Walking in Bedfordshire - Alan Castle

The county of Bedfordshire offers a variety of lowland landscapes from the chalk downland of the Chilterns in the south, estate parkland such as that at Woburn in the west, and the heathland of the Greensand Ridge in mid-Bedfordshire to the marsh and fen country of the east, and mixed farmland and woodland almost everywhere. There are appealing riverside paths along the Ouse, Ivel and Lea, whilst the charming villages of north Bedfordshire with their pretty thatched cottages and ancient churches are another attractive feature of the county. Bedfordshire, birthplace of the seventeenth-century preacher and writer John Bunyan, is full of historical associations, and there are many prehistoric sites to investigate. The routes, all except one of which are circular, are described with detailed notes on the many places of interest passed en route. The walks are suitable for both experienced and novice ramblers and for family groups with children. The area has good transport connections with both the South-East and London area and the Midlands. Many of the walks are suitable not only for motorists but also for those making use of public transport.