kids encyclopedia robot

Priory Country Park facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Priory Country Park
Priorycountrypark.jpg
Type country park
Location Bedford, Bedfordshire
England
Created 1986
Operated by Bedford Borough Council
Status Open all year

Priory Country Park is a wonderful green space in Bedford, England. It is located right next to the River Great Ouse. This park is a popular spot for families and nature lovers. The Bedford Borough Council looks after the park, making sure it stays beautiful for everyone.

Discovering Priory Country Park

Priory Country Park is a large area covering about 300 acres (121 hectares). It offers many different natural areas to explore. You can find peaceful lakes, wide open grassland, and shady woodlands here. It's a perfect place to enjoy the outdoors and see local wildlife.

How the Park Began

This park wasn't always a park. Before 1977, the land was used for something called gravel extraction. This means companies dug up gravel from the ground. After the digging stopped, the area was transformed. It was officially opened as Priory Country Park in 1986 by a famous TV presenter, Valerie Singleton.

What You Can See and Do

The park has many interesting features for visitors. You can find the Priory Marina here, which is a place where boats are kept. There is also the Cardington Artificial Slalom Course. This is a special course where people can practice canoeing and kayaking in moving water.

Near the park entrance, you can find places to eat and stay. There is a Beefeater Grill restaurant and a Premier Inn hotel. These offer convenient options for visitors.

Country parks
A sign showing a country park symbol.

A Special Award

Priory Country Park is a really well-managed park. In 2007, it won a special award called the Green Flag Award. This award recognizes the best green spaces in the country. It means the park is a welcoming, safe, and well-maintained place for everyone to enjoy. Winning this award shows how much care goes into keeping the park beautiful.

kids search engine
Priory Country Park Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.