Things to do in Bedfordshire

The town is home to the Great River Ouse, which offers many activities from the base of summer festivals to watersports and pursuits. The Embankment are the garden areas that are lined along the banks of the river and they attract many locals from families enjoying picnics to early morning joggers. Bedford boasts its own football team and the Harpur Shopping Centre is situated in the heart of the action and provides residents with a wide range of high street stores and shops. The county is home to Kempston and small villages including Elstow and Renhold, which all provide their own selection of hiking paths, local churches, pubs and much more.

The Embankment and River Ouse

Bedford town's biggest natural attraction is the Great River Ouse which flows through the heart of the town and it is often where many activities take place, especially in the warm summer months. Canoeing, rowing and boating are some of the top sports and the happenings can all be viewed from the banks of the river that is known locally as the Embankment. The Embankment is home to pretty gardens and green spaces, also within the gardens there is a memorial dedicated to the fallen of WWI. This is a popular place for couples to take an afternoon stroll, for worker's to enjoy a quiet lunch and for families to play with their children.

Harpur Shopping Centre

Bedford is also a popular haunt for keen shoppers and there are a wide variety of shops to choose from. There are specialised boutique shops selling quaint local handicrafts right through to high street department stores selling everything from furniture to clothes. The centre boasts free parking on a Sunday and is easy to walk to from both the railway station and the main bus station. Shopaholics can make use of shops including major stores such as Boots, Dorothy Perkins and Primark and children will enjoy the many events held in the centre that attract families of all ages to join in the fun.

Parks in Bedford

The main park in Bedford is simply called Bedford Park. It is a large urban park in the north of the town that takes visitors back to a Victorian era with its Victorian design and buildings. The bandstand and cricket pavilion are still used as picnics, kite flying and various fun activities can be enjoyed here. The second most used park is called the Priory Country Park which boasts the Green Flag status awarded to parkland throughout the UK that is deemed to be one of the best green spaces in the country. Dog walking and other outdoor pursuits are common place here and it is slightly less busy than its larger counterpart.

Luton Town FC

Nicknamed the Hatters, Luton Town are the biggest club in Bedfordshire. They play at Kenilworth Road and until 2009 had been in the Football League for 89 years. A much publicised third administration in 10 years saw them docked 30 points at the beginning of the 2008/09 season and ultimately saw them relegated to the Blue Square Premier. That season the club also made it Wembley and won the Johnstone's Paint Trophy defeating Scunthorpe United 3-2 in extra time. It was the second major trophy won in their history after claiming the Littlewoods Cup in 1988, beating Arsenal 3-2.

Bedford Town FC

Football is hugely popular in the UK, it is by far one of the most popular pastimes for many. Whether you enjoy playing or watching many towns and cities across the country boast their own football team and Bedford is no exception. It is home to Bedford Town Football Club, playing their home games at the New Eyrie. The team draws many local supporters and watching a game makes for a fun Saturday afternoon for all of the family.

Towns and villages

Luton is the biggest town in Bedfordshire, situated in the south of the county with a population of over 230,000. Once famous for hat making and the Vauxhall car production plant the town now boast an international airport and the largest one-day carnival in Europe.

The Dunstable Downs are one of the most popular places to visit in Bedfordshire and as part of the Chiltern Hills; they sit high up and provide great views of the surrounding countryside. Whipsnade Zoo one of the largest zoos in the country, home to almost 7,000 animals from around the globe attracts many families to the area. Smaller towns like Kempston are the base for many local jobs and Thurleigh and Hockcliffe villages are home to a number of local parks, schools and pubs.

If you are looking for things to do in Bedford or a specific Bedford event Beds on Sunday has all the information you need.