Bedfordshire Attractions

Cecil Higgins Art Gallery

 The Cecil Higgins Art Gallery is an unusual combination of recreated Victorian Mansion (originally the home of the Higgins family, wealthy Bedford Brewers) and adjoining modern gallery housing an internationally renowned collection of watercolours, prints and drawings, ceramics, glass and lace

Castle Lane, Bedford  MK40 3RP  Tel: 01234 211222   Email

Leighton Buzzard Railway

The Leighton Buzzard Railway is one of the few narrow-gauge light railways to survive in England. Built 85 years ago to transport sand, the line has carried a steam-hauled passenger train service since 1968, and now houses one of the largest collections of narrow-gauge locomotives in the United Kingdom.

The track is 2 foot (610mm) gauge, and, in typical light-railway fashion, the line features sharp curves, steep gradients-up to 1:25 (4%)-numerous level crossings of roads, and a long stretch of roadside running, as it follows the local geography, rather than imposing itself on it

Page’s Park Station, Billington Road, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 4TN  Tel: 01525 373888  Email

London Gliding Club

Find out how gliders use air currents to climb high, far and fast and where British gliding began in 1930. The Club being one of the largest clubs in the UK.

Tring Road, Dunstable, LU6 2JP  Tel: 01582 663419  Email

Mead Open Farm

There is so much to do at Mead Open Farm - with over 200 animals to see - and lots of things that will help to make a visit a great day out for all the children. There is an adventure log play area, ride on pedal tractors, large sandpit and plenty of space for energetic children to unleash their energy in a safe environment.  A Heated Indoor Playbarn with Ballpool, Ride on Toys, Soft Play Area, Spiral Tube Slide, Motion sphere, Inflatable and Country Cottage Activity House

Stanbridge Road, Billington, Nr Leighton Buzzard, LU7 9HL  Tel: 01525 852954  Email

The Forest of Marston Vale

The Forest of Marston Vale covers over 61 square miles of the very heart of Bedfordshire, England. For several years our team has been working on repairing decades of industrial use by improving the landscape and environment as part of our 40 year vision. An initiative of the Countryside Agency and the Forestry Commission, in partnership with Bedfordshire County Council, Mid Bedfordshire District Council, and Bedford Borough Council

Station Road, Marston Moretain, Bedford  MK43 0PR  Tel: 01234 767037  Email

The Shuttleworth Collection

in a quiet countryside setting, actually on an old fashioned all grass aerodrome with eight hangars. These hangars comprise an aeroplane engineering workshop, a garage and coachroom, and the remainder house the world famous collection of aircraft.

Old Warden Park, Nr. Biggleswade, SG18 9EP    Tel:01767 627288   Email

The Swiss Garden

The Swiss Garden, Old Warden, Bedfordshire, created in the 1820s by Lord Ongley, is an outstanding example of the Swiss picturesque. The Swiss Cottage is the main feature set amongst a number of contrived vistas which lead the eye towards the building. The unusually smooth hill on which it stands is suggestive of the work of the architect John Buonarotti Papworth (1775-1847) who lived nearby. He recommended the use of unpeeled bark for the rustic buildings in the Swiss manner and may have designed this cottage with its pillar and thatch and interior decoration of bark and fir-cones. The Shuttleworth family introduced a number of Victorian ’improvements’ after buying Old Warden Park in the 1870s, most notably the extensive use of Pulhamite and the creation of a raised terrace on the garden’s Western flank

Old Warden Park, Old Warden, Biggleswade, SG18 9ER Tel: 01767 626236

Whipsnade Wild Animal Park

The Park covers 600 acres of Parkland which you can tour by foot, free safari tour bus, car or on the Great Whipsnade Railway. There are around 150 different species and 3,000 animals here at Whipsnade. Here is a selection of the animals you may spot during your visit: Lemurs, chimpanzees, European bison cheetah, European brown bear, European grey wolf, penguins, reindeer, waterbuck, roan, white rhinoceros, gemsbok, reticulated giraffe, black rhinocerus, sitatunga, vultures, Grevy’s zebra, scimitar-horned oryx, greater kudu, pygmy hippopotamus, common hippopotamus, Carribean flamingo

Dunstable, LU6 2LF  Tel: 01582 872171

Woburn Safari Park

Elephants Penguins Safari Lodge Junglies Gift Shop Animal Encounters Rhinos

Woburn Park, MK17 9QN  Tel: 01525 290407   Email

Woodside Animal Farm      

Woodside Animal farm is the perfect day out for all the family. Located just of the M1 in the quiet village of Woodside, the Farm is set in 7 acres of countryside and is home to all manner of creatures. With hundreds of animals to see and feed, children are encouraged to get "touchy-feely" with many of them including goats, rabbits and even chicks and ducklings. There are also pigs, flamingoes, monkeys, llamas wallabies, cows and iguanas to name but a few. If birds are your thing, the farm has over 100 different breeds of poultry and waterfowl. The Farm also allows visitors to feed by selling specially prepared pots of feed. The children can wear themselves out in one of the many play areas that have swings, slides, a Tarzan trail, swing bridges, a fort and & farm tractors. If the weather turns a bit cold the there’s a brand new indoor play area.

Slip End Village, Luton  LU1 4DG  Tel: 01582 841044   Email

Wrest Park Gardens

Over 90 acres of gardens originally laid out in the 18 th century. There are collections of stone and lead statuary, the Bath Hosue and a vast orangery built by the Earl de Grey.

Silsoe, Luton MK45 4HS  Tel: 01525 860152