Car Hire Markyate

Markyate, with a population of approximately 3,500, is beautifully situated in Hertfordshire, along the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. You can reach this charming village via the A5, M1 and various connecting roads, including the B4540, making it perfectly accessible for exploration. Spring brings spectacular wildflower displays across the downs, summer offers ideal conditions for outdoor activities and wildlife viewing, autumn showcases brilliant foliage throughout the woodlands and winter provides crisp, clear days perfect for museum visits and indoor cultural attractions.

Markyate boasts a rich history as a coaching stop on the Roman Watling Street, featuring the historic Red Lion Inn and several other traditional hostelries that once served travellers between London and the North. The village centre offers beautiful St John the Baptist Church, whilst the surrounding area provides access to numerous National Trust properties and Chiltern walking trails.

Attractions In Markyate

Ancient Watling Street heritage lives on through this linear village where Georgian coaching inns recall the days of horse-drawn travel, while modern residents enjoy excellent commuter connections and Chilterns walking opportunities.

Whipsnade Zoo

Dunstable’s world-renowned zoo operates daily from 10 in the morning until 5 in the afternoon, earning its exceptional 4.5 rating from over 16,000 delighted visitors. The vast grounds provide generous space for animals and families alike, with driving options available to reduce walking distances between enclosures. We particularly appreciate the high-quality facilities, interactive animal experiences and excellent photographic opportunities that make this attraction perfect for extended family visits.

Woodside Animal Farm

Mancroft Road in Aley Green, Luton houses this popular working farm, welcoming visitors daily from 10 AM to 5 PM, with impressive feedback from over 1,400 satisfied guests. Interactive animal experiences, including goat feeding areas and petting corners featuring chicks, hamsters and rabbits, prove particularly engaging for younger visitors. Additional attractions include miniature golf, tractor-trailer rides, extensive play areas and well-maintained facilities with abundant hand-washing stations throughout the site.

Luton Hoo Estate

This magnificent luxury estate on Farm Road showcases Capability Brown’s landscape design influence through ongoing restoration work by dedicated volunteers. The property features two distinct wedding venues – the main Manor House and the walled Garden – demonstrating the estate’s architectural grandeur. You’ll discover ongoing renovation projects, including glasshouse restoration, making each visit reveal new aspects of this historic estate’s impressive heritage and continued development.

Stockwood Park

Always accessible to visitors, this expansive Luton park on London Road has earned an impressive 4.6 average from over 2,500 reviewers through its diverse recreational offerings. Former hospital grounds now accommodate the Discovery Museum, rugby club training facilities, golf course and equestrian centre. The vast green spaces provide excellent picnic opportunities alongside horse riding, recreational activities and multiple parking areas to accommodate various visitor needs.

National Trust – Dunstable Downs And Whipsnade Estate

This spectacular hiking area on Dunstable Road maintains constant availability, achieving a remarkable 4.6 rating from over 4,500 outdoor enthusiasts who have completed the routes. The challenging 20-minute climb to the peak rewards visitors with breathtaking 360-degree horizon views, perfect for sunrise and sunset photography. Facilities include a quality café, shop, clean toilets, scattered picnic tables and both free National Trust member parking and reasonable daily rates for other visitors.

National Trust Dockey Wood

National Trust Dockey Wood is a stunning woodland area near Markyate, renowned nationwide for its spectacular seasonal display of bluebells. The wood is managed by the National Trust and forms part of the Ashridge Estate, providing a perfect example of ancient beech and oak woodland. It is a highly popular, tranquil destination for spring visitors and photographers, offering a beautiful, immersive experience within the Chiltern Hills landscape.

Blow’s Downs Nature Reserve

Blow’s Downs Nature Reserve is a significant chalk grassland site located on the edge of the Chilterns, near Markyate. This protected habitat is exceptionally important for its rich biodiversity, particularly its rare chalk-loving wildflowers and numerous species of butterflies. It offers fantastic, elevated views across the surrounding countryside and is a wonderful spot for invigorating walks and wildlife observation in a unique and protected environment.

Chilterns Nature – Gravelpit Wood

Chilterns Nature – Gravelpit Wood is a diverse area of woodland and former gravel extraction pits that has been reclaimed by nature. Situated within the wider Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the site features mixed habitats, including quiet ponds and mature trees. It is well-used for local recreation, providing peaceful trails and a rich environment for flora and fauna that thrive in the varied landscape created by its industrial past.

Exploring the surrounding area becomes effortless with these nearby destinations:

• Redbourn
• Harpenden
• Berkhamsted
• Hemel Hempstead
• Wheathampstead
• St Albans
• Tring
• Apsley

National Trust – Whipsnade Tree Cathedral

This unique living memorial in Whipsnade, Dunstable, was established in 1931 by Edmund Blyth to honour World War I casualties, particularly his fallen friends. The innovative design features different tree species representing traditional cathedral architecture – hornbeam forming the nave, Wellingtonias creating towers and ash trees composing the choir. Peaceful walking paths wind through this remarkable tribute, offering picnic facilities and distant zoo views across adjacent fields.

Stockwood Discovery Centre

Operating Tuesday through Sunday from 10 AM until 4 PM on London Road, Luton, this exceptional museum has achieved a 4.5 average rating from over 1,800 visitors. Free admission provides access to historical exhibitions, beautiful gardens, fascinating carriage displays and peaceful walking areas. The facility includes a welcoming café, clean toilet facilities, children’s playground areas and a well-stocked gift shop featuring local items and memorable souvenirs.

National Trust – Ashridge Estate

Daily operations from 10 AM to 5 PM at Moneybury Hill, Ringshall, Berkhamsted make this outstanding historical landmark easily accessible, earning its exceptional 4.7 score from over 4,300 satisfied visitors. Four distinct walking routes wind through ancient woodlands, offering various difficulty levels and scenic experiences. The estate features excellent café facilities, a comprehensive gift shop, clean toilets and nearby traditional pubs that extend your visit into comprehensive countryside experiences.

Old Gorhambury House

This fascinating manor house ruin near St Albans operates daily from 9 AM until 5 PM, accessible via an enjoyable two-mile walk along private estate roads. The atmospheric ruins provide excellent photographic opportunities alongside comprehensive information boards explaining the site’s historical significance. The paved access route makes visits possible even after wet weather, with the added attraction of observing numerous Red Kites soaring overhead during your countryside walk.

Gorhambury House

St Albans’ impressive historical landmark welcomes visitors daily from 8 AM to 6 PM, representing the former home of Francis Bacon. The private road approach extends approximately two miles through beautiful countryside, popular with cyclists and dog walkers throughout the year. The estate provides magnificent grounds for private functions and events, demonstrating traditional English country house architecture and well-maintained parkland that showcases centuries of careful landscape management.

Piccotts End Paintings

The Piccotts End Paintings are an incredibly rare and historically important collection of medieval wall paintings housed within a privately owned cottage near Markyate. These paintings, discovered in the 1950s, depict religious scenes and are believed to date from the 15th century. They are significant for being one of the best-preserved examples of such domestic religious art in England and are a fascinating visit into pre-Reformation life.

Friars Wash Roman Temple Site

The Friars Wash Roman Temple Site refers to the location of archaeological remains that point to a Romano-Celtic temple complex near Markyate. Although little is visible on the surface today, excavations have revealed the foundations of a square temple structure, suggesting it was an important religious centre in the 1st to 4th centuries AD. The site highlights the deep and often hidden Roman history that lies just beneath the surface of the local Hertfordshire countryside.