News

The Forest of Marston Vale were delighted to be presented with a cheque for £1000 from local family-run business, Canoe Trail on Wednesday 6th January. This generous New Year donation was raised from the outdoor activities and adventures that Canoe Trail run from Matchstick Wood which is part of the Grange Estate, Willington – a […]

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas . . . apparently!  With all this mild weather you could be mistaken thinking it was spring rather than winter but no matter the season or weather the BRVP Volunteers are always at hand for vegetation clearance! The area that required clearing was located off the Bedford […]

Wanderings in Willington Woods: Take a Seat, and Relax By Robin Braithwaite There are lots of reasons for visiting Willington Woods, be it walking the dog or wearing out the children (or parents, depending on your point of view). You might be engaging in some sort of running or cycling activity on the paved pathways. […]

By Robin Braithwaite No, we are not talking about brush cutters, little orange tractors or chainsaws: we did wood chopping in the last edition of Wanderings.  It’s the bees that are buzzing.  “That buzzing noise means something.  Now, the only reason for making a buzzing noise that I know of is because you are… a […]

Wanderings in Willington Woods:  “TIMBER!” By Robin Braithwaite “Whilst trees are vital to the creation of the Forest, they aren’t the whole story.  It’s about extracting all the benefits possible from the new ‘forest’ landscape being created – improved leisure opportunities, transformed perceptions, increased wildlife, engaged local communities and revitalized economies, plus a future timber […]

  Another piece of the BRVP Heritage Interpretation Project was installed at Octagon Wood which surrounds part of the Neolithic and Bronze Age mortuary complex which is a nationally recognized Scheduled Ancient Monument. The bench is constructed from locally sourced Oak and was made by local lad Luke Green.  The 5 carvings that include the Uffington […]

The BRVP Volunteers were back at the Grange Estate removing fallen Willow limbs from stock fencing at the the back of Causeway Lake and tidying up the Willow screen that looks out over Causeway Lake. Causeway Lake is located adjacent to Dovecote Lake both of which were formed as a consequence of the restoration of […]

Armed with money from the Heritage Lottery Fund, we have now completed a new set of pages that are now live on the BRVP web site. Covering pretty much the whole range of human occupation of the area that is now emerging as the River Valley Park, these new pages will take you from mammoth […]

Time flies when you’er having fun and the Bedford River Valley Park volunteers have certainly been busy installing information boards along with help from the Priory Rangers and the Community Payback Team. So far 7 information boards have been installed between Bedford and Willington that in total cover a diverse range of historical time periods […]

Discover the rich history of the park from the creation of the ground beneath your feet to the demolition of a power station. Look out for the history noticeboards around the park. Take a look at the flier here.