Hiking around Bedford

Kingfishers darting into the water along the floodplain, a moat that dates back to the Viking age, gorgeous riverside meadows, charming watermills and an 18th-century windmill, there’s all this and more to discover during walks around Bedford. The historic market town occupies a lovely spot on the River Great Ouse and is surrounded by charming English countryside.

Some of the finest hikes around Bedford can be found in the Bedford River Valley Park, which comprises beautiful Priory Country Park, the vibrant woodland at the Grange Estate and the intervening riverside. The flat, well-surfaced trails make walks here gloriously accessible and there are plenty of nature hides too.

To the northwest is the Harrold-Odell Country Park, which connects the two villages of the same name. The parkland, lakes and water meadows are home to otters, shrews and dragonflies, among others, while there are also the splendid architectural sights of Harrold’s ancient bridge and causeway.