Short Walks in Bedfordshire and Surrounding Areas

Below is a list of nice places to visit and walk around in Bedfordshire and the near beyond - sorted by county. Click on the relevant details link to see the page for that walk. Each of the locations has a short video to show you what is there. Most of the vids are not more than 2:30 minutes long.

Bedfordshire

Ampthill Great Park

Woburn Street, Amptill, Bedfordshire - 160 acre park.

Details

Ampthill Great Park thumbnail

Aspley Woods

A 365 hectare woodland for walkers, mountain bikers and horse riders.

Details

Cooper's Hill, Ampthill

A fairly small heath opposite Ampthill Great Park. About 2 km to do a circuit.

Details

Barton Hills

A walk along the Hills and a visit to the springs. Barton-le-Clay, Bedfordshire.

Details

Bromham Lake

Another former gravel pit given over to nature. Tranquil, but not one of the best. Approximately 11 hectares.

Details

Bedford Park

Park Avenue, Bedford, Bedfordshire - A Large Victorian park with pavilion and bandstand.

Details

Bedford Park Thumbnail

Flitwick Moor and Folly Wood

A tranquil woodland and moor to explore. 67 hectares.

Details

Felmersham Gravel Pits

A hidden gem of a nature reserve in Bedfordshire.

Details

Henlow Millennium Meadow

Walk in the Henlow fields by the crystal clear River Ivel.

Details

River Great Ouse at Willington (1)

A walk beside the river Great Ouse, near the Danish Camp at Willington.

Details

River Great Ouse at Willington (2)

A riverside walk between Willington and picturesque Great Barford.

Details

River Great Ouse at Willington (3)

A circular walk from the Willington Dovecote taking in the River Great Ouse.

Details

Harrold-Odell Country Park

A walk in the 144 acre Harrold Odell Country Park in Harrold, Bedfordshire.

Details

Harrold-Odell thumbnail

Houghton Hall Park

Visit the grounds of a former stately home in Houghton Regis, newly remodelled as a public park.

Details

Pegsdon Hills

A walk up and along the rolling Chiltern hills in Pegsdon, Bedfordshire.

Details

Pegsdon Hills

Priory Country Park

360 acre green space made up of lakes, meadows and woodland in Bedford, Beds.

Details

Rowney Warren

Woodland walk at Rowney Warren, near Chicksands, Bedfordshire.

Details

Roxton Circular Walk

Down by the river at Roxton. Under 2.5 miles.

Details

Rushmere Country Park

Explore 400 acres of woodland at The Rushmere Country Park, Heath and Reach, Bedfordshire.

Details

Rushmere Country Park Thumnail

Sandy Smith Nature Reserve

93 hectares of land, though mainly restricted to footpaths. Plenty of gunfire on Sunday mornings.

Details

Sharpenhoe Clappers

Sharpenhoe Clappers is a classic chalk escarpment and an area of natural beauty. Sharpenhoe, Beds.

Details

The Sharpenhoe Clappers_thumbnail

Stevington Windmill Walk

A circular walk of around 3.5 miles, taking you past the Stevington Postmill.

Details

Tiddenfoot Waterside Park

A one mile circular walk around the lake in Leighton Buzzard, or detour onto the Grand Union Canal.

Details

The Forest of Marston Vale

A walk in the Forest of Marston Vale, Bedfordshire.

Details

Buckinghamshire

Canal Walk at Cosgrove

A walk by the Grand Union Canal at Cosgrove, in Milton Keynes.

Details

Grand Union Canal at Cosgrove thumbnail

Ivinghoe Beacon

Stroll to the top and look out over several counties.

Details

The Blue Lagoon

Visit the nature reserve at Bletchley, famous for its blue water.

Details

Three Locks

A walk by the Three Locks at Stoke Hammond, Buckinghamshire.

Details

Weston Turville Reservoir

A walk around the reservoir at Weston Turville, Buckinghamshire.

Details

Weston Turville Reservoir thumbnail

Cambridgeshire

Fen Drayton Lakes, Cambs.

Formerly a gravel excavation, now a nature reserve and bird santuary. Details

RSPB Fowlmere.

An RSPB nature reserve near Royston (Herts) with bird hides and occasional Kingfishers to see. Details

Paxton Pits, Cambs.

Nature reserve: meadows, lakes, and a walk by the Ouse Valley Way River Trail. Little Paxton, Cambridgeshire. Details

Riverside Park

Riverside Parks, St Neots, Cambridgeshire.

Details

Riverside Park thumbnail.

Hertfordshire

Amwell Nature Reserve

A nature reserve and bird sanctuary near Ware.

Details

Ashridge Estate

Moneybury Hill, Ringshall, Hertfordshire - 5000 acre estate.

Details

Ashridge Estate thumbnail

College Lake Tring

College Lake is a former chalk quarry turned nature reserve.

Details

College Lake thumbnail

Batford Springs

Batford, Hertfordshire - Chalk springs, streams and a walk by the River Lea.

Details

Heartwood Forest

An 858 acre new forest near Sandridge in Hertfordshire.

Details

Heartwood Forest thumbnail

Mardley Heath

41 hectare woodland in Welwyn.

Details

Mardley Heath Wood Welwyn

Panshanger Park

Visit this landscaped park in Hertford and see the Panshanger Great Oak.

Details

Panshanger Park thumbnail

River Lea in Ware

Enjoy a walk beside the River Lea in the middle of Ware, Hertfordshire.

Details

Royston Heath

Walk, picnic, play or eat on Royston Heath.

Details

Rye Meads

See Kingfishers at this RSPB nature reserve in Hoddesdon.

Details

Stanborough Park

A stroll by the boating lake and the sailing lake in Welwyn Garden City.

Details

Stanborough Lakes

Willian Arboretum

A walk in Manor Woods and the Willian Arboretum at Willian, Letchworth, Hertfordshire.

Details