-
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 are a number of good ethnic restaurants, reflecting the town's substantial Italian, Indian, Pakistani, and Polish communities. Bedford has also been heralded for having the widest range of ethnic diversity, boasting one of the few Eskimos in Britain. 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, the author of 'The Pilgrim's Progress', who was imprisoned there. John Bunyan also lived in Bedford for most of his life, writing The Pilgrim's Progress here, and his life can be seen at the John Bunyan Museum in the town, where a statue dedicated to him can also be seen. There is a large and attractive park with tennis courts, and other niceties north of the town centre (Bedford Park).
-
-
By train
Bedford is served by East Midlands Trains, London Midland and First Capital Connect. Travel to/from London St. Pancras takes about 40 minutes by East Midlands Trains and just over an hour if you take the First Capital Connect train. First Capital Connect trains are slower as they are primarily commuter services. The East Midlands Trains services only stop at a couple of stations between Bedford & London.
There is also a minor railway line going west to [wiki=d9484b61fdbcf6b475af79392647df14]Bletchley[/wiki] (near [wiki=c7f455e277043646f7dd67819c68053f]Milton Keynes[/wiki]). Bedford's second train station (Bedford St. John's) is only used by Bletchley trains, whereas all trains going to/from Bedford end up in the main Bedford station sooner or later.
East Midlands Trains go north to [wiki=829482baf763ef63c78c36889615b3b1]Nottingham[/wiki] and beyond.
-
By bus
Bedford has a reasonably large bus station located in the centre of town, however there are few long distance services. The bus station and Midland train station are about 800m apart, so it's a max 10 min walk if you need to make a change here.
Bedford is on the X5 bus route between [wiki=f0dddde0d04dc3b9ec79302c612a3fae]Oxford[/wiki], [wiki=c7f455e277043646f7dd67819c68053f]Milton Keynes[/wiki] and [wiki=b4cb85ef69ffb5168989f5a3f073f5f2]Cambridge[/wiki]. Buses generally leave every half hour.
-
By road
Bedford lies directly between the M1 and A1 motorways. Park and Ride facilities are available see, [url=http://www.parkandride.net/bedford/bedford_frameset.shtml]National Park and Ride Directory[/url]
-
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 pedestrianized. 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 & you may expect to queue for some time at town centre taxi ranks. It is usually faster & cheaper to call for a licensed minicab rather than waiting in line.
-
Embankment of the River Great Ouse
*Bunyan Museum [url=http://www.bedfordmuseum.org/johnbunyanmuseum/bunyan_home.htm]]Open March - October Tue-Sat 11am - 4pm, Admission Free, Mill Street, MK40 3EU
*The Higgins Bedford Museum [url=http://www.thehigginsbedford.org.uk/[/url]]- Recently redeveloped museum which boasts a good range of Anglo-Saxon and Roman artefacts as well as more recent Bedfordshire-related history, large collections of Edward Bawden and William Burges artwork, rotating art exhibitions and other artwork Tue - Sat 11am - 5pm, Sun 2pm - 5pm, Admission Free. Castle Lane MK40 3XD.
*Bedford Park, Park Avenue [url=http://www.bedford.gov.uk/leisure_and_culture/parks_and_open_spaces/bedford_park.aspx[/url]]a large Victorian park to the North of the town centre.
*Castle Mound [[Bedford Castle[/url],|the remains of a castle built in 919 and destroyed in 1224, near the river embankment.
*St Paul's Church [url=http://www.stpaulschurchbedford.org.uk]]]St Pauls Square, MK40 1SQ. An interesting church with over 700 years history.
*St Peter's Church [url=http://www.stpeter.org.uk[/url]]de Parys Avenue, MK40 2TX.
*Priory Park [http://www.bedford.gov.uk/leisure_and_culture/parks_and_open_spaces/priory_country_park.aspx[/url] A large area of open land of the Eastern edge of town, featuring a man-made lake and nature reserve.
-
Hire a boat on the rowing lake near the river. (Summer only)
* Bedford has a well known [url=http://www.bedfordrugby.co.uk/]Rugby Union team[/url]. The grounds are on Goldington Road - if you're lucky you'll be able to catch a game during the rugby season (winter, basically). If you want to fit in, you should occasionally chant "Come on you blues.". However do not join in with the "Bedford, Bedford" moo style chant unless you are sitting in the stand, as they have paid for the privilege of singing this song.
*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.
-
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 has in recent years been named The Hub and is, apparently, "The place to be seen".
Originally being 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.
-
Tavistock street contains wall to wall restaurants of every kind.
*Grand Indian, 39 Tavistock Street, MK40 2RB 01234 267949. Has a particularly fine Chick Jalfrezi.
*Saffron 64 Tavistock St, MK40 2RG 01234 325655. Does a superb and cheap Sunday lunch buffet.
*Sizzling Wok 3a The Broadway MK40 2TJ 01234 212888 [http://www.thesizzlingwokbedford.co.uk]. Has an entertaining and delicious lunch or dinner all-you-can-eat buffet, where you add your own ingredients, and watch the professional chefs cook for you.
*The Choudhury Foster Hill Road, MK40 2EN 01234 215556 (Indian Cuisine).
*Pizza Express 22 St. Peters St, MK40 2NN, 01234 271124.(Pizza Restaurant).
*Shanghai Beach 61, Tavistock St, MK40 2RF, 01234 356000. A particularly fine Chinese restaurant offering a fixed price for anything off the menu but all freshly cooked food.
*Pizzeria Santaniello 9-11 Newnham Street, MK40 3JR, 01234 353742. Traditional cheap and cheerful Neapolitan pizzeria, with wood-fired oven.
*Japanese restaurant (not sushi) with excellent starters (especially the dumplings!)and mains. For a very filling meal for two, you should expect to spend between £25-£30.
-
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 away from the chav types, are: the Castle and the Three Cups on Newnham Street; and the Bedford Arms on Bromham Road. There's a selection of live music at the Angel on Tavistock Street and Esquires
-
The Swan Hotel, The Embankment, MK40 1RW, 01234 346565. [url=http://www.bedfordswanhotel.co.uk/]]A good central location at the bottom of the High Street on the embankment. The hotel was built in 1794, with more recent extensions increasing its size to 113 rooms. Rooms start around £90.
*Park Inn, 2 St Marys Street, MK42 0AR,01234 799988. Modern concrete block on the other side of the river from the Swan.
*Victoria Guest House, 26 De Pary's Avenue, 01234 359219 [url=http://www.bedandbreakfastbedford.com[/url]]Single ensuite rooms £35. Pleasant but unexciting bed and breakfast on a tree lined avenue 5 minutes from the High Street.
*The Elms Guest House, 24 De Pary's Avenue, MK40 2TW, 01234 353844 [http://www.bedfordbedandbreakfast.com[/url] Single ensuite rooms £35.
-
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 (7km to the east), for example, is sure to please.
* The RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) has a nature reserve [url=http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/t/thelodge/index.asp]](and headquarters) in Sandy, 11km to the east.
[[Wikipedia:Bedford[/url]]
Seleccionar Destino
Afghanistan
Aland Islands
Albania
Algeria
American Samoa
Andorra
Angola
Anguilla
Antarctica
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bonaire
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Bouvet Island
Brazil
British Indian Ocean Territory
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Cape Verde
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
Christmas Island
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Colombia
Comoros
Congo
Congo, Democratic Republic (ex. Zaire)
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Croatia
Cuba
Curacao
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
East Timor
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
Faroe Islands
Fiji
Finland
France
France, Metropolitan
French Guiana
French Polynesia
French Southern Territories
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guatemala
Guernsey
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Heard and Mc Donald Islands
Honduras
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Isle Of Man
Israel
Italy
Ivory Coast
Jamaica
Japan
Jersey Island
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Kosovo
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Niue
Norfolk Island
North Korea
Northern Mariana Islands
Norway
Oman
Other Countries
Pakistan
Palau
Palestinian Territory
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Pitcairn
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Reunion
Romania
Russia
Rwanda
Saint Barthelemy
Saint Helena
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Martin
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Sint Maarten
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
South Korea
South Sudan
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland
Syrian Arab Republic
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Tokelau
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
United States Minor Outlying Islands
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City State (Holy See)
Venezuela
Vietnam
Virgin Islands, British
Virgin Islands, U.S.
Wallis and Futuna Islands
Western Sahara
Yemen
Yugoslavia
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Spanish