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Where to Stay
For suggestions of where to stay in Bedfordshire, see our new Accommodation Guide.
 
 

Bedfordshire

Bird and Nature Reserves

 Harrold Odell Country Park - Bedfordshire CC

Hobby Woodland, lakes and meadow
Location: SP960570 - 10 miles NW of Bedford
Road: Harrold to Carlton road
Admission: Free
Facilities: Visitor centre and hide.
Telephone: 01234 720016
Features: Good mix of wetland and woodland birds. Breeding Reed and Sedge warblers, Cormorants and small heronry. Hobby (illustrated) in late summer.
 
 Blow's Down, Dunstable - Beds WT / BCC
Remnant chalk grassland.
Location: Edge of Dunstable - see map on website.
Road: South of A505
Access: open access - see website.
Features: The open grass slopes attract passage birds, most notably Ring Ouzel (illustrated) in spring. Other birds of interest include Wheatear, Whinchat, Black Redstart and Dotterel.
Full details and map on the Blow's Down website..
 
 The Lodge, Sandy - RSPB Headquarters
The Lodge, RSPBWoodland and heath.
Location: 2 miles from Sandy.
Road: A603
Facilities: Trails with wheelchair accessible hide.
Telephone: 01767 680541
Features: Headquarters of the RSPB. Woodland and open sandy heath. All three woodpeckers, warblers and other typical woodland birds occur.
Right - The Lodge RSPB headquarters (photo © RSPB)
 
 Stewartby Lake Country Park - Bedfordshire CC
Location: TL010420 - South of Bedford
Road: A421 off Green Lane
Admission: Free
Telephone: 01234 767037
Features: Lake with surrounding scrub. Wildfowl and gulls (large winter gull roost), passage terns and waders. April 2000 will see thhe lake incorporated into the Stewartby Millennium Country Park, with a new reedbed, winter-flooded grassland, visitor centre, hides, cycle track and horse trails.
 
 Priory Country Park - Bedford BC
Former gravel pits.
Location: SE edge of Bedford, adjacent to River Great Ouse
Road: Barkers Lane off A428, or through Priory Business Park off A421 Bedford bypass
Admission: Free
Facilities Visitor centre with 2 hides
Features: Former gravel pits with areas of scrub and woodland. Winter wildfowl, passage terns and waders, and Water Rail all year..
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