Stockgrove Country Park
Straddling the border with Buckinghamshire on the west side of Bedfordshire, Stockgrove Country Park covers 80 acres and consists of a variety of wildlife habitats including a lake, marshes, ancient oak woodland, conifer plantations and meadows. Jointly owned by Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire County Councils and managed by The Greensand Trust, it is situated on the Greensand Ridge between Leighton Buzzard and Milton Keynes with easy access from the A5.
Stockgrove has a long history of use dating back to medieval times, evidence of which can be seen in the ancient wood banks still visible in Baker’s Wood. More recent features include the landscaped parkland and the remains of a boathouse that sadly burned down in 1963 leaving only the brick arches.
The estate was purchased in 1928 by Ferdinand Michael Kroyer-Kielberg and a new mansion and estate houses were built in a mock Georgian style on the site of a previous property. The Stockgrove mansion was one of the largest country houses built during the interval between the two World Wars. The lake dug by hand during the 18th century, is fed by springs and noted for its breeding colony of colourful Mandarin Ducks, was once the boating lake for the estate. The lake is also famous for its large population of Daubenton’s bats (also known as water bats). These tiny creatures with their wide wings and pale undersides fly close to the water after dark catching thousands of midges and mosquitoes, which makes them a very welcome addition to any landscape
The landscaped parkland contains many exotic species including Blue Atlas Cedar, Lawson’s Cyprus, Wellingtonia and Cedar of Lebanon, whilst the remainder is maintained as unimproved meadow and pasture, essential for wild flowers.
There is a 3 mile circular walk within the park which takes in the attractive heaths, ancient woodland, meadows, lakes and streams and part of it follows the Greensand Ridge Walk, Bedfordshire’s premier long distance footpath.
There is café and visitor information centre at Stockgrove and a £1 car parking donation.
Stockgrove Country Park
Email: rangers@stockgrove.co.uk
Tel: 01525 237760
Fax: