Park Facilities
The Priory Country Park has been awarded a Certificate of Excellence by Trip Advisor. This has been awarded because the park has achieved consistently high ratings by visitors to the park. Additionally the park has been awarded Green Flag status for a great many years. This award is given to high quality parks which are clean and well maintained and involve the local community.
The Park is an area of beauty designated and maintained for both wildlife and people and is open all day. Features include a large lake, the smaller finger lakes, wooded areas and open spaces. It benefits from a riverside path. The Ouse follows part of the perimeter of the Park. What was the Visitor’s Centre (opened officially in Oct 1986) is now the Cloverdale Retreat Café at the front of the building with the Bedford Wildlife Trust still occupying the rear part of the building. Modern public toilets with wheelchair access are located at the rear of this building being run by the Bedford Council. They were refurbished in 2018
There is a good sized free Council car park adjacent to the building and other overflow car parks nearby so parking is virtually unlimited.
There are various recommended walks which include the Riverside Wildlife Trial, Lakeside Wildlife Trail and Finger Wildlife Trial. Details can be found on the website: www.bedford.gov.uk (under leisure and culture).
On the same website are details of the various fishing permits that are available.
OPENING TIMES
Monday – Friday
10am – 4pm to 4.30pm
Saturday – Sunday
10am – 5pm
Outdoor seating
Great walks & views
Disabled access
Parking
The Priory Country Park is the home of the Priory Water Sports Centre which is shared by the Priory Sailing Club and the Bedfordshire Canoeists Association. Activities including Dinghy Sailing, Windsurfing Canoeing, Kayaking and Stand-Up Paddle Boarding.
The Priory Country Park accommodates the UK’s first artificial slalom course which is beginner-friendly. The 120-metre concrete channel deploys removable boulders which are taken out after each event. This is to accommodate its dual function as a river control.
The park is a popular site for birdwatching. Many land and water birds are found there. Sightings in past years include that of the Ferruginous Duck, Radde’s Warbler and the Yellow-browed Warbler.
The Priory Country Park takes its name from the twelfth centre Newnham Priory which was located where the Priory Marina is now. The Priory was eventually demolished by Henry VIII. The only present day remains take the form of a stone wall adjacent to the footpath near the Marina. The wall was built from the remains at a later date.
We owe a lot to the Park Rangers of the Priory Country Park for their very high standard of care and maintenance. Without them the Park as we know it would not exist.