Bedfordshire ~ England

About the County

The geographical county of Bedfordshire, which includes Luton, has a population of about 560,000. In 1997 Bedfordshire's largest town, Luton, became a unitary local authority. Bedford is the county town and is dominated by the river Ouse and has many fine buildings. The county has a rich, rural landscape and fine towns and villages. Many country lanes and paths crisscross the county through splendid scenery, making it easy to forget that you are only a stones throw from London. The County is noted for its connections to the lace industry.

Places of Interest

There are many areas of outstanding natural beauty and attractions, which include stately homes and gardens, woodland walks and nature reserves, country parks and world-famous animal parks. Bedfordshire is a great county for walking, cycling and horseriding. From internationally recognized trails such as the Icknield Way to short family oriented circular. Take a leisurely canal boat cruise on one of the many inland waterways that criss cross the area or play a round of golf at one of the counties many courses.

Whipsnade Wild Animal Park and Woburn Safari Park offer wonderful family fun. The Cecil Higgins Art Gallery and Bedford Museum have some interesting displays. The gigantic airship hangers at Cardington are a reminder of the area's rich aviation heritage. You can follow the WW11 'Airfield Trail' around the north of the county, or visit the Shuttleworth Collection where aircraft are kept in full flying order.

Living in Bedfordshire

With its southern borders only 30 miles from London, the county of Bedfordshire is perfectly located for the capital and enjoys excellent transport links to London, the north and beyond. The rail and bus services are both very good. Bedford bus station is centrally located while the main railway station is just to the west of the town centre and is on the Midland Mainline from London St. Pancras to Sheffield. The line is electrified to London and the south with direct services to Brighton. There is also a local service to Bletchley. All the London airports are easily accessible. There is a wide range of primary, Lower, Middle and Upper schools throughout the county. There are several special needs schools, offering a range of specialist services to meet individual criteria. There are several independent and two boarding schools, one for boys and one for girls, as well as three universities, Cranfield, De Montfort, and the University of Luton. There are some great places to eat out. The many villages and hamlets offer a wide variety of pubs and inns often serving great home cooked meals using locally produced ingredients. The towns too offer a massive choice ideal for any occasion. Bedford is an important centre for shopping, offering great facilities in the town, as well as out of town retail developments, notably the Interchange Retail Park and Rope Walk. Bedford still has a traditional open-air market held on Wednesdays and Saturdays as well as a regular farmers' market. The county has excellent sporting facilities including leisure centres, swimming pools, sports centres and many golf courses. There are good entertainment facilities, with both mainstream and art house cinemas, several theatres, traditional and modern pubs and nightclubs in the larger towns. The county hosts many festivals and events throughout the year, including Bedfordshire Festival of Music, Speech and Drama, Bedford Beer Festival, Proms in Bedford, Words in Motion (Film and Book Festival), Badfest and The Glenn Miller Festival of Swing, Jazz and Jive.

Cities, towns and villages within Bedfordshire