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Bow Hill Park

11 ha

📷 Philip Jeffrey · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

BirdsWildlifeDogs

Public accessFree entryDogs welcome11 ha

Getting here

52.15131, -0.44017

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

🐦70+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Carrion Crow and Black-headed Gull
🐕Early mornings are best for dog walks in summer — visit before 9am to avoid the heat and find quieter trails
☕Giuseppe Deli — makes this an easy full-day family visit without needing to pack food

🌤️ Visiting this summer

🐦70+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Carrion Crow and Black-headed Gull
🐕Early mornings are best for dog walks in summer — visit before 9am to avoid the heat and find quieter trails
☕Giuseppe Deli — makes this an easy full-day family visit without needing to pack food

Good to know

£Free to visit — no entry charge
🐕Dogs welcome

Bike parkingCaféParking· Free

Best for

8 activities

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Carrion Crow, Black-headed Gull, Goldfinch +67 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Carrion Crow, Black-headed Gull, Goldfinch +67 more · last seen 2026

Free

Wildlife

Very strong match

Multi-group wildlife — Birds, Mammals; Multi-group wildlife — Birds, Mammals

Free

Dog walks

Strong match

Dogs allowed with public access

Free

Family friendly

Strong match

café; Urban park — family destination

Free

Insect spotting

Good match

Insects — Dicyphus (Dicyphus) escalerae, Oxycarenus modestus, Arocatus roeselii +2 more · last seen 2026; Insects — Dicyphus (Dicyphus) escalerae, Oxycarenus modestus, Arocatus roeselii +2 more · last seen 2026

Free

Picnic day out

Good match

Urban park — open green space

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

3 signed routes nearby · 7 public paths nearby

Signed route nearbyPublic paths

John Bunyan TrailWalking route

Named routeRegional walking route

North Bedfordshire Heritage TrailWalking route70 km

Named routeLength 70 kmRegional walking route

Ouse Valley Way 2 (Turvey to Eaton Socon)Walking route

Named routeRegional walking route

Greystoke Walkpublic footpath · 10 m

Public pathpublic footpathLength 10 mSurface asphaltPath type: footway

Putnoe Lanepublic footpath · 75 m

Public pathpublic footpathLength 75 mSurface asphaltPath type: tertiary

Kenilworth Walkpublic footpath · 176 m

Public pathpublic footpathLength 176 mSurface asphaltPath type: footway

🚴

Cycling

73 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

National Byway (Beds)Cycling route

Named routeRef NBRegional cycle route

Route 2Cycling route

Named routeRef 2Local cycle route

Route 16Cycling route

Named routeRef 16Local cycle route

Route 17Cycling route

Named routeRef 17Local cycle route

Bedford Green WheelCycling route

Named routeRef GWRound tripLocal cycle route

Route 22Cycling route

Named routeRef 22Local cycle route

🐴

Horse riding

1 public path nearby

Public paths

Putnoe Lanebridleway · 464 m

Public pathbridlewayLength 464 mSurface asphaltPath type: tertiary

Wildlife to spot

108,733 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

108,733 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds63 species

winter

2026

Magpie · Gadwall · Chaffinch · Grey Heron · Black-headed Gull +58

MagpiePica pica
GadwallMareca strepera2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
Great TitParus major2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2025
Mute SwanCygnus olor2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2025
TealAnas crecca2025
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2025
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
RedwingTurdus iliacus2025
Water RailRallus aquaticus2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
Stock DoveColumba oenas2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
LapwingVanellus vanellus2025
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
Greylag GooseAnser anser2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
CootFulica atra2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
FieldfareTurdus pilaris2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
Cetti's WarblerCettia cetti2025
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025
SnipeGallinago gallinago2025
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
RavenCorvus corax2025
ShelduckTadorna tadorna2025

🐝

Insects5 species

winterspring

2026

Oxycarenus modestus · Arocatus roeselii · Macrolophus rubi · Dicyphus (Dicyphus) escalerae · Hawthorn Shieldbug

Oxycarenus modestusOxycarenus modestus
Arocatus roeseliiArocatus roeselii
Macrolophus rubiMacrolophus rubi
Dicyphus (Dicyphus) escaleraeDicyphus (Dicyphus) escalerae
Hawthorn ShieldbugAcanthosoma haemorrhoidale

🌿

Plants3 species

winter

2026

Snowdrop · Golden Dock · Mistletoe

SnowdropGalanthus nivalis
Golden DockRumex maritimus
MistletoeViscum album

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

108,733 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds63 species

winter

2026

Magpie · Gadwall · Chaffinch · Grey Heron · Black-headed Gull +58

MagpiePica pica
GadwallMareca strepera2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
Great TitParus major2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2025
Mute SwanCygnus olor2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2025
TealAnas crecca2025
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2025
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
RedwingTurdus iliacus2025
Water RailRallus aquaticus2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
Stock DoveColumba oenas2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
LapwingVanellus vanellus2025
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
Greylag GooseAnser anser2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
CootFulica atra2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
FieldfareTurdus pilaris2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
Cetti's WarblerCettia cetti2025
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025
SnipeGallinago gallinago2025
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
RavenCorvus corax2025
ShelduckTadorna tadorna2025

🐝

Insects5 species

winterspring

2026

Oxycarenus modestus · Arocatus roeselii · Macrolophus rubi · Dicyphus (Dicyphus) escalerae · Hawthorn Shieldbug

Oxycarenus modestusOxycarenus modestus
Arocatus roeseliiArocatus roeselii
Macrolophus rubiMacrolophus rubi
Dicyphus (Dicyphus) escaleraeDicyphus (Dicyphus) escalerae
Hawthorn ShieldbugAcanthosoma haemorrhoidale

🌿

Plants3 species

winter

2026

Snowdrop · Golden Dock · Mistletoe

SnowdropGalanthus nivalis
Golden DockRumex maritimus
MistletoeViscum album

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Philip Jeffrey · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Putnoe park with Pennine Road behind

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🏞️PRIORYCountry park2.3 km→🌱Priory Country ParkUrban park2.4 km→🌱Mowsbury ParkUrban park1.2 km→🌱Russell ParkUrban park2 km→🌱Russell ParkUrban park2 km→🌱Addison Howard ParkUrban park4.6 km→

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