The Countryside - Bedfordshire

The attractive landscape of Bedfordshire rises and falls in gentle hills and valleys, from a rather flat, clay plain in the north, through the Greensand Ridge at the ehart of the county, with wooded sandy slopes and abundant wildlfie, to the high ridge of chalk downs in the south.  To the north alongside the River Great Ouse are picturesque limestone villages, such as Turvey with its ancient 16 arch bridge, Pavenham famous for its rush matting, Stevington with its lovely postmill, Harrold and its curious lock-up, nor forgetting Felmersham, Stagsden, Bromham, Carlton and Odell.  Further north, towards the county border, discover the pretty villages of Swineshead and Shelton.  Around Sandy and Biggleswade the flood plains are very fertile and market gardening flourishes.  nearby are the villages of Cardington with its giant airship hangers, ickwell with its vividly painted thatched cottages and maypole, Old Warden with its Swiss Garden, Northill's typically 'English' village green and Sutton with its ford and rare packhorse bridge.  Just to the south of Bedford lies the village of Elstow where Bedfordshire's most famous son John Bunyan, the author and preacher, was born and grew up.  The area around Elstow, including Bedford and harlington, has many connections to Bunyan, and visitors cans ee the places where he preached and wrote three centuries ago.

The Dunstable Downs, situated at the highest point in the county, provide superb views over Bedfordshire and the Vale of Aylesbury, with gliders soaring high over the 130 acres of chalklife flora and fauna.  This is some of the loveliest countryside in the county, ranging from sandy woods and heathland, to the chalk hills of the Chilterns escarpment.  here you will find the canalside town of Linslade, popular with boaters and anglers, Totterhoe renowned for its clunch stone and Toddington for its elegant houses.  A stone's throw away on the Dunstable Downs is Whipsnade with its tree cathedral and Studham, the most southely village in Bedfordshire.