HERITAGE
BEDFORD
“CRUISE PLUS” DAY TOURS
GREAT DAYS OUT
FOR GROUPS
Bedford: a gem of a
tourist destination
Based on the banks of the beautiful River
Great Ouse, the historic market town of
Bedford offers a treasure chest of pleasures - relaxing river trips, intriguing museum
collections, castle ruins, winding back streets,
undercover shopping and specialist
markets. Take time to explore Bedford and
discover little-known jewels.
Bedford is the second oldest Borough in the
United Kingdom, in easy reach of London and
midway between Oxford and Cambridge. The
siege and destruction of a Norman castle,
religious turmoil, and secret military activities
during World War II are just part of its story.
It has a highly-rated art gallery and museums
at the heart of a new ‘cultural quarter’ close
to beautiful Victorian landscaped gardens and
the delightful River Great Ouse.
Heritage Bedford is a collaboration
between the principal arts, leisure and culture
providers in the town that helps visitors to get
the most out of the time they can spend
here.
The “Cruise Plus” programme
Heritage Bedford’s “Cruise Plus” Programme
is managed for the group by the John Bunyan
boat company www.johnbunyanboat.org You
charter the boat and tell us the other
attractions you want to visit. We put all the
arrangements in place for you, so that you can
visit several attractions but have just one point
of contact.
Provisional bookings will be held for as long as
possible. A minimum Deposit of £150 must be
paid in order to have a Booking confirmed.
The Balance must be paid no later than 28
days prior to the Booking date. Cancellation
terms apply. In the event of high river levels,
strong currents or storms, cruises may be
rerouted or replaced by another attraction,
and services may affect timing of visits to
Bunyan Meeting.
Wheelchair users are most welcome but
require extra seating spaces on board and
changes to walking routes, so this must be
discussed prior to booking as it affects
maximum group size.
For further information and bookings contact
Katrina Allen, Administrator, John Bunyan
Boat, 0330 1239511
Arrangements for coaches
The coach drop off/pick up point at Castle Lane (MK40) is central to all attractions. All
cruises depart and return to Newnham Steps on The Embankment, within the cultural
quarter, a short walk away.
Coaches can be parked at Priory Country Park (MK41 9DJ), next to the marina where the
John Bunyan Boat is moored. Drivers can travel by boat with the crew to the cruise
departure point and return to fetch the coach by boat or taxi. If drivers do not want to go
on the boat, it is a short taxi ride to the town centre and a driver information pack and
refreshment vouchers can be supplied. If drivers do not want to leave the coach,
refreshments are available at the Beefeater Priory Marina pub.
Alternatively, coach parking is available at Bedford town centre locations including
Melbourne St pay & display car park (MK42 9AX).
At the heart of every tour is a
relaxing lunchtime cruise
The John Bunyan is Bedford’s new trip boat
Passengers love the personal service given by
the highly trained volunteers who run it.
Cruise the River Great Ouse in warmth and
comfort whatever the weather– watch the
scenery drift past through picture windows
and enjoy lunch aboard (ploughman’s or fish
and chip options). The boat has a fully licensed
bar and galley café, an access lift and wide-
door toilet.
The 90-minute “Cruise Plus” trip departs
from the cultural quarter and covers the
historic town centre upriver to the
stupendous Guru Nanak Gurdwara temple;
crew highlight key points of interest.
Choose from ten themed half-
day or day tours
Add your choice of visits to one or more of
Bedford’s star heritage attractions, with
morning or afternoon refreshments as shown
in the tour programmes:
John Bunyan Museum and Bunyan Meeting
reveal the life of the author of The Pilgrim’s
Progress
The Higgins Bedford offers superbly
displayed local collections of art and
design and local history
Town Trail highlights key people and
places in Bedford’s 1000-year story,
including Castle Mound
Panacea Museum tells the story of a
unique religious community in Bedford
All in one place – the delightful
cultural quarter of the town
All attractions are within a ten minute walk of
each other in the cultural quarter of the town.
If you can stay longer, Bedford has a wealth of
pretty streets and squares, interesting
buildings and lovely riverside gardens, just a
few minutes’ stroll away, with a range of
specialist shops and markets, bars and cafes.
Simple to arrange
Coach drop off and parking are
straightforward. Tour booking is simple:
one contact point and an all-inclusive
price per person, for a minimum group
size of 30 up to a maximum of 50.
“Cruise Plus” Day Tours
Tuesdays to Saturdays, April to October
Heritage Bedford attractions
All the attractions listed also offer group tour arrangements independently of the Heritage Bedford
“Cruise Plus” Day Tours programme. See websites for details.
John Bunyan boat: private hire and
public cruises
The John Bunyan boat is available Tuesdays to Sundays,
April to October, for hire by groups of up to 50 people.
Local groups regularly charter the boat for special outings
and we welcome groups from further afield. Charter
cruises can be morning, afternoon or early evening, and
normally last 1.5-3 hours. We cruise through the historic
heart of Bedford and out into the surrounding countryside.
We offer a licenced bar and galley café, morning pastries,
lunches, afternoon teas, and champagne sunset cruises. We
also offer a wide range of standard public and special
cruises, including jazz nights, lunch and tea cruises, and fish
& chip supper cruises. Smaller groups of under 30 people
are welcome to make a block booking on public cruises.
See separate brochures or online for details for private
charters and public cruises.
www.johnbunyanboat.org
John Bunyan Museum & Bunyan
Meeting
The John Bunyan Museum tells the story of the Bedford
man who wrote The Pilgrim’s Progress, one of the greatest
novels in the English language. During his remarkable life
Bunyan was a soldier, tinker, preacher and dissenter. He
spent 12 years in Bedford prison for illegal preaching and it
was here that he wrote his masterpiece. Bunyan Meeting
church was built in 1850, and stands on the site of Bunyan’s
original church where he was minister from 1671 to 1688.
Visitors should particularly see the scenes from The Pilgrim’s
Progress on the bronze entrance doors and stunning stained
glass windows.
A dedicated museum tour guide will lead you around the
church and museum, explaining the history of the site, and
the inspiring story of the life and times of Bedfordshire’s
famous son John Bunyan.
www.bunyanmeeting.co.uk/museum
Bedford Guided Town Trail
Guides give a relaxed and entertaining journey back
through the ages as they reveal the characters and buildings
that make up the fabric of Bedford’s 1000-year history. The
tour includes St Paul’s Church and Castle Mound, which
tells the story of a Royal Charter, a not so ‘civil’ war and
why the castle is no more. The Town Trail goes at an easy
pace and should be suitable for those with limited mobility.
Suitable outdoor clothing and footwear is required.
Other walks are available outside the “Cruise Plus”
programme (book through the Travel and Tourism Centre
in Bedford). All walks are led by qualified members of the
Bedford Association of Tour Guides. A Town Trail leaflet is
also available. www.visitbedford.org
The Higgins Bedford
Housed in the historic buildings of Castle Brewery and the
home of the Higgins family, the art gallery and museum is a
place to explore wonderful and varied collections. Visitors can enjoy world-class watercolour and print collections
which form the basis of an inspiring exhibitions programme,
and a wide-ranging design collection featuring unique
groups of work by the designers William Burges and
Edward Bawden.
In the history galleries, find out more about Bedford,
known just as ‘somewhere in England’ when the BBC
moved here to escape bombing during WWII. There are
collections of archaeology, ethnography, social and natural
history which cover early settlement and the town’s
growth, through to the Great Bedfordians in history and
the present day. www.thehigginsbedford.org.uk
The Panacea Museum
What are the contents of Joanna Southcott's box? Who is
Shiloh and when will they arrive? Is the Garden of Eden
really in Bedford? Visitors can find out at the Panacea
Museum which tells the story of one of the most curious
religious communities in England that only finally dissolved
in 2012. The exhibits include ornately staged rooms which
remain ready for Archbishops who will never arrive, letters
from exasperated princesses, a cradle and exquisitely-regal
robes for a messianic baby who was never born.
During a tour of the stunning museum buildings groups can
discover the amazing story of the unique community and
enjoy refreshments in the beautiful gardens.
www.panaceatrust.org
Heritage Bedford “Cruise Plus” Tours Tours combine a cruise with a visit to one or more heritage attractions to match the
interests of your group.
Depart for another destination after your tour is over, or linger a while to enjoy the shops,
markets, squares and streets of the town centre, or take a stroll along the lovely riverside
gardens. We provide a “Free Time in Bedford” leaflet including town map when you book.
Half day tours (£20pp)
Visit Heritage Bedford:
Design Your Own Tour
Prefer to build your own tour of the
town? Bedford’s historic heart has a wealth of wonderful places to
explore. Riverside restaurants,
specialty markets, a state of the art
theatre, free museums, archives or
historic sites and a year-round
programme of free festivals and
events. To plan your day visit
www.heritagebedford.com
Tour 10.30-12.00* 12.00-13.30
1. Cruise + Art &
Design at The Higgins
Coffee and guided tour focusing on the Cecil Higgins Collection with its world-class watercolours and
prints, and unique groups of work by designers William Burges and Edward Bawden.
Relaxing river trip on the John Bunyan with
lunch.
2. Cruise + History
at The Higgins
Coffee and guided tour of The Higgins Bedford, taking in the history of this fascinating site and the
wider story of Bedford.
Relaxing river trip on the John Bunyan with
lunch.
3. Cruise + John
Bunyan Museum
Coffee and guided visit to the John Bunyan Museum and Bunyan Meeting, revealing the life of the author
of The Pilgrim’s Progress.
Relaxing river trip on the John Bunyan with
lunch.
4. Cruise + Panacea
Museum
Coffee and guided tour on the unique religious community that created its own Garden of Eden in
Bedford in the 20th century.
Relaxing river trip on the John Bunyan with
lunch.
5. Cruise + Town
Trail
Coffee at Bunyan Meeting, starting point for a guided tour of key characters and buildings in Bedford’s
1000-year history.
Relaxing river trip on the John Bunyan with
lunch.
Day tours (£25pp) If you’re able to stay for longer, choose a tour with two visits, one before and one after
your lunchtime cruise.
Extended day tours (£30pp) Or choose an extended day tour that combines a cruise with three heritage attractions to
make the most of a day in beautiful Bedford.
Notes
* Allow 5-10 minutes for moving between activities; guides will advise.
The timing of tours in the “Cruise Plus” programme is fixed.
Bespoke tours can also be arranged on request; please ask for details.
Tour 10.30-12.00* 12.00-13.30* 13.30-15.00
6. Bedford
History cruise
Coffee at Bunyan Meeting, the start of a guided Town
Trail of key characters and buildings in Bedford’s 1000-year history.
Relaxing river trip on the John Bunyan
with lunch.
Guided tour of The Higgins Bedford, taking in the history of
this fascinating site and the wider story of Bedford, with tea.
7. Bedford
Believers cruise
John Bunyan Museum and Bunyan Meeting: coffee and
guided visit revealing the life of the author of The Pilgrim’s Progress.
Relaxing river trip on the John Bunyan
with lunch.
Panacea Museum: Discover the unique religious community that
created its own Garden of Eden in Bedford, with tea.
8. Bedford
Art & Inspir-ation
cruise
Coffee and guided tour of the Cecil Higgins Collection
with its world-class watercolours and prints, and unique groups of work by
designers William Burges and
Edward Bawden.
Relaxing river trip on the John Bunyan
with lunch.
Guided visit to the John Bunyan Museum and the splendid
stained glass windows and bronze doors of the Bunyan Meeting, with tea.
Tour 10.30-12.00* 12.00-13.30* 13.30-15.00* 15.00-16.30
9. Bedford
Place & People cruise
Coffee and guided tour of The Higgins
Bedford, taking in the history of this fascinating site and
the wider story of Bedford.
Relaxing river trip on the
John Bunyan with lunch.
Guided visit to the John Bunyan
Museum and Meeting, with tea.
A guided Town Trail of key characters and
buildings in Bedford’s 1000-year history.
10. Bedford
Museums cruise
John Bunyan Museum and Bunyan Meeting:
coffee and guided visit revealing the life of the author of The
Pilgrim’s Progress.
Relaxing river trip on the
John Bunyan with lunch.
Panacea Museum: Discover the
unique religious community that created its own
Garden of Eden in Bedford, with tea.
The Higgins: an introductory tour of
the highlights of the collections in The Higgins Bedford.
Evening and overnight stays Round off your day with afternoon tea, or a drink and
an early supper at the heritage hotels with which the
John Bunyan boat regularly partners: the Swan Hotel in
the town centre (built as a coaching inn for the Duke of
Bedford with a staircase from the mansion thought to
be the inspiration for the House Beautiful in The Pilgrim’s
Progress) or the Barns Hotel on the river downstream.
If you can stay overnight, Bedford has a thriving arts,
music and theatre scene and a wide range of places to
dine that reflect its cultural heritage, including Italian and
Indian restaurants. There are places to stop overnight to
suit all tastes and budgets. Simply add your own choice
of accommodation, evening meal and entertainment.
Love Bedford provides information on what’s on, and
places to eat and stay.
Further information and bookings contact Katrina Allen,
Administrator, John Bunyan Boat, 0330 1239511 [email protected]
Useful links
www.lovebedford.co.uk
www.visitbedford.org
The Swan Hotel www.bedfordswanhotel.co.uk
The Barns Hotel www.barnshotelbedford.co.uk
Quarry Theatre www.quarrytheatre.org.uk
The Place www.theplacebedford.org.uk
Bedford Corn Exchange www.bedfordcornexchange.co.uk