Discover Woburn: Safari, History and Village Life

Woburn combines impressive wildlife experiences, British history and village events to create a varied destination. Those looking for a holiday apartment or holiday house in Woburn can shape their stay around safari, walks, culture, swimming and local markets, depending on their interests. It is worth taking the current access arrangements for individual attractions into account as early as the planning stage.

Safari and Wildlife Experiences

Woburn Safari Park is a drive-through safari park that is home to more than 75 species of exotic and endangered animals. Visitors are required to use their own vehicle. The Road Safari takes around 60 to 90 minutes, making it a clearly defined part of a day trip.

The Foot Safari offers a different perspective. Keeper talks and demonstrations are included in the programme. Families can therefore choose between driving through the park and taking a more explanatory walk, without equating the two experiences. The Deer Park behind Woburn Abbey is also part of the village’s distinctive natural setting: it is home to nine species of deer.

History and Notable Buildings

Woburn Abbey is a Grade I listed country house. The site was granted to Lord John Russell, later the 1st Earl of Bedford, in 1547. The park and pleasure gardens at Woburn Abbey include work by George London, Charles Bridgeman and Humphry Repton. At the same time, it is important for travel planning to note that Woburn Abbey and the gardens have been closed since 2019 due to extensive restoration work.

Another important building is the Church of Saint Mary in Woburn, a Grade II* listed building. It was built between 1865 and 1868 by Henry Clutton for William, the 8th Duke of Bedford. The Woburn Heritage Museum is located in the Old St Mary's Church and presents local history. This means Woburn also offers a cultural focus if you do not want to devote your stay exclusively to the Abbey.

Walks of Different Lengths

The Woburn Heritage Museum sells eight fold-out circular walking guides. The circular routes start and finish at the free car park in the village. Walk 5 includes a short route into Woburn Deer Park, while Walk 8 is a longer walk of nine miles. This selection helps with planning your day: you can incorporate a short circuit into a varied outing or plan a longer route as a separate activity. The route information alone does not indicate walking times or the exact level of difficulty.

Village Life, Market and Garden Weekend

Woburn Market takes place on the third Sunday of every month in the village centre at "the Pitchings". Local and international food is available, along with products sold directly by farmers and producers. This provides a specific opportunity to combine village life with culinary discoveries.

A special event is the Woburn Open Garden Weekend. This annual village event usually takes place over a weekend in June. An admission ticket provides access to a number of private and public gardens in the village. Anyone wishing to make use of this date should plan their trip specifically around the event weekend and should not assume it is available all year round.

Combining Active and More Relaxed Days

Woburn Lido adds seasonal water activities to the range of attractions. During the summer season, activities include lane swimming, general swimming and Aqua FUN; during the winter season, cold-water swimming is offered. The pool is 23 metres long and 9 metres wide, with a shallow area of 1 metre and a deeper area of 1.65 metres. This allows a stay in Woburn to be paced in different ways between the wildlife park, culture, walking, the market and the swimming pool.

When choosing your accommodation, you can therefore first decide which experiences should be the focus. For a trip centred on safari and nature, the Safari Park’s vehicle rule and the approximate duration of the Road Safari are important planning points. For days focused on culture and events, on the other hand, the closure of the Abbey and gardens, the museum, the monthly market or the June weekend play a greater role. Base your travel planning on the experiences you want.

Discover More Places

If you would like to compare other destinations alongside Woburn: Milton Ernest, Clapham, Flitwick, Bedford, Biggleswade, Turvey, Dunstable and Shefford.

For the higher-level travel overview: Bedfordshire.