bedfordshire ever since it was opened to the public around 20 years ago. It was operated by the members of Bedford Model Engineering Society and is located on the A600 to the North West of Haynes – approximately half-way between Shefford and Bedford. The railways will be in operation for three days during the Greensand Country Festival.
The Higgins Bedford
Museums
Art Galleries
The Higgins Bedford is a majestic art gallery and museum in Bedford. The museum is home to the Cecil Higgins Collection of fine and decorative arts, which features work by the designers William Burges and Edward Bawden.
The Wellingborough Museum
Museums
The Wellingborough Museum built-in 1892 as an indoor swimming pool by David Dulley, a brewer in the town. Today, the museum welcomes visitors to explore a range of exhibits. This beautiful museum displays the collection of artefacts owned by the Winifred Wharton Trust, previously shown in The Heritage Centre at Croyland Hall in Wellingborough.
Tring Reservoirs
Lake/ River/ Ponds
A huge water source that comprises four individual reservoirs: Startop's End, Marsworth and Tringford reservoirs are all close together and Wilstone reservoir is a short distance to the west. Originally built to serve the canal system, the reservoirs have become one of the best birdwatching spots in southern England.
Wardown House, Museum and Gallery is situated in the beautiful landscaped Wardown Park, on the outskirts of Luton town centre. The house was formerly the home of the Scargill family, then a military hospital and is now a museum and gallery. It was one of two free admission museums situated in Luton which are part of the charitable trust, Luton Culture.
Wardown Park
Parks
Wardown Park is one of seven district parks in Luton, providing a green refuge within walking distance of the town centre. It provides the setting for Wardown Park Museum and offers a wide range of opportunities for formal and informal recreational activities. With its outstanding features and is one of the most visited parks in Luton. It provides an oasis of calm within walking distance of the town center.
Wildlife Trust BCN - Nene Wetlands Visitor Centre
Lake/ River/ Ponds
Outdoors- Other
Forests
This is a huge nature reserve made up of five connected wildlife sites. This extensive series of shallow and deep open waters are surrounded with a wide range of marginal features, such as sparsely vegetated islands, gravel bars and shorelines, and habitats including reed swamp, marsh and so more. It is also a birdwatcher's paradise and The reserve forms part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and is managed by The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire.
Wildlife Trust BCN (Beds regional office)
Outdoors- Other
The Wildlife Trust BCN mission is to create a wilder future by protecting and restoring wildlife and wild places across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire & Northamptonshire, for the benefit of both wildlife and people. It aims to conserve wildlife, inspire people to take action for wildlife, offer advice and share knowledge.
Wimpole Home Farm
Outdoors- Other
Wimpole Home Farm is an 18th-century model farm on the Wimpole Estate. This 18th-century farmyard comprises of shire horses and rare breed cattle, sheep, and pigs to name a few. Young farmers can learn all about the daily activities around the yard and what it takes to look after the animals. It will be a refreshing time for you to visit this place.
Woburn Abbey and Gardens is a beautiful garden which was comprises lake, a serpentine river, an American Garden, extensive planting, a bridge, and a Thornery. Woburn Abbey has a hornbeam maze, herbaceous borders, ponds, a woodland garden and a Chinese dairy overlooking a pool.
Woburn Safari Park
Wildlife Safari Spots
Woburn Safari Park is a drive-through wild animal park. Set in over 300 acres of beautiful Bedfordshire parkland, just off junction 13 of the M1, the park offers visitors a memorable day out on safari with some of the most endangered wild animals in the world. It was opened in 1970 by the 13th Duke of Bedford.
Woburn-Abbey
Iconic Buildings
Woburn Abbey is a historic house on the border of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire. Its 22 rooms over 3 floors house a splendid collection of art, furniture and so more. Set in a beautiful 3,000-acre deer park, with 10 species of deer roaming free, Woburn Abbey has been the home of the Dukes of Bedford for nearly 400 years. Today it is occupied by the 15th Duke and his family.
Woodside Animal Farm
Outdoors- Other
Man-made Structures- Other
Woodside Animal Farm in Slip End Village, near Luton, is a great day out. Plenty of Animals on show and lots to see and do, including a Fun Fair and Crazy Golf. It has exotic animals to see and feed. Children are encouraged to get 'touchy-feely' with many, including rabbits, goats, chicks and ducklings. It proves to be an ideal environment for group and educational visits.
Map of attractions in Bedfordshire
Comments
For more information about Bedfordshire, visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedfordshire