Dunstable Downs and Whipsnade Estate

Excercising in the fresh air is the best way to get - and stay - fit. Where better to do that than at Dunstable Downs where you can take in the wonderful views as you run or walk. Some of you already know about our monthly 10K runs and now we have our weekly parkrun, but for those who want something more gentle we are introducing 'Walking Wednesdays' too. These are graded to suit each person. Find out more in our 'What's on' section.

Take your choice of our downloadable walks. Lace up your walking boots for a really long trek or enjoy a relaxing stroll through the stunning countryside close to the café. There are interesting historical sites created by humans living here over thousands of years. Take your pick.

Summer is the busiest time for most people at the Chiltern Gateway Centre but for the countryside team the main conservation work is carried out as the weather gets colder. Whilst birds are nesting and the chalk grassland plants are in flower, the team are careful not to disturb them but from late August the real work begins.

Join us for this evening of stories for adults, told by The Travelling Talesman, and including a two-course sit-down meal. Tales from yesteryear brought to life with good food and good company. (Drinks not included in ticket price).

Next month we are celebrating Apple Day with lots to do for the whole family. Bring your own apples and use our apple press to get fresh apple juice or learn how to make a delicious apple-based desert.

Follow our trail through Chute Wood this Haloween and help Jack 'o Lantern find his friends in time for a special tea in the View Cafe.

While the late summer sun continues to be warm and autumn slowly creeps across the Downs, come into the welcoming View Cafe. If you have been for a walk or are just admiring the view, enhance your visit with lunch or a delicious snack.

We have sale items, Halloween treats and the start of our Christmas goodies, all available now. Get ahead and buy your Christmas cards today!

If you enjoy being outside come and join our band of countryside volunteers. Make new friends and have some fun as you help our countryside team with their conservation work

If you are looking for something different to do, look no further. We have a variety of volunteering roles for anyone with a few hours to spare who would enjoy meeting new people and helping us give our visitors the very best experience whenever they visit.

Come and look for signs of wildlife throughout the summer. Our mammals are very shy so you will need to be quiet and stealthy if you want to see them.

The Red Kite is quite possibly the most beautiful bird of prey in Britain. It is certainly a wonderful sight as it wheels above the Downs.

If you visit our beautiful meadows you are sure to see lots of butterflies. Pictured is a Marbled White but there are many, many more. See how many different ones you can spot.

The view may be tranquil these days, but Dunstable Downs is home to a wealth of history. From Neolithic burial mounds to a Saxon execution site and much more...

The forerunners of today's Territorial Army would train at the rifle range at the foot of the Downs.

Find out why hundreds of visitors would gather on the downs to roll their oranges!