Clophill offers two clear perspectives for a trip of discovery: historic buildings and nature with specific routes. The Church of St Mary the Virgin is a ruin dating from the 14th and 15th centuries; Clophill Lakes Nature Reserve features wetlands, flower-rich grasslands and woodland. There are also other dated buildings and a Discovery Walk that runs from Clophill via Clophill Lakes to Cainhoe Castle. When planning, you can therefore give different weight to history, landscape and activity.

Church and Local History

The Church of St Mary the Virgin was a parish church and is now a ruin dating from the 14th and 15th centuries. On tours of St Mary's Old Church, visitors can learn about the history of the church and its surroundings and climb the stairs to the top of the tower. As tour arrangements may change, it is advisable to confirm the details before visiting.

Other places also give local history specific dates. Cainhoe Castle is one of the best-preserved motte-and-bailey castles in Bedfordshire. The Flying Horse inn dates from 1731, and Clophill Lock-up & Pound was built in 1851. The present-day Clophill Water Mill dates from the late 18th century. Together, these buildings represent different historic forms: a castle, an inn, a lock-up & pound and a mill.

Clophill Lakes and the Landscape

The 53.1-hectare Clophill Lakes site was created by the extraction of Fuller’s Earth. Today, Clophill Lakes Nature Reserve includes wetlands, flower-rich grasslands and woodland. This means you can take two aspects of the place into account when planning your trip: how the site was formed and the various habitats that define the reserve.

The reserve management has clear guidance for visitors: stay on the paths and keep dogs on a lead. These rules are part of planning a visit to the nature reserve and should be taken into account when choosing activities.

Routes and Activities

Clophill is on the Greensand Cycle Way. There are also five Clophill Discovery Walks. Discovery Walk #5 runs from Clophill past Clophill Lakes to Cainhoe Castle. The two route descriptions answer different planning questions: the Greensand Cycle Way places Clophill on a cycling route, while Walk #5 names a specific sequence of places.

A children's trail with an I-Spy quiz adds to the range of activities. Along with the five Discovery Walks, it offers another specific option when comparing different ways to spend your stay. The route of Walk #5 and the children's trail are distinct activities; the tour of St Mary's Old Church, in turn, combines a visit with the history of the church and its surroundings.

Planning Your Stay

If you are looking for a hotel for a stay in Clophill, first decide what you want to focus on: local history or the landscape and routes? The historic side includes the church ruins, Cainhoe Castle and the dated buildings; for nature and activity, the reserve, the Greensand Cycle Way and Discovery Walk #5 are useful points of reference. This lets you tailor your accommodation search to the kind of stay you are planning in Clophill.

Discover more destinations: Flitwick, Leighton Buzzard, Bedford, Shefford, Barton-le-Clay, Turvey, Ampthill, Lower Stondon.

For the wider travel overview: Bedfordshire.