Boston Manor to Northfields walk
Boston Manor, the Grand Union Canal, Three Bridges, Brent Lodge Park, Wharncliffe Viaduct, Elthorne Park Nature Reserve and Blondin Park
| Length | 8.7 miles (14.0 km) with 200 feet (50 m) of elevation |
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| Toughness | 2/10 |
| Maps | London A-Z Map or similar |
| Walk Notes | This walk was originally devised by Robin S. It follows paths through a section of the Grand Union Canal, parks and a nature reserve. The walk starts off through Boston Manor, with a view of Boston Manor House, then joins a quiet section of the Grand Union Canal towpath with its flight of locks and Isambard Brunel's Three Bridges. After passing through a golf course, the route takes you through woodlands to Brent Lodge Park (known locally as "The Bunny Park"), with its maze and Hanwell Zoo. After leaving the Park, the walk passes under the impressive Wharncliffe Viaduct, built to carry the Great Western Railway, then rejoins the canal for a short while before diverting through Elthorne Park Nature Reserve and across Blondin Park to reach Northfields. Part of the sections along the Grand Union Canal and through Elthorne Park overlap with Boston Manor to Osterley (#22) but they are otherwise different explorations of the area. |
| Travel | Take a London Underground service to arrive at Boston Manor around 10.30. Boston Manor and Northfields London Underground stations are on the Piccadily Line. Boston Manor is TFL Zone 4 and Northfields is in Zone 3 so you can use Contactless payment or an Oyster card.
By Car: Boston Manor has free on-street parking - the walk is circular from Boston Manor tube, with a short extension on to Norfields tube. |
| Refreshments |
Boston Manor House Cafe. 020 7731 5282 The Potting Shed cafe in Boston Manor Park. Brent Lodge Park Cafe (San Remo). The Fox Inn. 020 8567 0060 The Plough. 020 8567 1416 The Owl and the Pussy Cat (Micro Pub) 106 Northfield Ave,W13 9RT Numerous cafes along Northfields Avenue (either side of Northfields station) |
| Profile | |
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| Help Us! |
After the walk, please leave a comment, it really helps. Thanks! You can also upload photos to the SWC Group on Flickr (upload your photos) and videos to Youtube. This walk's tags are: |
| By Car |
Start TW8 9LQ Map Directions Finish W13 9QU Map Directions |
| Amazon | |
| Help |
National Rail: 03457 48 49 50 • Traveline (bus times): 0871 200 22 33 (12p/min) • TFL (London) : 0343 222 1234 |
| Version |
Jan-24 Margaret |
| Copyright | © Saturday Walkers Club. All Rights Reserved. No commercial use. No copying. No derivatives. Free with attribution for one time non-commercial use only. www.walkingclub.org.uk/site/license.shtml |
Walk Directions
- Turn right on leaving Boston Manor station. After 500m, enter Boston Manor on your right.
- Walk around keeping the pond to your left. Follow this main path as it curves right. Continue straight ahead passing under the flyover, picking up the path which continues in the same direction on the other side.
- Stay on this main path as it bends right then left across an open area to exit the park at its southern end by the canal bridge.
- After crossing the bridge, turn left as you face the canal (ie canal is on your right hand side as you walk).
- At the next bridge, cross to the other side of the canal and continue in the same direction as before (canal now on your left).
- Stay ahead for 930m. In more detail, you go under the M4 again, cross one meander of the Brent on a bridge, then a second one. Immediately after that, fork right along an ascending path which runs parallel to the canal (ie ignore a hard right turn uphill). Stay on this path, ignoring all turnings off to the right. It follows the curve of the river then bends left down steps to rejoin the canal path, just before a road bridge.
- You continue on the towpath, in the same direction as before, for a further 1.5km to the historic Three Bridges viewing point. On the way, you pass a sign to the Fox Inn, a possible early refreshment stop (you also pass this pub on the return route if you prefer a later stop). You also pass the Hanwell flight of locks and the site of the former St Bernards Hospital.
- Just after Three Bridges, leave the canal on a path right through Glade canal-side park, where a new nature reserve is being created. The path initially follows the right hand edge, then curves left then right to exit at Glade Lane.
- Turn right along Glade Lane past industrial units and through a tunnel beneath the railway.
- Cross the road and go straight ahead. when you reach Southall park, you can walk inside continuing the same direction to exit the park at Uxbridge Road.
- Cross the road and turn right. Turn left at the traffic lights and follow Dormer’s Wells Lane to reach a marked path on the right, just after passing the school.
- Cross the golf course. Initially the footpath has trees to the left and the fenced school ground is to the rightt. You reach a reach a warning sign about golf balls from the right. Here, the path continues ahead across the fairway (keeping the stream on your left) and re-enters woodland on the other side of the fairway.
- Exit onto Greenford Road. Ignore the footpath straight ahead on the other side of the road (it leads across open golf course and can be flooded in the centre). Instead, turn left cross the road at the island refuge and continue left on the other side. After a short distance take the lane on your right, signposted for Hanwell Cricket Club.
- After 200m, the path forks. Take the right fork and follow the path with Hanwell Church visible ahead. Cross the small bridge (Boles Bridge) over the River Brent, go straight ahead up the steps towards the church then turn sharp right to enter Brent Lodge river park.This bridge may be closed for repair in 2024. If it is, turn right and take the path that follows the line of the river. It will eventually join the path leading from the cafe and you can backtrack along there to the cafe, maze etc...
- Follow the path through the park passing the zoo on your left. You reach the park café, a possible lunch stop. (Toilets just past the cafe, on your left).
- From the cafe, turn left, continuing your previous direction. Shortly, you pass the maze on your right, which you may want to visit.
- From the maze, turn right to continue your previous direction. The path curves slightly left then around to the right to pass beneath the Wharncliffe Viaduct, built to carry the Great Western Railway.
- Once under the viaduct, turn right and cross the bridge. On the other side of the bridge, turn left to follow the line of the river and pass under the Uxbridge road by the tunnel, if dry. If the tunnel is flooded, go up to the road and cross with care (traffic lights are to your left). Rejoin the path on the other side, again with the river on your left.
- The path eventually winds back to the canal, where you turn left onto the towpath.
- Shortly after re-joining the towpath, you pass a sign for The Fox Inn. To visit The Fox, detour left along Green Lane for 100m.
- Leaving the Fox, retrace your steps but take the path to your left through a black metal gate. Follow the path to a small park and head diagonally across it to rejoin the towpath.
- After passing under the road bridge, leave the canal up a few steps back into Elthorne park.
- Follow the path as it bends right at the "Welcome to Elthorne Park and Waterside" sign, then right again at the next (3 path) junction. At the next fork, fork left. When you see the Stone Row to your right, turn left uphill to reach the Deer Sculpture.
- At the Deer Sculpture, turn right. At the next path junction, follow the path around to left to exit the park onto Wyke Gardens. Continue ahead in the same direction and take the first road on your right, Southdown Avenue.
- At the end of Southdown Avenue, turn left to reach Boston Manor Road. Cross the road, turn right and continue along the road (passing Boston Manor station on the other side of the road) to enter Blondin park on your left.
- Passing Blondin Allotments on your left, when you reach the Community Orchard on your right, take the path there on your right and follow it through the Nature Reserve. It evenutally bends to the left towards the pond.
- After the pond, follow the path as it curves right, then leads left along the right hand edge of the park.
- At the far side of the park, turn left and exit the park via Niagara Avenue to reach Northfields Avenue. Here, there is a variety of refreshment stops.
- Turn left onto Northfields Avenue to reach Northfields station.