Explore Sandy
The best way to explore Sandy and the countryside around the town is on foot or on a bicycle. Its healthy, green and its free! Sandy has good walking and cycling connections and our tourism advisers will be happy to help you plan your routes. Public transport is available too, check out the local travel choices link at the bottom of this page for local routes.
Within easy distance of the town centre are:
St Swithuns Church
Standing on the High Street and built of locally quarried sandstone is St Swithun's Church. The church dates back to the 14th century although it was restored and enlarged between 1859/60. Inside are several wall monuments to two of the town's most important families, the Pym and Monoux families, as well as a large marble statue of Captain Sir William Peel who built the former Sandy to Potton Railway. The churchyard includes the grave of Sir Frederick Liddell, whose sister, Alice, inspired Lewis Carroll to write Alice in Wonderland.
The Lodge
Along Potton Road on the way out of Sandy and nestling in beautiful woodland is The Lodge, better known as the national headquarters of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. The Lodge has been the RSPB's HQ since 1961 but dates back to 1870 when it was built for the youngest son of Sir Robert Peel, famous Victorian Prime Minister. The house is surrounded by over 100 acres of gardens, woodland and heath which are managed as a nature reserve. A shop, information centre and nature trails make this a popular destination for visitors.
The Riddy
The Riddy is a 19 acre riverside flood meadow managed as a local nature reserve which borders the River Ivel and gets its name from the small stream or riddy which meanders through the eastern end of the site. There is a mill pool in the north east corner of the reserve which is the remaining evidence of Sandy Mill, a 19th century industrial water mill. The Riddy is an important habitat for plant, insect and bird species including lapwing, redwing, green woodpecker, tern and kestrel. The river and ditches are home to many aquatic plants and swans and moorhens nest on The Riddy which is also a haven for amphibians, dragonflies and damselflies and water voles.
Roman Sandy
Sandy was Bedfordshire's most important Roman settlement. A small "walk though" display in the Town Council offices at 10 Cambridge Road tells the story of a day in the life of Roman Sandy backed up by the use of a small collection of artifacts and finds. The exhibits include pottery and a large altar stone. The display is open to the public during office hours and by appointment at other times.
Further afield from Sandy are other attractions such as the Shuttleworth Collection and Swiss Garden at Old Warden.
You can access more information about longer walks and cycle rides in the area by using the following links:
Sandy Green Wheel
Greensand Ridge Walk
More walks in Central Bedfordshire including Sandy Circular Walk
Cycling in Central Bedfordshire
Route 51 (National Cycleway)
Travel Choices
Mosaic Heritage Trail
This magnificent mosaic heritage trail illustrates some of the historic events which took place in the market towns of Sandy, Potton and Biggleswade.
The aim was to leave a legacy for future generations and the best people to do this were the local communities under the master mosaic artist Oliver Budd and project manager Carolyn Blake. Workshops ran from January 2017 to February 2018 involving 11 schools as well as many members from the three communities.
This three town project was part of a £4m Market Town Regeneration Scheme made available by Central Bedfordshire Council and managed by Sandy Town Council.
The Mosaic Heritage Trail is comprised of 15 panels measuring a total of 26.9 metres end to end. Look out for Captain Sir William Peel throwing a fizzing bomb in Sandy, the fire in The Crown Inn of 1785 in Biggleswade, and the windmill and Champion car in Potton. Discover these stories and many more.
Each mosaic panel has a plaque next to it explaining the stories told in the mosaic and who was involved in making them. The plaques have distinctive coloured bands around them representing their town council colours. Oliver Budd the mosaic artist designed all the panels for the communities to make in the workshops, working from the briefs set by the history societies.
Download a useful map of the mosaic trail and read more about the project with this informational leaflet.
Town Centre
Sandy Centre Group have put together this great directory of Sandy town centre businesses to help you find the shops and services you need.