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market town and civil parish located in Bedfordshire, England
Europe > Britain and Ireland > United Kingdom > England > East of England > Bedfordshire > Dunstable

Dunstable is a small town in Bedfordshire, England. Many visitors come to see Whipsnade Zoo (4 miles S of the town).

Understand

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The Clock Tower and Market Cross

A Market Town at the eastern end of the Chiltern Hills. Relics from Palæolithic times (e.g. flint implements) have been found in the area whilst a few miles to the W of the town is an Iron Age hill fort. The town lies on the historic important crossroads of Watling Street (now the A5183 through the town - the A5 until 2017) and the Icknield Way (Thetford in Norfolk to Ivinghoe Beacon near Tring.

A great town but mainly catering for the local area rather than tourism.

Get in

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Dunstable has reasonable bus public transport links, but no railway station

By car

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Situated on the A5, Dunstable is easily reached from M1 junction 11 (from the north, about 10 min) or junction 9 and up the A5 (from the south, about 15 min).

By bus

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Local bus services run frequency from Milton Keynes and Luton (X31 or 31). Luton is within a single ticket zone and costs £1.60 for a single trip. A day pass can be brought for £3 or a week pass for £8 (this doesn't cover transport to Milton Keynes).

By air

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Luton Airport is 8 miles E of the town.

By bicycle

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The town is on National Cycle Route 6 running from London to the Lake District.

On foot

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The town is on the Icknield Way long-distance footpath running from Thetford, Norfolk (where it connects to the Peddars Way Path) to Ivinghoe Beacon near Tring (where it connects to the Ridgeway Path)

Get around

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The town centre is easy to walk around. Bus services run frequently too.

Grove Theatre
  • 1 Whipsnade Zoo, Dunstable LU6 2LF, ☏ +44 344 225 1826, . Open all year round, apart from Christmas Day. 600-acre site owned by the Zoological Society of London. It's great if you want a more local, personal experience than ZSL London Zoo. One of Europe's largest wildlife conservation parks, you will see the Cheetah Rock, meet the Lions of the Serengeti and watch the chimps swinging their stuff in their extensive indoor chimpnasium! There are also many unusual things to see such as beautiful African hunting dogs and reptiles, amphibians and fish. Whipsnade Zoo (Q373187) on Wikidata Whipsnade Zoo on Wikipedia (updated May 2017)
  • 2 Grove Theatre, Grove Park, Court Drive, Dunstable, LU5 4GP, ☏ +44 1582 602080, . (updated May 2017)
  • 3 Priory House Heritage Centre, ☏ +44 1582 891420, . Tourist Information Centre and Gift Shop: M-Sa 10AM-4PM; Tea Rooms: M-Sa 10AM-4:30PM (last food orders 3:45PM); closed Bank Holidays. (updated May 2017)
  • 4 Totternhoe Knolls (Access from the National Trust car park off Castle Hill Rd). 13 hectare site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). 4-mile circular walk including the hill forts at the Knolls Totternhoe Knolls (Q7828483) on Wikidata Totternhoe Knolls on Wikipedia (updated May 2017)
  • 5 Waulud's Bank (4½ miles NE of town). Neolithic enclosure at Leagrave Waulud's Bank (Q2552830) on Wikidata Waulud's Bank on Wikipedia (updated May 2017)
  • 6 Wardown Park Museum, Old Bedford Rd, Luton LU2 7HA, ☏ +44 1582 546722. Wardown Park Museum (Q7969194) on Wikidata Wardown Park Museum on Wikipedia (updated May 2017)
  • 7 Dunstable Downs. part of the Chiltern Hills, Dunstable Downs are 243 m (797 ft) high, the highest point in Bedfordshire. Dunstable Downs (Q5315702) on Wikidata Dunstable Downs on Wikipedia (updated May 2017)
  • 8 Dunstable Priory (Priory Church of St. Peter). St Peter's church is the remaining nave from the priory which was founded in 1132 by Henry I. Dunstable Priory (Q5315706) on Wikidata Dunstable Priory on Wikipedia (updated Dec 2020)

Supermarkets

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  • 2 Sainsbury's (Supermarket), 2-8 Luton Rd, Dunstable LU5 4RF, ☏ +44 1582 477082. M-Sa 7AM-10PM, Su 10AM-4PM. Petrol station, cafe & pharmacy (different hours) (updated May 2017)
  • 3 Asda (Supermarket), Court Drive, Dunstable LU5 4JD, ☏ +44 1582 697000. M-F 7AM-11PM, Sa 7AM-10PM, Su 10AM-4PM. (updated May 2017)

Cyclists

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Drink

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  • 1 The Gary Cooper (Pub & Food), Unit 2, Grove Park, Court Drive, Dunstable LU5 4GP, ☏ +44 1582 471452. Su-Th 8AM-midnight, F Sa 8AM-1AM. Better pub food than some of the offerings in town. Also largest menu in town which includes some pasta and wider range of meat dishes. (updated May 2017)
  • 2 The Old Sugar Loaf, 42-44 High St North, Dunstable LU6 1LA, ☏ +44 1582 601326. (updated May 2017)
  • 3 Cubes (Dance & nightclub), 51 High St North, Dunstable LU6 1JF. (updated May 2017)
  • 4 The Pheasant (Pub & Food), 208 West St, Dunstable LU6 1NX, ☏ +44 1582 662706, . M-Th 11AM-11PM, F Sa 11AM-11:30PM, Su noon-11PM. Free Wi-Fi (updated May 2017)
  • 5 The Glider (Pub & Food), 65 Lowther Rd, Dunstable LU6 3NL, ☏ +44 1582 806206, . Su-Th 11AM-11PM, F Sa 11AM-midnight. (updated May 2017)

Sleep

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  • 1 The Old Palace Lodge (Hotel), Church St, Dunstable LU5 4RT, ☏ +44 1582 662201, . Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 11AM. Upscale hotel. Excellent staff. Rooms have been remodeled in the past couple of years - i.e. flat screen TV with DVD attachment. Pillows weren't the best and the shower pressure was pretty weak. Price was about £100 per night but great long-term rates. The price included a cold buffet and hot breakfast. There has been a building at this location since the 1100s - when Henry I built a palace here. (updated May 2017)
  • 2 Holiday Inn, London Rd, Dunstable LU6 3DX, ☏ +44 1582 344499, . Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 11AM. (updated May 2017)
  • 3 Regent House (B&B), 79a High St North, Dunstable LU6 1JF, ☏ +44 1582 342741, . Single £26; Double/twin £40. (updated May 2017)
  • 4 Premier Inn, 350 Luton Rd, Dunstable LU5 4LL, ☏ +44 871 527 8330 (premium). Free Wi-Fi. from £50. (updated May 2017)

Connect

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  • 1 Post Office, 13 Queensway, Dunstable LU5 4ET. M-Sa 8AM-6PM. (updated May 2017)

Go next

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This city travel guide to Dunstable is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.
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