Millennium Country Park and Forest of Marston Vale

Opening times and directions

About the Millennium Country Park

The wetlands trail is open for wetlands annual passholders, Friends of the Forest and valid day ticket holders.

All 4 bird hides are open - please sanitise your hands before and after using the hide, maintain social distancing and wear a face covering if social distancing is not possible. Please make sure that you are still keeping the recommended distance of 2 metres between yourself and others (not from your household) when out in green spaces.

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Open 365 days a year, 24/7, the Millennium Country Park is an 14 time Green Flag Award Winner and home to 225 hectares of woodlands, grasslands, meadows and our stunning Wetlands Nature Reserve. 

The Park is always open but the main gate is locked when the Forest Centre is not open. Don’t worry though, as there is some out of hours parking at different entry points around the Park – click here to see a map.

Please do not park in front of our gate as we need emergency access 24/7.

If you have any questions about the Millennium Country Park, please call 01234 762614 or click here t

 

Car parking Charges – including blue badge holders 

Become a Friend of the Forest for free parking

Up to 1 hour	£1
Up to 3 hours	£2
Over 3 hours	£3
Over night	£5

Please note - there is a 15 minute grace period for drop offs/collections/using the bottle banks. 

Simply enter your registration and the length of time you'd like to stay on the payment machines - there is no need to display the ticket as it's automatic number plate recognition. Currently you can only pay by card/contactless payment due to COVID 19. You can also pay on the Pay By Phone website or app (Location: Marston Vale, Bedford Number: 800979).

There are social distancing measures in place and only 10 customers are allowed in the building at a time. There is an anti-bacterial hand gel station on entry.

The Millennium Country Park is accessible 24/7, everyday of the year on foot. All of our woodlands remain open to the public.

We have a collection of adapted bikes available to hire (provided in partnership with No Limits, and Team Beds and Luton) for a flat-rate of £5. 

• Recumbent tricycle
• Hand cycle
• Quad cycle
• Tricycle
• Wheelchair transporter

Please call us in advance on 01234 767037 if you would like to use these bikes, so we can make sure they’re ready for you.

Accessibility in the Millennium Country Park

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There is 8km of level, surfaced track around the Park, including the Wetlands Trail (though we don’t allow bikes in the Wetlands). The Forest Centre is fully accessible, with step-free access and a baby changing facility/disabled toilet. Some areas of path are uneven and therefore may not be ideal for buggies or wheelchairs – click here to see a map of the Park. If you have any questions about your visit, please call 01234 767037 or email us.

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Open 365 days a year, 24/7, the Millennium Country Park is an 13 time Green Flag Award Winner and home to 225 hectares of woodlands, grasslands, meadows and our stunning Wetlands Nature Reserve. 

The Park is always open but the main gate is locked when the Forest Centre is not open. Don’t worry though, as there is some out of hours parking at different entry points around the Park – click here to see a map.

If you have any questions about the Millennium Country Park, please call 01234 762614 or click here to email our Head Ranger.

Walks and routes

Explore your community woodland

The Forest of Marston Vale is 61 square miles, and surrounded by the stunning countryside of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire - that's a lot to explore! We put together some of our favourite routes for walkers, cyclists and horse riders as part of the Paths 4 Communities project (funded by the EU through Natural England)

The Forest obviously has loads of amazing green spaces, including 13 of our own woodlands which are all free to access on foot/bike/horseback, 365 days a year but these routes are all based around the Forest Centre & Millennium Country Park. 

Routes

Forest Centre to Millbrook and Ampthill Park – 7 miles
Through the Millennium Country Park and surrounding farmland to the Georgian Market Town of Ampthill, then on to the stunning village of Millbrook. This route is circular, and takes you back to the Forest Centre.

Forest Centre to Gateway Woods – 10 miles
From the Millennium Country Park through Kempston Rural and Wootton and across the farmland to Gateway Woods. This route is circular, and takes you back to the Forest Centre.

Forest Centre to Lidlington and Folly Wood – 7 miles
Through the Millennium Country Park and surrounding farmland to Lidlington and one of our other sites, Folly Wood. You can take a longer or shorter route back to the Forest Centre. 

The Jubilee Walk - 6.5 miles
From the Millennium Country Park through the surrounding countryside to Hunger Hill and our site Rectory Wood returning via the ancient woodland of Marston Thrift. This route is circular, and takes you back to the Forest Centre.

Forest Centre to Bedford via Shocott Spring – 13.5 miles
From the Millennium Country Park through the eastern part of the Forest with views of the Greensand Ridge and the Cardington Sheds, with the opportunity to explore King’s Wood, Glebe Meadows and our sites Conquest Wood and Shocott. Click here for train timetables.

The Clay Way: Forest Centre to Bromham Mill – 9.5 miles
From the Millennium Country Park take the train from Millbrook to Ridgmont then walk or cycle up onto the clay ridge to enjoy views across the Forest and the Greensand Ridge before getting to Bromham Mill. Click here for train timetables. Ideal for cyclists.

Bedford St Johns Station to the Grange Estate - 6.5 miles
From the Millennium Country Park take the train from Millbrook to Bedford St Johns Station, then walk or cycle through Bedford River Valley Park into Willington and our site - the Grange Estate. Click here for train timetables. Ideal for cyclists.

Forest Centre to Centre Parcs - 14 miles
Through the Millennium Country Park over the beautiful Greensand Ridge, using the bridleway between Millbrook and Lidlington to go around the perimeter of the new Centreparcs near Flitwick. This route is circular, and takes you back to the Forest Centre. Ideal for horse riders.

Forest Centre to Cranfield - 10 miles
From the Millennium Country Park to the ancient woodland of Marston Thrift and Hulcot and then on to Cranfield via bridleways which offer superb views and many canter opportunities. You can take a longer route through Rectory Wood or Bourne End. This route is circular, and takes you back to the Forest Centre. Ideal for horse riders.

The Timberland Trail - 13 miles
A full day’s walk from the Millennium Country Park through Marston Moretaine and Lidlington, up Jacklaw Hill and down to Millbrook, passing through Ampthill past Houghton House and returning via King’s Wood and Stewartby. This route is circular, and takes you back to the Forest Centre.

Route 51 Cycle Way

A long distance cycle route that connects major cities in the south of England – the stretch that passes through the Forest connects Oxford to Cambridge, via Bedford and Milton Keynes. It’s mainly off road and you can pick it up at the Forest Centre or the Grange Estate, with loads of food and drink stops. 

More ideas

Nordic Walking

Walk 2 Fitness walk at the Millennium Country Park on Wednesdays - no matter what your experience level, it's a great way to keep fit and get some fresh air.

Let’s Go.org.uk

For loads of walking, cycling and horse riding routes throughout the whole of Bedfordshire, check out Let’s Go.

For more information about any of the routes above please call 01234 767037 or email us. To report any issues with the routes, please contact Bedford Borough or Central Bedfordshire Councils.