Though one of England's smaller counties, Bedfordshire rewards exploration with varied scenery and rich history. Ancient tracks, canal towpaths and green lanes link towns, villages and estates such as Woburn Abbey and Wrest Park. From the River Great Ouse to Dunstable Downs and the Greensand Ridge, these routes reveal its charm.

Bedfordshire may be one of England's smaller counties, often passed through rather than explored, but it rewards closer inspection with a surprising range of scenery and historical significance. Criss-crossed with ancient tracks, canal towpaths and green lanes, the county's varied terrain offers walkers of all abilities opportunity to explore its many sights: bustling towns and thatched villages, stately homes like Woburn Abbey and Wrest Park, not to mention wartime airfields, open heath and panoramic ridges. Whether tracing the River Great Ouse, climbing the Dunstable Downs or following the Greensand Ridge, each route in this guide reveals a county of beguiling charm.