Rivers and Lakes

The River Great Ouse is a defining feature of the town and is home to rowing clubs, a marina with 200 moorings and sailing lake. The Bedford Regatta each May is Britain's largest one-day river rowing event. Plans are afoot for a new international standard rowing lake to the south of Bedford in the Marston Vale Forest.

Every two years, the Bedford River Festival is held in the town. The event lasts for two days and regularly attracts more than 350,000 visitors. The event includes sports, funfairs and live music and is the second largest regular outdoor event in the UK after the Notting Hill Carnival.

Just outside the town in Box End Park with full cable tow water-skiing and Stewartby Lake with waterskiing, powerboat racing and sailing.