
Bedfords Park Nature Discovery Centre
Bedfords Park Nature Discovery Centre will re-open 5 days a week 10.00am-5.00pm from Friday 2nd April (closed Tuesday & Thursday) A takeaway food offering will be available and toilets will be open.
Under Government guidelines, please adhere to the rule of 6 at all times.
Please check for any restrictions on the local council website before visiting the park.
PLEASE READ THE TRUST'S LATEST STATEMENT ON COVID-19 here.
Know before you go
Parking information
Large free on site car parkBicycle parking
YesGrazing animals
Red DeerWalking trails
Various routes around the reserve, call into the Nature Discovery Centre for more details.
Access
Access available to the Nature Discovery Centre, please ask for reserve routes.
Dogs
Facilities
When to visit
Opening times
Bedfords Park Nature Discovery Centre will re-open 5 days a week 10.00am-5.00pm from Friday 2nd April (closed Tuesday & Thursday)Best time to visit
All yearAbout the reserve
The Nature Discovery Centre offers visitors a really warm welcome and the opportunity to find out about the wildlife within the park. The park includes many valuable habitats such as mature woodland, species rich wildflower meadows, ponds, streams and marshy areas. The Nature Discovery Centre is built on the site of the former mansion and it commands superb views over much of east London and into Kent. Light refreshments, snacks and a gift shop are all within the Nature Discovery Centre and there is a large decked area to relax on sunny days. There are many exotic trees originally planted in the mansion gardens, such as Cedar of Lebanon, Holm Oak, Monkey-puzzle, Giant Redwood and Yew. The Park has wonderful wildflower meadows where you will find Cuckoo Flower, Pignut and Ragged Robin in the Spring. There is varied woodland, several ponds and a lake, as well as a captive herd of Red Deer. Bird highlights include all three species of Woodpecker, Nuthatch and Hobby. Wild deer are often seen (Fallow, Roe and Muntjac). The meadows and ponds provide superb habitats for a variety of invertebrates including a really wide variety of butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies. Winter sees a large corvid roost, with hundreds of Rooks, Crows and Jackdaws gathering near the deer pen. The upper section of the park offers a more landscaped parkland, while the lower section is managed for wildlife, with hay meadows and some mature woodland and scrub. Dog walking: Dogs can be walked in the park but must be under control, preferably on a lead near the Nature Discovery Centre and deer pen.