Bedford, as the name suggests, came about because it was a ford across the river and became a prospeous market town thanks to the river being made navigable.
It’s a place that has made the most of its river setting and many locals take advantage of the strollable Embankment and Priory Country Park.
You will also ususally see rowers on the river from local schools and enthusiasts alike.
If you fancy a paddle yourself then you can hire a canoe, kayak or paddleboard from Canoe Trail. You can even hire a canoe to paddle to Great Barford which is all part of the Ouse Valley Way.
But is is safe to go in the river? One group who are most likely to have the answers are BedsGOVET who regularly monitor for water quality.
The John Bunyan Museum is a good place to learn more about the preacher and author.
It’s also worth spending some time at the fascinating Panacea Museum where a group of locals spent the bulk of the 20th Century preparing for the second coming in a very English way.
In the 1950’s, the London Brick Company, which had a brickworks nearby, looked to Italy for recruitment. As a result, 30% of modern day Bedford folk have Italian descent. Significant immigration from other parts of the world have made modern day Bedford an ethnically diverse place to be. Finding something interesting to eat isn’t an issue…
Bedford is reasonably well connected by train and bus to the rest of the country. National Rail Bus departures
For getting between legs:
The X5 travels through Stony Stratford and Buckingham The No. 25 bus goes between Bedford and Odell via Pavenham, Harrold and Carlton. The 905 bus goes between Bedford and Cambridge via Great Barford, Roxton, Wyboston, Eaton Socon and St Neots. To travel to Godmanchester, change buses at St Neots where a No 66 will take you to Huntingdon.