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  • about-the-millennium-country-park
  1. Explore the Forest
  2. Forest Centre and Millennium Country Park
  3. The Millennium Country Park

About the Millennium Country Park

Open 365 days a year, 24/7, the Millennium Country Park is a 16 time Green Flag Award Winner and home to 225 hectares of woodlands, grasslands, meadows and our stunning Wetlands Nature Reserve. 

The Park is always open but the main gate is locked at 8pm in the summer and 5pm during the rest of the year - see full details of opening times here. 

Please do not park in front of our gate as we need emergency access 24/7.

If you have any questions about the Millennium Country Park, please call 01234 762614 or click here to email our Head Ranger.


The wind turbine

Powering the Forest Centre and 1000 houses

We love our wind turbine! Here are some facts about it:

  • The Wind Turbine is over 120 metres tall and since it went up in 2014, can be seen all across the Forest.
  • The yearly output from the turbine is 4,500,000 kwh - depending on how windy it's been.
  • It supplies electricity to the Forest Centre along with our 400m2 of solar panels; the rest goes to the National Grid and is enough to provide electricity for over 1000 houses.
  • The Turbine can capture energy from between 5mph to 80mph and if you've seen it move around to face the wind - you aren't imagining it! At wind speeds over 80mph, it pitches the blades out of the wind to avoid damage.

We are very proud that the Forest Centre is run almost entirely on renewable energy from our solar panels and the wind turbine. It's one of the only places in the UK where you can walk right up to the base of a turbine so make sure you take a look next time you're in the Millennium Country Park, and see just how huge and how elegant it is up close!

Check out our 40 second video below of how it was built:

Community Fund

The Wind Turbine is owned and operated by an energy management company and has a life span of 25 years. As part of their agreement with us they are paying £10,000 per year into a Community Fund from which local groups can apply for up to £2,000 towards any educational, environmental or community projects. We have funded many local school and college environmental projects, repairs to local village halls and a Good Neighbour Scheme to name a few. For more information, call 01234 762608 or email us.


As featured in:

Accessibility in the Millennium Country Park

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There is 8km of level, surfaced track around the Park, including the Wetlands Trail (though we don’t allow bikes in the Wetlands). The Forest Centre is fully accessible, with step-free access and a baby changing facility/disabled toilet. Some areas of path are uneven and therefore may not be ideal for buggies or wheelchairs – click here to see a map of the Park. If you have any questions about your visit, please call 01234 767037 or email us.

Published: 12th September, 2017

Updated: 13th February, 2020

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BBQs and fires

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BBQs and fires can be as devastating to wildlife and habitats.

Naked flames and hot ashes can gain momentum and become out of control fires very quickly (no matter how controlled you may consider them to be) especially in wooded areas. They can cause devastating damage to the landscape, habitat and wildlife in the Forest as well as endangering people and property.

This is why members of the public and visitors are not allowed to start fires or have barbeques (including instant single-use BBQs) on our sites.

Every fire has the potential to get out of hand and harm the trees and wildflower glades in the Forest, in areas that we’re working so hard to create for our communities.

All incidents of unauthorised fires on our property will be reported to the Police.

Published: 17th June, 2021

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Bikes, horses and walkers

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You can hire a bike from the Forest Centre when the Bike Hire facility is open (check our Bike Hire page for dates/times) or bring your own and follow 8km of level, surfaced track, or even join Route 51. Please note, no bikes are allowed on the Callow Mounds or on the Wetlands Trail.

We have over 4km of bridlepaths in the Park, and plenty of space for horse boxes in our car park.

Walkers can pick up the Timberland Trail and other popular routes from the Park – for more details and other walks that you can start at the Forest Centre & Millennium Country Park, check out Walks and Routes.

Published: 12th September, 2017

Updated: 21st March, 2022

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Car parking

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Up to 1 hour £1
Up to 3 hours £2
Over 3 hours £3
Over night £5

Please note - there is a 15 minute grace period for drop offs/collections/using the bottle banks. 

Become a Friend of the Forest for free parking

On arrival, enter your registration and the length of time you'd like to stay on the payment machines - there is no need to display the ticket as it's automatic number plate recognition. The machines accept cash or cards (chip and pin and contactless) - unfortunately these machines do not give change. You can also pay on the Pay By Phone website or app (Location: Marston Vale, Bedford Number: 800979).

The car park closes promptly at 8pm in summer and 5pm for the rest of the year, unless there is an evening event on, in which case the gate will close after the last guest leaves. However, the Park is accessible 24/7, 365 days a year on foot, for horse riders and cyclists.

Please note: if your car is locked in the Centre’s car park overnight you can collect it the following morning - to arrange release before the car park reopens, please call 07458 053549. A £25 release fee is payable to the member of staff upon their arrival.

Published: 4th June, 2018

Updated: 23rd August, 2020

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Coach parties and groups

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We are happy for large groups or coach parties to visit the Forest Centre & Millennium Country Park, but please let us know in advance that you are attending, so that we can make sure we are ready to accommodate your group. Call 01234 767037 or email us.

Published: 6th November, 2017

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Dog owners

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Dogs must be in sight and under close control at all times, if off the lead. Please pick up after your dog, and use the dog bins provided (or take it home!) No dogs are allowed in the Wetlands Nature Reserve.

Clean, well-behaved dogs are welcome in the Forest Centre Café but must follow our house rules to make sure everyone can enjoy their visit.

House rules: Dogs must be kept on a short lead. No dogs allowed in the upstairs area. Keep your dog with you at all times. Ask owners permission before approaching their dog.

There is plenty of useful info for dog owners on the Government's website:

Controlling your dog in public
Dog Fouling

Published: 12th September, 2017

Updated: 8th March, 2023

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Electronic scooters

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Privately owned e-scooters are currently illegal to use on public roads and pathways in Bedfordshire, and it is only legal to use an e-scooter or powered transporter on private land with the permission of the land owner.

We do not give permission for e-scooters to be used on any of our sites.

If you are caught doing so by the Police you could receive;

  • Six points on your licence
  • £300 fine
  • Your scooter could be seized

The rules for private e-scooter and other powered transporters have not changed despite the introduction of government run e-scooter trials in certain areas. We're aware that locally some similar venues are part of the e-scooter trials on their private land, but we are not one of the trail venues.

To find out more about the rule surrounding private e-scooters and other powered transporters, visit the government website (opens in new window).

If you witness anyone breaking the law and using an e-scooter on our sites please report it to the Police by calling 101 or via the web form: https://www.bedfordshire.police.uk/report/Report-Shared/Report-a-concern#71133378

Published: 19th July, 2021

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Fishing in the Millennium Country Park

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Fishing is not permitted anywhere in the Millennium Country Park, other than the area of Stewartby Lake controlled by Stewartby Watersports Club. You can purchase an annual membership to do this at Reception for £62 a year (for individuals) or £66 (for families). For more information, call 01234 767037 or send us an email.

Published: 11th July, 2020

Updated: 14th July, 2020

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Management Plans and Drone Policy

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Management Plans

Here are the current management plans, appendices and 5 year action plan for the Millennium Country Park.

Management Plan - setting out the aims, objectives and priorities for the successful management and development of the Park. 

Appendices to Management Plan - Supporting documentation (e.g. maps, species lists, etc)

5 Year Action Plan 

Woodland Management Plan

If you have any further questions about these documents, please contact our Head Ranger Anna on 01234 762614 or send her an email.

Drone Policy

We recognise the recent increase in the popularity of flying drones (unmanned aerial vehicles or UAVs) as a recreational activity. We are also seeing concerns expressed by visitors to our sites, where the flying of drones is causing nuisance and disturbance to others. Drones also have potential to disturb birds and other wildlife (particularly during the breeding season). Few non-commercial users have sufficient training or permission to operate drones, and should a drone cause damage or harm, pilots generally do not have the correct insurance to compensate those affected. For the safety and enjoyment of other people and to protect wildlife, drone flying is not allowed from or over Forest of Marston Vale Trust land except by contractors commissioned by the Trust for a specific purpose, who satisfy stringent Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) criteria and have the correct insurance.

For further information on flying drones, and how to do so safely, please consult the Civil Aviation Authority guidelines and Dronesafe.

Published: 18th October, 2017

Updated: 14th February, 2023

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Opening times and map

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The Park is open 365 days a year, 24/7. Click here to view our current opening times. 

Don’t worry though, as there is some out of hours parking at different entry points around the Park – click here to download our map for free(paper copies are £1 at the Forest Centre)

Published: 12th September, 2017

Updated: 23rd April, 2020

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Things to see in the Millennium Country Park

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Explore our Sensory Garden – find the dinosaur eggs and sit in the wooden throne overlooking the pond; walk over the bridge onto the meadow and have a kick about or fly a kite; go a bit deeper into the woods; take in the sights of Stewartby Lake…there’s loads to see and do in the Park. For more inspiration or to start planning your adventure, check out our Map.

Published: 12th September, 2017

Updated: 13th February, 2020

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What's the Wetlands Nature Reserve?

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Prices

Adults £2.50
Concessions £1.75

The Wetlands Trail takes you around our Wetlands Nature Reserve – the home of our bird hides, sand martin wall and Tower Hide and Woodland Walkway. This part of the Park is a haven for wildlife so no dogs or bikes are allowed. Click the link for seasonal maps and more info.

Published: 12th September, 2017

Updated: 13th February, 2020

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Who manages the site?

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The site isn't run by the council or a private company - the Forest Centre & Millennium Country Park is run by us - the charity - the Forest of Marston Vale. Any money spent there helps us to plant more trees and look after our woodlands across the Forest area.

Sign up to our newsletter

You can choose to just hear about our events, or our campaigns and the work that we do locally. The more people that get involved, the quicker we'll be able to plant 5 million more trees and that can only be a good thing. Not just for the local area but for the planet. 

Published: 31st October, 2017

Updated: 12th February, 2020

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Wild swimming and recreational water use

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Stewartby Lake at Millennium Country Park is leased for exclusive use to Stewartby Water Sports Club and used for watersports throughout the year, so is not available for any public use. For the safety of swimmers and other lake users, public swimming is strictly prohibited.

We understand that some experienced wild swimmers are able to swim responsibly and safely, however unfortunately we are unable to determine intent or ability based on trust or make assessments on an individual basis. Many of our water bodies are also managed for wildlife, so disturbance from people must be kept to a minimum.

Therefore in order to secure the safety of all visitors and conservation of habitats we do not allow wild swimming or recreational water use (e.g. paddleboarding, dinghy use etc) for the general public on any Forest of Marston Vale sites, including Stewartby Lake and the Pillinge at Millennium Country Park.

Published: 14th May, 2021

Updated: 17th June, 2021

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Showing 10 of 14

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The Forest of Marston Vale Trust is a Registered Charity No. 1069229.
Company registered in England No 3462405.

Registered Office: The Forest Centre, Station Road, Marston Moretaine, Bedford MK43 0PR.
Marston Vale Services t/a The Forest Centre Ltd, registered in England No 3538255 & Marston Vale Farms Limited, registered in England No 06537891 are subsidiaries of the Forest of Marston Vale Trust.

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