Bedford

Bedford is the county town and the transport, social, cultural and administrative centre of the shire-county of Bedfordshire in the East of England.

Understand
Once on the frontier between the Anglo-Saxons and Danes, it has a charter dating back more than 900 years. It is an important shopping centre, and there are also many pubs and bars. There good ethnic restaurants, reflecting the town's substantial Italian, Indian, Pakistani, and Polish communities. Bedford has also been heralded for having a wide range of ethnic diversity. The Embankment along the River Ouse running through the centre of town is an attractive place for a walk, and once a year is given over to a traditional Regatta. On the picturesque town bridge is a memorial to John Bunyan, who wrote The Pilgrim's Progress here, and who was imprisoned there. Bunyan lived in Bedford for most of his life, and his life can be seen at the John Bunyan Museum in the town, which also has a statue dedicated to him. There is a large and attractive park with tennis courts, and other niceties north of the town centre (Bedford Park).
 * Visit Bedford

By train
is served by East Midlands Railway, London Northwestern Railway, and Thameslink. Travel from London St. Pancras International takes about 40 minutes by East Midlands Railway and just over an hour if you take the Thameslink. Thameslink trains are slower as they are primarily commuter services. East Midlands Railway services only stop at a couple of stations between Bedford and London.

There is also a minor railway line going west to Bletchley (near Milton Keynes). Bedford's second train station (Bedford St. John's) is only used by Bletchley trains, whereas all trains arriving in Bedford end up in the main Bedford station sooner or later.

East Midlands Railway go north to Nottingham and beyond.

By bus
Bedford has a reasonably large located in the centre of town, however there are few long-distance services. The bus station and Midland train station are about 800 m apart, so it's a maximum 10-min walk if you need to make a change here.

Bedford is on the X5 bus route between Oxford, Milton Keynes and Cambridge. Buses generally leave every half hour.

By road
Bedford lies directly between the M1 and A1 motorways. Park and Ride facilities are available see, National Park and Ride Directory

Get around
The local bus services around Bedford are terrible, being both infrequent and expensive. Just about everything you'd want to see is within easy walking distance of the high street, however (at most 30 minutes if you're slow), so there's little need for anything more than your feet in good weather.

There's a reasonable but underused shuttle bus leaving the central train station, and the bus service to surrounding villages is excellent.

There are very few provisions for cyclists, though the town centre is pedestrianised. The one way system and endless traffic lights around the centre make for fun riding until you get to know the roads. Reasonably wide roads mean you don't get squeezed off too often.

Taxis are relatively expensive in Bedford and you may expect to queue for some time at town centre taxi ranks. It is usually faster and cheaper to call for a licenced minicab rather than waiting in line.

Do

 * Hire a boat on the rowing lake near the river. (Summer only)
 * Walk east along the embankment from the main bridge, over the rainbow bridge, round past the boating lake, crossing the butterfly bridge and back along the embankment. A pleasant stroll either during day or night. Stop off at one of the restaurants or pubs on the embankment for refreshments.
 * Walk east along the embankment from the main bridge, over the rainbow bridge, round past the boating lake, crossing the butterfly bridge and back along the embankment. A pleasant stroll either during day or night. Stop off at one of the restaurants or pubs on the embankment for refreshments.

Buy
In shopping terms, Bedford is quite typical for a town of its size. The centre of town has the normal chain stores. There is a small indoor shopping centre, the Harpur Centre, and one dingy end of it is called the Howard Centre. The central spiral walkway between the two levels of the centre is named The Hub and is, apparently, "the place to be seen".

Having been the region's market town, Bedford has a market every Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday with various tradespeople and stalls. Bargains of all kinds can be found here, along with local produce. The market is split between Harpur Square and St. Paul's square.

Eat
Tavistock street contains wall to wall restaurants of every kind.



Drink
Like all towns in England, Bedford has its fair share of chain pubs and bars packed to the gills on weekends. Walk down the High Street and you'll cover most of them, with a few bars found down Lime Street and various pubs along Tavistock Street.

For a quieter drink with good ales and ciders look out for the Wellington Arms on the corner of Wellington Street and Princes Street, which has won several CAMRA awards. Other good places to drink are the Castle and the Three Cups on Newnham Street; the Cricketers on Goldington Road; and the Bedford Arms on Bromham Road. There's a selection of live music at the Angel on Tavistock Street and Esquires

Go next

 * Taking the cycle route (an old railway line) out to Willington can be pleasant on a summer's day. Although the route does run right by the sewage works.
 * Bedford is surrounded by small old villages with village pubs. Great Barford (7 km to the east), for example, is sure to please.
 * The RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) has a nature reserve (and headquarters) in Sandy, 11 km to the east.
 * North-east to St Neots.
 * East to Biggleswade
 * South to Flitwick, Hitchin, Letchworth Garden City and Luton
 * West to Milton Keynes, Stony Stratford, Towcester, Silverstone and Northampton
 * North to Little Gidding, Kettering, Wellingborough and Rushden