cafe
Caffeine & Machine: The Bowl
The Bedfordshire location set in a dramatic former quarry bowl, opened in 2023 as the brand's third venue.
16 km · about 20 min drive
EuropeUnited KingdomEngland
Biggleswade
England, United Kingdom · Europe
About Biggleswade
Biggleswade works well as a base: 5 minutes from Langford, 29km from The Backs, Cambridge.
Biggleswade is in England, United Kingdom, with about 17,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Langford, about 4 km away.
Biggleswade ( BIG-əlz-wayd) is a market town and civil parish in Central Bedfordshire in Bedfordshire, England. It lies on the River Ivel, 11 miles (18 km) south-east of Bedford. Its population was 22,541 at the time of the 2021 census, an increase of 36% compared to the population of 16,551 in the 2011Read more
census.
Evidence of settlement in the area goes back to the Neolithic period, but it is likely that the town as such was founded by Anglo-Saxons. A gold Anglo-Saxon coin was found on a footpath beside the River Ivel in 2001 (the British Museum bought the coin in 2006; at the time, it was the most expensive British coin purchased). A charter to hold a market was granted by King John in the 13th century. In 1785 a great fire devastated the town. The Great North Road passed through until a bypass was completed in 1961. Biggleswade railway station opened in 1850. From the 1930s to the late 1990s manufacturing provided a significant amount of employment. The town centre is designated a conservation area.
Where to Stay in Biggleswade
Compare prices across Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, and more. Select your dates to see availability.
Filter presets
Pick your must-haves once: provider links open pre-filtered. Each filter lists which sites it applies to.
Compare before you book!
Prices can vary significantly between platforms. We recommend checking at least 2-3 sites to find the best deal for your stay in Biggleswade.
Explore the Area
Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Biggleswade.
Loading map...
Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Biggleswade?
Within an hour or so of Biggleswade: Caffeine & Machine: The Bowl (16 km), King's College Chapel, Cambridge (29 km), The Backs, Cambridge (29 km), Santa Pod Raceway (29 km).
Are there any good drives near Biggleswade?
The nearest famous roads are Crystal Palace Circuit and Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Where is Biggleswade?
Biggleswade is in England, United Kingdom, about 4 km from Langford.
Road trip
Drive to Biggleswade
Add it as a stop and the planner works out the driving, the nights and what's worth seeing on the way.
Start planningWhat's nearby?
Swipe through places to go
Places within a drive of Biggleswade. Keep the ones you like and add them to your trip.
Explore now
Quick Information
- Population
- 16,551
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- England
- Timezone
- Europe/London
- Coordinates
- 52.0865, -0.2649
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United Kingdom
112 also works. NHS non-emergency medical advice: 111. National Highways breakdown assistance on motorways: 0300 123 5000.
Full driving guide for United KingdomTags
Worth the detour from Biggleswade
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
King's College Chapel, Cambridge
Pinnacle of late Gothic architecture with the world's largest fan vault ceiling and Rubens' masterpiece altarpiece, an icon of Cambridge University.
29 km · about 35 min drive
scenic viewpoint
The Backs, Cambridge
The famous riverside meadows behind the Cambridge colleges, offering iconic views of King's College Chapel, the Bridge of Sighs and punts on the Cam.
29 km · about 35 min drive
landmark
Santa Pod Raceway
Europe's premier drag racing venue in Northamptonshire, hosting iconic events like the FIA European Finals and Flame & Thunder.
29 km · about 35 min drive
landmark
Aston Martin Works Heritage
The spiritual home of Aston Martin at the original Newport Pagnell factory, offering heritage servicing, restoration, and sales.
31 km · about 35 min drive
landmark
ZSL Whipsnade Zoo
The UK's largest zoo set across 600 acres of Bedfordshire parkland with drive-through animal enclosures.
32 km · about 35 min drive
museum
Bletchley Park
Victorian estate where Alan Turing and thousands of codebreakers cracked the German Enigma cipher, arguably shortening WWII by years. Restored huts, working Bombe machine, and the National Museum of Computing next door.
34 km · about 40 min drive
film location
Drayton House (Saltburn)
The private Northamptonshire country house used as the Catton family estate in Saltburn; visible from public rights of way only.
42 km · about 50 min drive
Driving roads near Biggleswade
2 named roads, passes and coastal drives within 150km.
- 29 kmThe Backs, CambridgeThe famous riverside meadows behind the Cambridge colleges, offering iconic views of King's College Chapel, the Bridge of Sighs and punts on the Cam.
Driving in United Kingdom
- Drives on
- the left
- Petrol
- ~€1.73/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
April to October
Nearby Destinations
Other places to explore near Biggleswade.
Plan a trip around Biggleswade
Your trip starts here
Plan a road trip from Biggleswade.
Pick the days, drop in the stops, and share it with whoever's coming.