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
Tour Guides’ services
Walks
Walks leave the Old Town Hall in St. Paul's Square, Bedford (close to the gold painted letter box) every Sunday at 11.00am. Walks last about 90 minutes, cover 1-2 miles and access is generally suitable for the less mobile. Please check when booking.
The Silent Faces walk starts from the War Memorial on the Embankment opposite Rothsay Road. 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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
Date |
Walk |
| Sunday 5 May |
I Never Knew That |
| Sunday 11 May |
The Life and Times of John Bunyan |
| Sunday 19 May |
Bedford in World War II |
| Sunday 26 May |
Who Lived in a House Like That? |
| Sunday 2 June |
The Rise and Fall of Bedford Castle |
| Sunday 9 June |
The Silent Faces of Bedford |
| Sunday 16 June |
The Jewel in Bedford's Crown |
| Sunday 23 June |
Who Lived in a House Like That? |
| Sunday 30 June |
I Never Knew That |
| Sunday 7 July |
The Silent Faces of Bedford |
| Sunday 14 July |
The Jewel in Bedford’s Crown |
| Sunday 21 July |
The Life and Times of John Bunyan |
| Sunday 28 July |
The Rise and Fall of Bedford Castle |
| Sunday 4 August |
Bedford in World War II |
| Sunday 11 August |
The Jewel in Bedford's Crown |
| Sunday 18 August |
Who Lived in a House Like That? |
| Sunday 25 August |
The Silent Faces of Bedford |
| Sunday 1 September |
I Never Knew That |
| Sunday 8 September |
The Rise and Fall of Bedford Castle |
| Sunday 15 September |
Bedford in World War II |
| Sunday 22 September |
The Life and Times of John Bunyan |
| Sunday 29 September |
The Jewel in Bedford's Crown |
Walks and Tours booked by individual groups operate throughout the year. Prices for 2019 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.
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.
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.
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.
