The first thing you need to know about this review of the Forest of Marston Vale is that it’s not actually of a forest. Well, the bit I visited isn’t and the Forest of Maston Vale is actually made up of lots of smaller woodlands. The main focus is the Millennium Country Park and Forest Centre just outside of Marston Moretaine in Bedfordshire. You can read more about the different sites that make up the Forest of Marston Vale here.
This whole area only exists because of bricks. The lakes used to be clay pits belonging to Stewartby Brickworks. Once the sites closed down they just waited for it to rain and nature took over. Boom – nature reserve!
Millennium Country Park at the Forest of Marston Vale
The Millennium Country Park at the Forest of Marston Vale is made up of walks around two lakes. There’s the Stewartby Lake, which is free to access, and there’s the Pillinge. This has a chargeable Wetlands Trail alongside the lake (more about that later) and free to access paths around the very edge. Dotted around you’ll find some other off-road paths through woodlands and alongside the lakes. These are a bit rough and ready but have some stunning views. In wet weather they can get VERY boggy though so don’t forget the wellies.
You won’t be able to miss the wind turbine that’s near the visitor’s centre. If you walk up next to it there are some incredible views across the lake.
Because of the off-road paths there are various, shorter family walks that you can do here. You could also just do a linear route if you wanted to. The full figure of 8 route is 5 miles. Along the way there are various highlights including the Devil’s Toenail. Never heard of it? Me neither. I had to google it and, I’m quoting, it’s “Bedfordshire’s answer to Stonehenge“. Now, I don’t mean to be rude, but I don’t think you can really compare Stonehenge to a single stone 30 x 50 cm. Are they sure it’s not just a naturally occurring rock?? Has anyone checked?
Next to the visitor’s centre there’s a sensory garden which is great for the kids. There’s hidden dinosaur eggs, lots of beautiful seating areas and loads of things to explore. At the back of the visitor’s centre there’s also a bog pond with lots of wildlife for the kids to try and find.
Beside the cafe there’s a small playground area. It’s accessed via the back of the cafe and is mainly suitable for younger, rather than older, children. TBH it’s not the best playground, but there’s so much to do here it’s not really the main feature anyway.
Wetlands Nature Reserve and Trail
The wetlands nature reserve and trail really was the highlight of our visit. And I nearly didn’t have a look around!! It’s only 2km long, so it’s perfect for little legs. The Forest of Marston Vale have worked incredibly hard make sure the route is interesting for kids. Along the way there are various interactive boards with facts to read and games for them to play.
For a lot of the route around the wetlands nature reserve you can’t actually see the lake. It’s “just” a nice walk. There are four bird hides around the lake that give you a better look through. Two of them overlook the lake, including one that overlooks the sand martin wall. When I visited I met a lovely gentleman who pointed out an American Wigeon that was swimming on the lake. Apparently it had arrived a couple of days earlier and was the first time it had ever been spotted in Bedfordshire! That’s pretty cool.
The other two look out over the rest of the surrounding countryside and nature reserve. The Tower Hide is accessed by a really long boardwalk which the kids will just love running up! There’s a good chance the kids will be able to spot sheep and cows from the top if they want a break from birds.
Along the way you’ll spot this. I couldn’t see any signs about it so had to ask. The Millennium Country Park at the Forest of Marston Vale is so-called that because it was built for the Millennium. Local school children were invited to make their own bricks and this was made out of those bricks to celebrate the opening. Some of those kids probably have their own kids now. The millennium was over 20 years ago now – a fact which upsets me greatly.
Our Forest of Marston Vale Review
The Forest of Marston Vale, the Millenium Country Park and Wetlands Nature Reserve is a surprisingly good little, cheap family day out. A walk around the park and lakes is nice, but the wetlands trail really is what makes it really good. It actually minds me a bit of College Lake in Hertfordshire. I don’t think you’d be able to spend all day here, but you could easily spend a good few hours here.
Admission cost
Free. Admission to the wetlands nature reserve is £2.50 per adult, £1.75 for concessions.
Parking / How to get there
Parking – Plenty of parking on site. Up to 3 hours – £2. Over 3 hours – £3. Overnight – £5
Address – The Forest Centre, Station Rd, Marston Moretaine, Bedford MK43 0PR
Toilets
On site, including baby change
Food
Picnics allowed. Reasonably priced cafe on site.
What else is there to do nearby?
Ampthill Great Park and Houghton House are nearby. Wrest Park in Silsoe also isn’t too far away.
Hi, I’m Vicky. My husband and I live in Aylesbury with our three children; a 14 year old son, an 12 year old son and a 6 year old daughter. I (mostly) love spending time together as a family. We visit all kinds of places and we’re quite happy to drive a fair distance for a decent day out. A few years ago I decided to set up Free Time with the Kids as a way to share our experiences of these family days out.
You’ll find the essential information you need to know before your visit that can be surprisingly hard to find out. Where do I park? How much will it cost me to get in? Are there any discounts available? Are there loos? Can I take a picnic or get food? My aim is to be your go-to guide for all your free and cheap family days out across Bucks, Beds, Oxon, Herts & slightly beyond. I really hope you find the reviews helpful. If there’s anywhere that you’d recommend please get in touch contact@freetimewiththekids.com or get in touch via Facebook
