Connect Bedford with Slow Ways
We’re creating a network of walking routes that connect all of Britain’s towns, cities and national parks
more walks and reviews are needed to fully connect Bedford to the verified network. Can you give a hike and help?
Give a hike!Bedford
Bedfordshire
Slow Ways linking Bedford and Biggleswade, Bromham (Bedford), Kempston, Riseley, Sandy, Sharnbrook, Shefford, St Neots
England / Bedfordshire / Bedford
Bedford’s eight Slow Ways are 72% checked
Help connect Bedford
Many Slow Ways have several route options. Some will be better than others, or good for different reasons.
Our goal is for each Slow Way to have at least one route that is verified and surveyed. To be verified – and get its snail badge – a route needs at least three positive reviews.
Give a hike and help get a for every one of Bedford’s Slow Ways.
Walk to Bedford from further afield
Slow Way | Route | To do | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bedford—Biggleswade
|
Bedbig one |
|
U U |
|
Pioneer me | Distance 22km/14mi | Ascent 111m | Descent 106m | ||
Bedford—Sandy
|
Bedsan one |
|
U U |
|
Pioneer me | Distance 16km/10mi | Ascent 55m | Descent 53m | ||
Bedford—Sandy
|
Bedsan two |
|
U U |
|
Review me | Distance 16km/10mi | Ascent - | Descent - | ||
Bedford—Shefford
|
Bedshe one |
|
|
U U |
|
Double check | Distance 20km/12mi | Ascent 120m | Descent 109m | |
Bedford—St Neots
|
Bedstn one |
|
3 X |
|
Review me | Distance 22km/14mi | Ascent 67m | Descent 80m | ||
Bromham (Bedford)—Bedford
|
Brobed one |
|
2 Y |
|
Enjoy me | Distance 5km/3mi | Ascent 22m | Descent 43m | ||
Kempston—Bedford
|
Kembed one |
|
2 X |
|
Enjoy me | Distance 5km/3mi | Ascent 15m | Descent 17m | ||
Riseley—Bedford
|
Risbed one |
|
|
U U |
|
Double check | Distance 17km/11mi | Ascent 162m | Descent 134m | |
Riseley—Bedford
|
Risbed two |
|
2 X |
|
Enjoy me | Distance 18km/11mi | Ascent 109m | Descent 135m | ||
Sharnbrook—Bedford
|
Shabed one |
|
3 X |
|
Enjoy me | Distance 15km/9mi | Ascent 108m | Descent 84m |
Fancy stretching your legs a bit more?
If you’ve polished off all of the routes between Bedford and its neighbours, how about walking its whole web?
This includes the great ring of routes that join its neighbours to each other!
Collective progress
68% of Bedford’s eight route options are drawn, reviewed, surveyed and/or verified
10/10
8/10
5/10
4/10
14 people have contributed to Bedford’s Slow Ways
8 people have pledged to walk and review a route
5 people have surveyed a route in Bedford
117km out of 155km have been walked and reviewed
210km of reviews have been shared in Bedford
Latest Updates
I started at the Riseley end, and you reach the fence about a mile south of Riseley as you turn left (east) along the edge of Galsey Wood. When I finally escaped the fence I ran into the problem that the line of the footpath across open fields east of Blackburn Hall, had not been reinstated since harvesting....
Brian Pinsent
The route follows National Cycle way 51 out of Bedford and picks up route 12 in Blunham so you will be sharing the path with cyclists and sometimes with horse riders too but no cars for most of the way. There are car parks on the route at Priory Park and Willington (Danish Camp). This route can get busy at weekends and sometimes parts near Priory Park and the Grange estate are used for running events such as Race for Life and the Bedford Half marathon but the path is not closed then just very busy....
Tom Campbell
Leaves Bedford by a pleasant route - not long before the traffic is left behind - but once outside Bedford there are no refreshment opportunities or bus stops until Riseley. The signage is poor across the golf course (but maybe the golfer I annoyed by asking for directions will ask the committee to rectify this). The tedium of the long tramp around the airfield perimeter is alleviated by sweeping views across the Great Ouse valley; definitely the highlight....
KB
Note - along the Great Ouse, the footpath near Queens Bridge can be walked right along the river, there is no need to dog leg here as the route suggests. This could be revised if needed, but the current meeting place does help in the fact it isn't miles away from connecting a little triangle of routes between Kempston, Bromham and Bedford....
andy_mackay
The bus station is a good final destination, it seems to serve more locales than the train station (which is easily reached anyway from the route)....
andy_mackay
We choose to walk along the river when going from Oakley to Pavenham as there is no need to walk on the road. Its a little bit confusing at the golf club but soon picked up the route again. Came across 2 stiles that were not very dog friendly just outside of Sharnbrook....
Selena Ibbott
Starting in Bedford town centre it's a pavement all the way from Bedford to Clapham through to Oakley until you reach the train tracks and go through a field to reach a bridge leading to an exit near the memorial. Instead of following the road you can go through the fields next to the river and road (a sign said there were bull in the fields but when I walked through there weren't any) Past this its mostly just clear fields between the villages until you reach sharnbrook...
Jacob
The bridge at Bromham has no path, but there are passing places for walkers to use to allow cars to pass safely. Not sure how easy this would be for pushchairs/wheelchairs....
Helen
At one point in Bedford the path passes below a bridge which had a height restriction of 1.4 meters....
Helen
It would be easier if the route followed the path all the way, though this route is more attractive in Bedford following the Ouse and the Priory park....
Jujones2
Footpath all the way apart from Bromham Bridge. There is a nicer way, but you'll need to get wet ....
James Adams
It passes mostly through farmland, both pasture and arable, as well as a golf course. In places it is not clearly signposted....
Liz Cox
The footbridge at Kempston Mill is currently closed, so this route cannot be completed....
Liz Cox
The first 5 miles are rural and the final 4 miles are urban and involve walking alongside roads....
Liz Cox
Difficult access in places for less mobile people and busy in places with cyclists especially at the weekends Beautifully quiet in the evenings...
watsonp63
3) At GR 043585 (Blackburn Hall) the route shows you walking through a farm yard when in fact the footpath goes right round the edge and then heads NE across the field and then sharply west back to the main path. 4) At GR 035606 (Park Farm) the download shows a route across the field to GR 033608 (Red House Farm). This path doesn't exist and you need to turn sharp right at the farm and follow the route along the field edge....
Tom Barwood
The majority of the walk is on good quality pavements alongside roads....
Liz Cox
Only slightly dodgy bit is the bridge across the Great Ouse at Bromham Mill - pedestrians need to dive between regularly spaced passing places to avoid passing cars (see photo), easy enough though and the cars do have good visibility of walkers....
Heidi
Martin Hibbert added Bedbig one, a new walk from Bedford to Biggleswade
Walk this routeSlow Ways added Brobed one, a new walk from Bromham (Bedford) to Bedford
Walk this routeSlow Ways added Shabed one, a new walk from Sharnbrook to Bedford
Walk this routeBedford’s Slow Ways starting point
Grid ref
TL0466449893
Lat / Lon
52.13744° / -0.47212°
Easting / Northing
504,664E / 249,893N
what3words
Fancy stretching your legs a bit more?
If you’ve polished off all of the routes between Bedford and its neighbours, how about walking its whole web?
This includes the great ring of routes that join its neighbours to each other!
Facilities
Users have reported that the following facilities can be found within 1km of Bedford's meeting point
Public toilet
Wheelchair accessible toilet
Supermarket or convenience shop
Restaurant, cafe or pub
Accommodation
Accommodation for under £50 a night
Campsite
Bothy
Free wifi
Mobility scooter hire
Off-road wheelchair hire
Disabled Parking
Train station
Bus stop
Ferry
Official ‘Walkers are Welcome’ town
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