Ampthill
When it comes to clubs playing in the Championship (I refuse to use the stupid new name The Champ) the word stadium sometimes has to do some heavy lifting, then you come to Ampthill where the word stadium is absolutely redundant.
Dillingham Park is very much like a grass roots rugby ground and that is not a criticism. There is a small seated stand these days, but otherwise it's just a few barriers to lean on in a natural amphitheatre.No shelter, so if it rains you get wet. If you want to sit somewhere other than the small stand, bring your own chair. It does mean you can move around and get the best vantage point, though, and there is something rather nice about being able to wander around a rugby ground and watch the game from wherever you fancy.
Parking is limited and when you arrive you walk past the clubhouse and changing rooms, adjacent to a couple of rugby pitches, but don't be fooled – they are just the training pitches.
You (and the players and officials) have to walk through the woods to reach the main pitch.
And that really is the point about Ampthill. They haven't tried to turn Dillingham Park into something it isn't. While other clubs have gradually added stands, hospitality areas and all the other trappings of modern professional sport, Ampthill has retained the feel of a proper community rugby club.
The welcome is warm. There's a bar, some basic food options and, for most games, you can bring your dog along. It only really gets very busy for the local derby against Bedford Blues or if a big-name team turns up for a friendly, when a few more food outlets appear – but on those occasions the pooch has to stay at home.
Kick-off times are early in the winter and there are no night games because there are no floodlights. It really does feel like a rugby ground rather than a sports entertainment complex.Admission isn't particularly cheap for what is, effectively, a grass roots ground, with adult admission currently £20 if bought in advance or £22 on the day. There is a small premium for the limited seating, while under-18s can get into the general admission area free. But you're paying to watch Championship rugby rather than for the facilities, and that's an important distinction.
Ampthill have found their happy place in the Championship. They have no ambitions to be a Premiership club and are very careful with their finances. In an era when some sporting clubs seem determined to spend money they haven't got in pursuit of a level they may never reach, there is something rather refreshing about that.
The club is known as The Mob, a reference to the Ant Hill Mob from Wacky Races, which seems strangely appropriate for a club whose players, officials and supporters all disappear through the woods to get to the main pitch.
Yes, it has the feel of a grass roots club, but as I said, it's no bad thing. The big difference is that this is generally better quality rugby than your average grass roots club, and they even attract some big clubs for friendlies.
There are no corporate boxes, no enormous stands, no floodlights and no attempt to pretend Dillingham Park is something it isn't. What you do get is a proper rugby club, a friendly welcome, a pint, something to eat and Championship rugby in a rather unusual setting.
And that's what makes Ampthill so enjoyable. You can watch professional rugby without losing the feeling that you've simply wandered down to the local rugby club on a Saturday afternoon.
As you may have guessed, I love Dillingham Park.
Prices correct as at September 2026
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