Parks

Greensand Country contains all of Bedfordshire’s remaining heathland, more than half of its woodland and 29 historic parklands. Greensand Country’s parks and nature reserves are perfect for family visits – letting the kids play outside, walking the dog or settling down with a picnic.

From the top of the ridge, open heaths and meadows give you spectacular views across the surrounding countryside. The beautiful patchwork of heaths, parks, historic houses and woodland means that you can visit lots of different places in a single day, and find something to keep every member of the family happy. There are also plenty of places to stop for a pub lunch or a quick coffee.

In the very west of Greensand Country WoburnDeer Park is home to nine different species of deer as well as lots of other wildlife. Nearby Rushmere Country Park at Heath and Reach has a visitor centre, cafe, dog fun area, cycle routes, natural play spots and a sculpture trail.

Travelling east, Ampthill Great Park was a royal palace and hunting ground, and the current park was created by Capability Brown. It is now open to the public and has lots of open space to explore, along with stunning views north from the Greensand Ridge. There is a cafe and play area and lots of events running throughout the year.

Moggerhanger Park has beautiful woodland walks, especially in spring when the woods are full of bluebells.

Stories of The Landscape, by Steve Larder

Greensand Country Landscape Partnership are thrilled to present illustrator and artist, Steve Larder, as part of their commissioned programme of work celebrating Greensand Country. Steve has produced two extraordinary illustrated Zines exploring Ampthill Great Park and Rushmere Country Park. “I chose to interpret the brief, ‘Stories of the Landscape’, by making a fanzine about Ampthill Great Park and Rushmere Country Park. The title was an easy stepping stone for me to dig through archives relating to the area, and most importantly, visit the places themselves and talk to people who manage, maintain, volunteer and visit the landscapes. Through this method of research, I gained a deeper insight of each park and how it relates to local populations who enjoy the rich, historical countryside of the Greensand Country”