The Bedfordshire Travel Guide examines the local attractions and places of interest for visitors along with outlining useful tourist information. The county is located close to London. The county inevitably gets the 'commuter county' label thrown at it, whilst the close proximity to London allow it to be commuter county to an extent, the county itself has some interesting attractions for visitors to consider.
Overview and Attractions
Bedfordshire is seen as the gateway to the Midlands in the north and East Anglia to the East. There is a nice rural landscape here out of the major towns and this makes for some areas to display a scenic rural setting. The attractions for visitors in the county include stately homes, gardens, nature reserves, country parks and animal parks. Essentially Bedfordshire could be thought of in two main areas the mainly agricultural north where you will find the Great River Ouse and the setting for the countryside in the county and the more industrial southern part of which Luton is the centre, this area is altogether more urban and a contrast from its northern cousin.
The Bedfordshire countryside not only provides a great location for those wanting to relax, unwind and get away from it all, but it is also the scene for making Bedfordshire very well suited and situated for outdoor activities. The Chiltern Hills here are a great place to enjoy going walking or cycling. The Icknield Way long distance path runs through Luton in the south of Bedfordshire on its way from Warden & Gallery Hills to Dunstable.
Luton is the largest town in Bedfordshire known for the Luton International Airport and industry that is well established there. Labelled by some as a commuter town to London, there are other aspects to the town worth mentioning. To the southern part of the town is Luton Hoo, which is located in 1,500-acres of landscaped parkland famously designed by Capability Brown, there are gardens and lakes there too.
Woburn Abbey has been in the Russell family since 1547. The old abbey buildings were made into a house in 1619 and the improvements made by the family over the years has resulted in one of the finest historic stately homes in the UK. The current house at Woburn Abbey boasts silver, ceramics, paintings, furniture, including some famous works by well known artists. The extensive gardens at Woburn Abbey of around 3,000 acres are mainly Victorian in their character and have in them a deer park, ponds, maze and even a Chinese dairy
Houghton House is a three-story stately home built in 1621. This would have been an impressive house in its prime displaying signs of the emerging Jacobean style in Britain at the time. The property has passed from Lady Pembroke who died in 1624 to the Bruce family, who had it until 1738 when it was sold to the Russell family. Houghton is now a ruin and is administered as an ancient monument by English Heritage.
The Shuttleworth Collection are essentially three attractions based around the Victorian mansion of Shuttleworth House. The first of these attractions is a wonderful collection of vintage airplanes dating all the way back to the earliest days of flight. Unusually the majority of Shuttleworth's planes are still airworthy and are flown regularly in flying displays held between spring (May) and autumn (October). The displays include modern aircraft in addition to the older machines.
The second main attraction at Shuttleworth is the collection of vintage and classic vehicles going back to an 1898 Panhard et Levassor. There is an extensive collection here and a workshop where you can witness the cars and bikes being worked on there. There is also a separate coach room for horse-drawn carriages.
The third attraction at Shuttleworth is the Swiss Garden which is a 10 acre Victorian garden centred about a tiny Swiss style cottage. The Swiss Garden boasts a wide array of rare shrubs and trees. There are exotic structures such as an Indian kiosk, grotto and mock chapel that are incorporated in to the garden. With three attractions in one, Shuttleworth presents an interesting place to visit.
Woburn Safari Park allows visitors to drive their cars through the animal enclosures which give you the chance to see the animals first hand. Here you could come up close to an Eland, Antelope, Rhino, Giraffe, Ankole, Zebra, Elephant, Camel, Bison, Ostrich, Lion, Tiger, Wolves and Black Bears. There are a wide variety of animals to see here, in addition there are five adventure playgrounds for children with opportunities for hands on experiences. Visitors wanting to learn and find out more can go to one of the animal talks and demonstrations take place through the day.
Cecil Higgins Art Gallery is located in a Victorian Mansion. There are Watercolours, Prints, Drawings and changing exhibitions from the gallery's collections. Watercolour artists featured include Gainsborough and Freud. The print collection features some international artists including such as Rembrandt, Whistler and Picasso. The Decorative Art Gallery features silver, ceramics, glass and textiles from the various centuries.
Theatre and culture fans can try the Bedford Corn Exchange complex is a multi-purpose venue. There is a varied programme of live events to enjoy featuring top performers from music, comedy and theatre. They also have one of two UK residencies of the Philharmonia Orchestra outside London. With a full programme of different events most people are likely to find something to suit their tastes here.
Earls Restaurant is worth considering when looking for a place to eat. The restaurant has taken a classical yet modern approach to food and specialises on British food with a Mediterranean influence. There is a nice friendly atmosphere in which to enjoy your meal here. There are also vegetarian options available too.
Those wanting a fun night out can try the Club Nightclub Home located in Luton. There is a wide range of music played here, suitable for most tastes ranging from pop music, to chart music to chill out music. The venue is also available for hire for special occasions. You can enjoy the music, have a dance and relax with your drinks whist chilling out. Address: Club Home, Plaza Leisure Complex, Flowers Way, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU1 2SB and Telephone: +44 (0) 1582 391970.
Whilst Bedfordshire is not as well known for its tourist attractions as some of the other counties in England it nonetheless offers visitors with some historic attractions, cultural ones and attractions for the whole family to see and enjoy it offers many fun days out. With its road, rail links and airport links at Luton it is well connected transport wise for visitors from the UK and abroad.
Disclaimer: The information given in on this website is given in good faith and to the best of our knowledge. If there are any discrepancies in no way do we intend to mislead. Important travel details and arrangements should be confirmed and verified with the relevant authorities.
