Whipsnade

Whipsnade Tree Cathedral is a 9.5-acre (3.8 ha) garden in the village of Whipsnade in Bedfordshire, England. It is planted in the approximate form of a cathedral, with grass avenues for nave, chancel, transepts, chapels and cloisters and "walls" of different species of trees. The tree cathedral was planned by Edmond Blyth in the 1930s as an act of "Faith, hope and reconciliation" in response to his memories of World War I. As a cadet at Sandhurst in 1916 Blyth had made close friends called Arthur Bailey, John Bennett and Francis Holland who were all killed prior to the end of the war. In 1930 he paid a visit to Liverpool Cathedral, which was then under construction. Blyth wrote: "As we drove south through the Cotswold hills on our way home... I saw the evening sun light up a coppice of trees on the side of a hill. It occurred to me then that here was something more beautiful still and the idea formed of building a cathedral with trees." Work began in 1932 and continued in stages. The site became overgrown during World War II, but development recommenced after the end of the war. The first religious service at the site was held in 1953, and services continue to this day. In 1960 the Tree Cathedral was accepted as a gift by the National Trust. The independent Whipsnade Tree Cathedral Fund is responsible for the religious use of the site. Services have been conducted by many different denominations. It is Grade II listed on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.The Tree Cathedral contains chapels meant for each of the four seasons.

Sallowsprings is a 1.3-hectare (3.2-acre) nature reserve in Whipsnade in Bedfordshire. It is managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire.This site was formerly a caravan park, and it is now a traditional hay meadow. A rich variety of flowers includes common knapweed, bluebells and cowslips. An ancient hedgerow has a variety of shrubs such as holly.There is access from the road called Sallowsprings.

Whipsnade Zoo, formerly known as ZSL Whipsnade Zoo and Whipsnade Wild Animal Park, is a zoo and safari park located at Whipsnade, near Dunstable in Bedfordshire, England. It is one of two zoos (the other being London Zoo in Regent's Park, London) that are owned by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), a charity devoted to the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats.

The Great Whipsnade Railway, also known as The Jumbo Express, is an English, 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge heritage railway that operates within ZSL Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire, England.

Landpark Wood is a 3.6-hectare (8.9-acre) nature reserve near Whipsnade in Bedfordshire. It is managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire.This wood has mature beech trees, hornbeam, oak and ash. The understorey is hazel and hawthorn, with bluebells, yellow archangel and woodruff. Birds include woodpeckers and nuthatches.The wood is on the corner of Dunstable Road and Land Park Lane.

Holywell is a hamlet located in the Central Bedfordshire district of Bedfordshire, England. The settlement is close to Whipsnade and Studham, and Holywell forms part of the Studham civil parish (where the 2011 Census population was included). Holywell is also located close to the county border with Hertfordshire.

Dunstable Downs are part of the Chiltern Hills, in southern Bedfordshire in England, located near (and named after) the town of Dunstable. They are a chalk escarpment forming the north-eastern reaches of the Chilterns. At 243 m (797 ft), Dunstable Downs are the highest point in the county of Bedfordshire.Because of its elevation, Dunstable Downs hosted a station in the shutter telegraph chain which connected the Admiralty in London to its naval ships in the port of Great Yarmouth during the years 1808 to 1814.Whipsnade Zoo has cut an enormous lion shape into the chalk on the side of one of the hills. The lion can be seen from the B489 (Aylesbury to Dunstable road). The downs are used by gliders, kite fliers, hang gliders and paragliders in the area because of their height. The London Gliding Club is based at the foot of the downs. Much of the downs is managed by the National Trust as part of the Dunstable Downs & Whipsnade Estate property.

Dunstable and Whipsnade Downs is a 73.4-hectare (181-acre) Site of Special Scientific Interest in Dunstable in Bedfordshire. It was notified in 1987 under Section 28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, and the local planning authority is Central Bedfordshire Council. It is in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and part of it is owned by the National Trust.Dunstable Downs is the highest point in the east of England, and it has five thousand year old burial mounds and a medieval rabbit warren. The site is a 3 kilometre long steep escarpment between Dunstable and Whipsnade. The slopes have a typical chalk downland flora, and there are also habitats of scrub and tall herbs. The site is also important for butterflies.There is access from the Chilterns Gateway Centre on Whipsnade Road.

Church of St Mary is a Grade I listed church in Studham, Bedfordshire, England. It became a listed building on 3 February 1967.

Dunstable Downs Golf Club is a golf club in the southwest of Dunstable, Bedfordshire, England. It was established in 1906. As of 1995 the course measured 6251 yards. The club has hosted the British PGA Matchplay Championship. The present layout after 24 years of its formation was designed by five times Open Champion, James Braid. The course sits at an elevation of about 800 feet above the sea level.

Kensworth Chalk Quarry is a 131.3-hectare (324-acre) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Kensworth in Bedfordshire. It was notified under Section 28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, and the local planning authority is Central Bedfordshire.The site is a large working quarry which exposes fossiliferous chalk rocks of the late Cretaceous, with many rare fossils including ammonites. Natural England describes it as "an unrivalled locality for stratigraphic studies in the Upper Cretaceous". It is a Geological Conservation Review site, and one succession of layers is the stratotype for the "Kensworth Nodular Chalk Member".There is no public access.

The London Gliding Club (LGC) is a members' club whose airfield is located at the foot of the Dunstable Downs. Many privately owned gliders are based there. It has the facilities to train pilots in powerless flight, and in the skills necessary to fly cross country using nature's sources of energy. Aerobatics and instructor training are also available. The LGC is open 364 days a year and is the second largest and one of the oldest Gliding Clubs in the United Kingdom, smaller only than Lasham Gliding Society. The club provides gliding courses, one day courses and trial lessons for members of the public.