The Riddy

The Riddy is a nature reserve along the River Ivel in Sandy, featuring grasslands, wetlands, ponds, and a stream in its eastern section. The landscape shifts between open meadows and dense vegetation zones that create different habitats for wildlife.

The area was known as Parkesriding in the 13th century and housed multiple mills since Norman times, with the last one built in 1857. This industrial past shaped the waterways and land that function today as a nature reserve.

The Wildlife Trust and Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity manage this Local Nature Reserve, conducting conservation work with local volunteer groups.

A riverside path with a disabled access gate provides entry to the site. Visitors should check local conditions and any requirements before exploring the area.

Water voles build their burrows along water edges, while common terns and grey herons hunt fish in the streams and river channels. These predators and their prey create a working food web that indicates the health of the whole ecosystem.