Bedford Association of Tour Guides

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Important Announcement

We regret to inform you that, due to the Coronavirus, we are cancelling our guided walks until further notice.

Our first walk was due to be on Sunday 5 April. Naturally, we do not know how long walks will be cancelled for, but please do check back on our website or Facebook page for updates. Thank you for understanding.

Walk with the Tour Guides to learn about...

• The time when Bedford was a frontier town at the edge of Viking badlands
• Falkes de Breaute, the wicked Sheriff of Bedford, whose 9 years of tyranny were ended in 1224 by King Henry III and led to the destruction of the town’s Norman castle
• Bedford’s own Dick Whittington – William Harpur by name – who became Lord Mayor of London in 1561 and with his new found wealth endowed Bedford’s Grammar School giving rise to today’s Harpur Trust
• John Bunyan – where he lived, the streets he walked and the gaol where he wrote The Pilgrim’s Progress
• The Ark, a house owned by the Panacea Society and kept in readiness for The Messiah on his second coming
• The day Glen Miller set off from a Bedford airfield never to be seen again
• Notorious criminals, places of public execution and a reforming prison governor
• Anglo-Indian Bedford

Tour Guides’ services

Walks

From April to October, walks leave from either the Old Town Hall in St Paul’s Square or the Bunyan statue on St Peter’s Green every Sunday at 11.00am. Walks last about 90 minutes, cover 1-2 miles and most walks are suitable for the less mobile. Please confirm departure point and ease of access when booking.

Children of all ages are most welcome on all of our Walks but those aged 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Each Walk costs £3.00 per person and must be pre-booked.

Our regular Sunday
 Walks are...

The Silent Faces of Bedford

Bedford has many impressive statues and memorials. They cannot tell their own story – but we can and do!

I Never Knew That

The most commonly heard phrase after the completion of a Guided Walk. This Walk encompasses all that information about Bedford and its many features that YOU never knew!

Who Lived In A House Like That?

Bedford has many impressive properties, often built as homes for the professional and the wealthy. Many survive though few are still family homes. Join us to find out who lived where and why these Bedfordians were important to the town.

 

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The Life And Times of John Bunyan

Bedford's most famous son. Born in Elstow parish but spent much of his life in Bedford and, in particular, in Bedford gaol. Visit the sites of the cottage in which John and his family lived, the churches in which he worshipped and the gaol in which he spent 12 long years and wrote The Pilgrim’s Progress.

Bedford in World War II

One of our most popular walks revealing the secrets and mysteries of life in Bedford during World War II. What famous people were here and why? What was meant by the BBC during the War when announcing a programme from "Somewhere In England"? And why has Bedford been called “the Spy Capital of the World”?

The Rise and Fall of Bedford Castle

The Normans were swift on their arrival in this country to build a castle of great size in Bedford. Discover the castle's story and why it was demolished.

 

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In the Footsteps of the Makers and Shakers

This walk reveals the lives of Bedford pioneers – in education, welfare, architecture and design and science. Their names – for example, Apsley Cherry-Garrard, Sister Fanny Eagles, Admiral Smyth and Amy Walmsley – may not be known to you so walk with us and hear more.

The Jewel in the Crown

The Jewel in Bedford's Crown is undoubtedly the River Great Ouse and its Embankment. Find out how the construction of this part of the town came about and hear about the many important features which stand on either side of the River and which can easily be overlooked.

Anglo-Indian Bedford

By the end of the 19th century Bedford was known as an “Anglo-Indian” town. Why did so many colonials make their home in Bedford? Why were they called “the squatters”? And what was their impact on the town? You will know the answers by the end of this walk which takes us through the heart of Anglo-Indian Bedford.

Sunday Walks programme

2020 Walks Announcement

We regret to inform you that, due to the Coronavirus, we are cancelling our guided walks until further notice.

Our first walk was due to be on Sunday 5 April. Naturally, we do not know how long walks will be cancelled for, but please do check back on our website or Facebook page for updates. Thank you for understanding.

Bespoke Walks and Tours

For Groups

Walks and Tours booked by individual groups operate throughout the year. Prices for 2020 are £3.00 per person or from £30.00 per group. In addition to our regular programme of Sunday Walks, we are happy to lead Walks and Tours on other topics specifically requested by groups or organisers. Please ask.

Coach Tours

We gladly assist holiday and tour companies visiting Bedford by providing and leading day tours on a general theme or specific topic. If you are planning a visit by coach to Bedford or are organising a group holiday in the town, why not book a Guide to accompany your group on a Walk or a coach tour of the neighbouring area?

Among the coach tours provided in the past have been Airfields of World War 2; Glenn Miller (including the Glenn Miller Museum); John Bunyan; the R101 and Airships; the picturesque Villages of East Bedfordshire as well as visits to Shuttleworth (Aircraft Collection, Swiss Garden, and The House), Wrest Park, DISC Intelligence Museum (Chicksands), 306 Bomb Group Museum at Thurleigh.

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Talks

Among the topics currently available are; The BBC and Glenn Miller in WW2 Bedford; The Rise, Fall and Rise Again of The Cardington Airships; The Wreck of the Clipper Loch Ard; Bedford Castle And How It Was Lost; John Howard – Obsessive Saint; and Col. Fred Burnaby – Victorian Superman. For other topics, please ask.

For Schools

We also offer specific Walks and Tours as requested by any school or college. We can assist with the local provision of National Curriculum topics. Again, please ask.