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 30 min drive
EuropeUnited KingdomEngland
Great Barford
England, United Kingdom · Europe
About Great Barford
Great Barford is worth a stop: 10 minutes from Wilden, 32km from The Backs, Cambridge.
Great Barford is in England, United Kingdom, with about 2,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Wilden, about 4 km away.
Great Barford is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Bedford, Bedfordshire, England. It lies approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) north-east of Bedford town centre, on the River Great Ouse at grid reference TL129523. The village is twinned with Wöllstein, Germany.
The village contains several historic features,Read more
including All Saints Church, which has a 15th-century tower, and Great Barford Bridge, a multi-arched medieval bridge crossing the River Great Ouse.
Great Barford is bypassed by the A421, which provides a route between the M1 motorway near Milton Keynes and the A1 near St Neots. To the east of the village, the A421 connects with the A1 at the Black Cat roundabout. The junction is currently being redeveloped as part of a major road improvement scheme, with works expected to replace the roundabout with a grade-separated interchange (referred to as the Black Cat Junction).
Nearby villages include Renhold, Blunham, Roxton, Wilden and Ravensden.
Where to Stay in Great Barford
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Great Barford?
Within an hour or so of Great Barford: Caffeine & Machine: The Bowl (16 km), Santa Pod Raceway (20 km), Aston Martin Works Heritage (26 km), King's College Chapel, Cambridge (32 km).
Are there any good drives near Great Barford?
The nearest famous roads are Crystal Palace Circuit and Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Where is Great Barford?
Great Barford is in England, United Kingdom, about 4 km from Wilden.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 2,003
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- England
- Timezone
- Europe/London
- Coordinates
- 52.1579, -0.3523
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 Great Barford
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
Santa Pod Raceway
Europe's premier drag racing venue in Northamptonshire, hosting iconic events like the FIA European Finals and Flame & Thunder.
20 km · about 25 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.
26 km · about 30 min 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.
32 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.
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.
32 km · about 35 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.
32 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.
37 km · about 40 min drive
Driving roads near Great Barford
2 named roads, passes and coastal drives within 150km.
- 32 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
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