Posts tagged Railway
Walking The Limehouse Cut and Hertford Union Canal

House Mill

Start: Canary Wharf Station, Canada Square, London, E14 5AB
Finish: Bethnal Green Underground Station, Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green, London, E2 0ET
Distance: 10.6 km (6.6 miles)
Elevation change: + 58m / -53m. Net -5m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Thames Path, Greenwich Meridian Trail, Lee Valley Walk, Jubilee Greenway, Capital Ring, London to Walsingham Camino, Regents Canal Towpath
Other routes touched (cycle): Prime Meridian Cycle Route, NCN 1, 13, C2
Pubs / Cafes on route: Several at the Start and End at Canary Wharf and Bethnal Green. Also the Cafe at House Mill (5.1 km in) and several at the junction of the Lee Navigation and Hertford Canal (7.3 km in)
Map: London North Map | The City, West End, Enfield, Ealing, Harrow & Watford | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 173
Links: Canary Wharf, Limehouse Basin, Limehouse Cut, Bow Locks, Lee Navigation, House Mill, Hertford Union Canal, Regent’s Canal, Bethnal Green

This is a short, flat and interesting canal-side walk in the east of London. For us it was an epilog to the Regent’s Canal walk that we completed the previous year as it takes in 2 short canals that both intersect with the eastern end of the Regent’s. We started the walk from Canary Wharf Elizabeth Line Station but if you want to shorten it by 2 km you could also start from Limehouse DLR Station.

From Canary Wharf walk in a westerly direction across Cabot Square and Westferry Circus to the north bank of the river Thames. Take a right and follow the Thames Path to Limehouse Basin. Take a right into the basin, keeping to the eastern edge of the marina until you get to the Limehouse Cut.

The Limehouse Cut was constructed in the early 19th century to relieve congestion on the River Thames and provide a more direct route for barges carrying goods to and from the city. The Cut is just over 2km and, initially straight then turns in a curve to Bow Locks, where the Lee Navigation meets Bow Creek. On this walk you’ll follow the path between the Lee Navigation and Bow Creek to reach House Mill at the entrance Three Mills Island. The House Mill is the largest tidal mill standing in Britain and and has a small exhibition and cafe if you’re ready for a rest at this half-way point in the walk.

After House Mill cross over to the western side of the Lee Navigation and continue north along the towpath. You’ll pass through some derelict post-industrial land in various stages of redevelopment before reaching the Olympic Park. Here you’ll find several canal-side options for food, all of which were too busy when we arrived on a Saturday afternoon.

Cross over to the western side of the canal at White Post Lane, take left then a right onto the Hertford Union Canal. The Hertford Union was built to transport goods between Hertford and London, connecting the Lee Navigation to the Regent’s Canal. It’s just over a mile long an passes between Victoria Park on the northern side and housing on the south.

When you reach the Regent’s Canal, take a left and walk south for 200m then cross over the Roman Road Bridge. Follow Roman Road for 1km to the end of the walk at Bethnal Green Underground Station.

Richard gowerTrek, Canal, Railway, Thames, London, EnglandComment
Cycling The Thames Estuary: Thames Barrier to Margate

The Thames Barrier, London

This was a trip that had been at the back of my mind for 30 years. Back in the summer of 1994 I cycled the length of the Thames from the source near Kemble in Gloucestershire to the Thames Barrier near Woolwich, London. The last day was a long one and we ended up at the Barrier after dark. At the time we had considered the adventure to be complete. A few years later I started to plan a second part: from the Barrier east along the Thames Estuary to Margate.

Over the intervening years I got more excited about other trips. I also either lost contact with a few of the old Thames Path gang or they got preoccupied with having babies. Early in 2024 the stars aligned and the Estuary adventure popped up to the top of my cycling backlog.

The route to Margate mostly follows NCN Route 1 with a bit of the Route 15 Viking Way at the end. It also runs parallel to the main rail line between London and Margate making trip logistics fairly simple. We did it over a weekend, staying both the Friday and Saturday night at the Chatham/Gillingham Victory Pier Premier Inn.

Day 1: Thames Barrier to Chatham

Start: Charlton Railway Station, London, SE7 7QG, United Kingdom
Finish: Premier Inn Chatham/Gillingham (Victory Pier) hotel, Blake Avenue, Gillingham, ME7 1GB, United Kingdom
Distance: 62.8 km (39 miles)
Elevation change: + 408m / -409m (Net +1m)
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Thames Path, Capital Ring, Jubilee Greenway, Green Chain Walk, London Loop. Cray River Way, Hoo Peninsula Path, Weald Way, Thames and Medway Canal Towpath, Saxon Shore Way, England Coast Path, Strood Community Trail,
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 1, 125, 179, Q14
Pubs / Cafes on route: At Woolwich Arsenal (4km in), Erith (15km in), Dartford (25km in), Gravesend (39 km in), Rochester (57km in), Chatham (59km in)
Maps:
- Greenwich & Gravesend Map | East End, Docklands, Bromley, Sidcup & Thurrock | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 162
- Gravesend & Rochester Map | Hoo Peninsula | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 163
Links: Charlton, Thames Barrier, Woolwich Arsenal, Erith, Dartford, Gravesend, Thames and Medway Canal, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham

 

Like all Saturdays the day started with a parkrun, this time at Great Lines Heritage park, just over a mile from from the hotel. From there we headed to Chatham Station to get the train to Charlton. The Thames Barrier is a 1.4km ride from Charlton Station.

Navigation is straightforward, keeping to the NCN Route 1 all the way to Chatham. The first 20km hugs the riverside passing a mix of pleasant gentrified areas like Woolwich Arsenal and ugly industrial parts. After Erith the Route 1 cuts south away from the river to Dartford avoiding the entrance to the Queen Elizabeth Bridge. We had planned a coffee and cake stop in Dartford but nothing inspired us so we carried on. By the time we reached Gravesend we were really hungry and, as pubs were open by then, were optimistic about finding food. We found Gravesend equally inspiring so didn’t stop there either.

After Gravesend the scenery becomes much more pleasant. With the Route 1 following the disused Thames and Medway Canal. Watch out for the obelisk that marks the half-way point between the cities of London and Rochester. The Route 1 leaves the canal at Lower Higham which, conveniently for us, also has a train station. Brian was having problems with his wheel after several punctures and we’d run out of options to fix it at the road-side. Here we decided that Brian would head to Chatham by train and I would finish the first day on my own.

As it turned out Brian missed one of the best parts of the first day. The final section included quiet countryside and a descent down to Rochester. Had we kept together we would have stopped in Rochester for food ahead of the final few miles. I decided that I was on a mission to beat Brian’s train journey back to Chatham so I wasn’t hanging around. A 20 minute wait for the train meant that I was back at the hotel before Brian arrived at Halfords in Chatham. With a newly fixed wheel and fresh supplies of inner-tubes we were now ready for Day 2.

Day 2: Chatham to Margate

Start: Premier Inn Chatham/Gillingham (Victory Pier) hotel, Blake Avenue, Gillingham, ME7 1GB, United Kingdom
Finish: Margate Lighthouse, Harbour Arm, Margate, CT9 1AP
Distance: 87 km (54 miles)
Elevation change: + 514m / -513m (Net -1m)
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Saxon Shore Way, England Coast Path, Swale Heritage Trail, Invicta Way, Wantsum Walk,
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 1, 174, 15: Viking Coastal Trail
Pubs / Cafes on route: At Sittingbourne (22km in), Faversham (40km in), Whitstable (59km in), Herne Bay (66km in), Westgate-on-Sea (83km in) and Margate.
- We stopped at Cafe Guild in Faverham (40 km in) and The Ship Inn, Herne Bay (66km in)
Maps:
- Gravesend & Rochester Map | Hoo Peninsula | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 163
- Sittingbourne & Faversham Map | Isle of Sheppey | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 149
- Canterbury & Isle of Thanet Map | Herne Bay, Deal & Whitstable | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 150
Links: Sittingbourne, Faversham, Crab & Winkle Way, Whitstable, Herne Bay, Reculver, Westgate-on-Sea, Margate, Margate Lighthouse

 

Shortly after leaving the Chatham/Gillingham area, the Route 1 passes through Riverside Country Park. It was very popular with dog walkers early that Sunday morning so it was a good chance to take it slow as we warmed up for the day. After the Country Park the route cuts away from the estuary from Rainham to Sittingbourne.

Sittingbourne was our original plan for a breakfast stop but we were similarly uninspired by food options as we were on day 1. By the time we arrived in Faversham with 40km down we were starving. It was worth the wait though as Faversham is a very nice old Kent market town with several good cafes.

After Faversham the route heads back towards the coast then takes a detour up the steepest hill of the route to bypass Whitstable Town Centre. After a well-earned descent we reached the Crab & Winkle Way, a disused railway that once connected Whitstable to Canterbury. This was the point where we left the NCN 1, which follows the old railway line to the south. Instead we followed the Crab & Winkle Way north to join the Route 15 Viking Way at the Whistable coast.

The last 28km along the Viking Way from Whitstable to Margate was my favourite section of the whole route. This section keeps to the coast along flat boulevards passing seaside towns and the remains of Reculver Towers. We had made good time so we stopped for a while at a pub in Herne Bay to gaze across the estuary and contemplate future adventures.

Our 2-day adventure finished at Margate Lighthouse, an obvious place to mark the end of the Estuary adventure. We really enjoyed the trip and, baring the wheel & puncture issues at the end of day one, found it pretty easy going. I still didn’t get the sense of completion though. Yes, we had cycled the estuary to complete the Thames Path, but we had now left the southern section of the NCN Route 1 uncompleted. Within a couple of days I was already planning the next 2 day adventure to complete both the NCN Route 1 from Whitstable to Dover and the rest of the Viking Way.

 

The Full 2-Day Route

The Millennium Mileposts

Dotting the UK's National Cycle Network are over 1,000 unique markers known as the Millennium Mileposts. Unveiled in 2000, these cast-iron sculptures are more than just waymarkers. Designed by four artists, one from each nation of the UK, they celebrate the diversity of the cycling routes. These artistic mileposts come in various shapes and can be found in both bustling towns and scenic landscapes, adding a touch of artistic charm to a cycling adventure. Here’s the 14 Mileposts that I spotted on the 2 day estuary adventure.

Richard gowerCycle, NCN, Coast, Canal, Railway, Disused Railway, Thames, London, Kent, National Trails, England Comments
Walking The Guildford and Shalford Disused Railways

Broadford Road bridge over the disused railway path

Start: Shalford Station, Guildford, GU4 8JD
Finish: Guildford Station, Guildford, GU1 4UT
Distance: 9.1 km (5.6 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 52m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Wey-South Path, National Trust Railway Walk, Scholar’s Trail, North Downs Way
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 22, Downs Link
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Snooty Fox cafe near Shalford Station, The Weyside (7.9 km in), many others in Guildford
Map: OS Explorer Map (145) Guildford and Farnham
Links: Shalford, Guildford, Wey and Arun Canal, National Trust River Wey and Godalming Navigations and Dapdune Wharf, The Cranleigh Line

This is part of a series of short walks in and around the Surrey Hills. The guidance below will help you navigate but don’t use it as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide. Always take a map and/or a GPX route and prepare well for the weather and terrain.

I’d had this walk in mind for a few years after I completed the Downs Link with my friend Mark in 2021. The Downs Link connects the North Downs Way and South Downs Way, mostly following disused railways. It starts at St Martha’s Hill following footpaths and joins the old rail line near Chinthurst Hill. However, there’s a section of this old line from Guildford that the Downs Link doesn’t follow so we needed to return to complete the rest.

This is a point-to-point walk with Guildford and Shalford Stations at either end. We originally planned to start at Guildford and return back on the train from Shalford. Although the train ride between them is only 8 minutes, the trains are fairly infrequent at weekends. As there was a Guildford-Shalford train leaving shortly after we parked at Guildford we took that one and did the route in reverse.

From Shalford Station cross over the A281 Horsham Road and follow the path across the common in a south-westerly direction to Broadford Road. Take a right and cross the bridge over the River Wey. Follow the path on the western side of the Wey north for approximately 1 km until you see the path on the left to the National Trust River Wey Navigations Railway Line Walk. Climb the old embankment to the WW2 Pillbox at the top and follow the route of the old rail line. This is the old section of line where trains from Shalford would have crossed over the River Wey to turn south onto the line to Petersfield. After ~400m the path reaches the fence where you can see the current Guildford to Petersfield line.

Continue a bit further and you’ll see where the Cranleigh Line used to split off from the Guildford to Petersfield line. Look closely near the A3100 Old Portsmouth Road bridge and you can see some remains of the old track with a tree growing out of them. This is the start of the old Cranleigh Line which becomes the route of the Downs Link further to the south.

Follow the route of the old rail line for another 2km, crossing under Broadford Road, across Horsham Road and back onto the Wey-South Path. Our walk reaches its southernmost point at the Tannery Lane bridge where the Downs Link joins from the north-east. Having already done the rest of the Cranleigh Line on the Downs Link, this now completes the full stretch of the disused railway.

To complete the walk, turn around and retrace your steps back to Horsham Road. Instead of following the old rail line again take a right onto Horsham Road and follow the Wey-South Path. Stay on the Wey-South Path, along the banks of the Wey all the way back to Guildford. On this final stretch you’ll retrace the 1 km of the route between the Broadford Road Bridge and the start of the old railway line. You’ll also cross over the route of the North Downs Way. For me this would have been a more logical place to start the Downs Link as it would have run closer to the route of the rail lines. I guess whoever designed the trail wasn’t as much of a completist as I am and thought St Martha’s Hill was a more impressive place to start.

Annoyingly, the end-point of the Wey-South Path at Millmead Lock was blocked off when we got there. The footbridge onto the island was destroyed after heavy rain in 2019 and is still out of action. There’s an easy diversion along the A281 past The Weyside pub and then over the footbridge behind the theatre. The final 1 km of the walk follows the west bank of the Wey back to Guildford Station.

More Disused Railway Posts

Richard gowerTrek, Railway, Disused Railway, Canal, National Trust, Surrey Hills, Surrey, EnglandComment
Chiltern Walks: Bourne End, Cookham and Wooburn

River Thames at Cookham

Start & Finish: Wakeman Road Car Park, 2A Wakeman Road, Bourne End, SL8 5SX
Distance: 8.2 km (5.1 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 83m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Thames Path, Shakespeare’s Way, Beeches Way, Chiltern Way Berkshire Loop, High Wycombe to Bourne End Disused Railway
Other routes touched (cycle): N/A
Pubs / Cafes on route: Several in Bourne End and Cookham village centres. Also The Ferry (2.4 km in), The Garibaldi (3.7 km in), Chequers Inn (5.3 km in),
Map: OS Explorer Map (172) Chiltern Hills East
Links: Bourne End, Cookham, Wooburn

This is part of a series of short circular walks in the Chilterns. The guidance below will help you navigate but don’t use it as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide. Always take a map and/or a GPX route and prepare well for the weather and terrain.

For this walk we parked at Wakeman Road Car Park in Bourne End and walked to the River Thames via the footpath to the left of the station. At the Thames cross over the railway bridge and, at the bottom of the steps, take a right to follow the Thames Path in a southerly direction.

Leave the Thames Path at Cookham Bridge and cross over to the north side of the Thames to follow Ferry Lane north. Here you have 2 choices: to follow The Beeches Way by taking the first path on the right after the bridge or to take an alternative route via Hedsor Road. Both options come together around the 5km mark at the top of Harvest Hill. We had already done the Beeches Way option so we took the alternative described below.

Continue north along Ferry Lane the take a right onto Hedsor Road, following it for ~500m to take a left onto Heavens Lea. Cross over Hedsor Hill (road) to follow Harvest Hill (road) in a north-easterly direction to Kiln Lane. Take a left onto Kiln Lane then a right onto a footpath just before the Chequers pub. Follow this footpath all the way down to Wooburn Park then cross over the River Wye and Town Lane.

Take the path to the left of Spake Oak depot to reach the disused Wycombe to Bourne End Railway Line. Follow this in a south-westerly direction to the end at the A4155 Cores End Road. Follow this back to the car park in Bourne End.

Shakespeare’s Way Previous Section (west): Marlow Donkey

Shakespeare’s Way Next Section (east): Beeches Way

Richard gowerTrek, Chilterns, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Thames, National Trails, Railway, Disused Railway, EnglandComment
Walking The Silchester Trail

Walking the old Roman walls

Start & Finish: Bramley Inn, The Street, Bramley, Tadley, RG26 5BT
Distance: 10.7 km (6.6 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 71m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): St. James Way, Brenda Parker Way
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 23, Calleva Trail
Pubs / Cafes on route: Bramley Inn at the start and finish
Maps:
- Reading, Wokingham & Pangbourne Map | Thames Path | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 159
- Basingstoke, Alton & Whitchurch Map | Odiham, Overton & Hook | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 144
Links: Bramley, Silchester, Silchester, Roman City Walls and Amphitheatre

The Sichester Trail is a ~11 km walk taking in the remains of the old Roman town of Calleva. The Hampshire County Council’s guide to the walk describes it very well so I won’t repeat those details here. I also recommend Paul Whitewick’s 20 minute video about the Roman town to learn about the history of the site before you visit.

There’s a few different options for starting the walk and we chose to start at Bramley where there’s free on-street parking near the Bramley Inn. Starting here means that the Roman Town is in the middle of the walk and you have a pub at the end.

Having completed a couple of the Camino de Santiago routes we were pleased to discover that the English section of the Camino Ingles runs through the Roman town on its path from Reading to Southampton. We’ll likely be back one day to walk that whole Camino Trail.

Richard gowerTrek, Railway, English Heritage, Hampshire, EnglandComment
Walking The Regent's Canal

City Road Basin east of Angel

Start: Paddington Station, Praed St, London W2 1RH
Finish: Limehouse DLR Station, Commercial Rd, London, E14 7JD
Distance: 16.3 km (10.1 miles)
Elevation change: + 86 / -110m. Net -24m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Jubilee Greenway
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 1, C1, 2, 6, 13, 27
Pubs / Cafes on route: Loads. It’s London.
Map: London North Map | The City, West End, Enfield, Ealing, Harrow & Watford | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 173
Links: Regent’s Canal (Wikipedia / Canal & River Trust), Paddington Basin, Little Venice, Camden Lock, Islington Tunnel, Limehouse Basin

The Regents Canal is a 13.8km waterway that links the Paddington Arm of the Grand Union Canal at Little Venice with the River Thames at Limehouse Basin in the east of London. I’ve cycled or walked bits of it over the years but never a full end-to-end walk. So, with canals being the theme of our weekend adventures this winter, Timea and I set out to walk it.

Being in the north of London there’s excellent public transport links to the start and end. You can also cut the walk into smaller sections, returning to nearby tube or bus stops along the way to pick up where you left off. On a long summer’s day we might have tackled it all in one go. With a winter walk on shorter days and wanting to take our time through the interesting parts, we cut it in two using King’s Cross St Pancras as our middle-point. Navigation is very easy as you’ll be following the towpath, however there’s a few sections of tunnel where you’ll need to follow them above ground. The Juiblee Greenway follows the route of the canal and is well-signed, so follow the ground-level markers to keep on track.

We chose a west to east route starting from Paddington Station. There’s an exit near the Hammersmith and City Line platforms that leads directly onto the canal. Rather than start there we exited Paddington at the southern entrance to walk down Praed Street to start at Paddington Basin. The Basin had completely changed since I first went there as a child with my Dad on our many London outings. Back then it was unloved patch at the back of St Mary’s Hospital where my dad was born. Now it’s a busy and lively development of apartments, businesses and restaurants.

From Paddington Basin follow the canal for 1km to the junction with the Regents Canal at Little Venice. The bridge at Westbourne Terrace Road also brought back memories as it was the finish point of my first Ultra Marathon back in 2015. Once over the bridge and onto the northern side of Browning’s pool you’re on the Regent’s Canal.

For the first section you’ll need to keep off the towpath for a while as the Lisson Road Moorings are a private section, then you need to pass above-ground for ~250m over Maida Hill Tunnel. Once over the tunnel you can keep to the towpath for 5.4km to the Islington Tunnel at Angel. Along the way you’ll pass through the the back of London Zoo at Regent’s Park, Camden Lock and the redeveloped area to the back of Kings Cross.

When you reach the Islington Tunnel leave the towpath and follow the Jubilee Greenway south down Penton Street then east along Chapel Market to Angel. Cross over Upper Street and follow Duncan Street in an easterly direction to return to the Regent’s Canal towpath. This eastern section is quieter but no-less interesting. You’ll need to leave the path for food and drink but there’s good options along the way. We found a great cafe at the start of Broadway Market in Hackney just a couple of minutes off the path.

The final stretch passes along the edges of Victoria Park and Mile End Park before finishing at Limehouse Basin. Our original plan was to walk around the basin but it was getting dark so we cut straight across to Limehouse DLR to return home. We did get some great shots of Canary Wharf and friends lit up in the background. We’ll return another day to revisit the basin and walk the Hertford Union Canal and Limecut Cut.

The Bridges

Bridge numbers counting up from 1 at Little Venice to 64 near Limehouse Basin. Not all bridges have numbers on them.

Richard gowerTrek, Canal, Railway, London, Middlesex, England Comment
Walking The Slough Arm Canal

Start: Slough Station, Railway Terrace, Slough, SL1 1XW
Finish: West Drayton Station, Station Approach, West Drayton UB7 9DY
Distance: 10 km (6.2 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 28m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Colne Valley Trail, Beeches Way, Shakespeare’s Way, Celandine Route, London Loop
Other routes touched (cycle): Grand Union Canal Towpath, NCN 61
London Coal Duty Post: 69
Pubs / Cafes on route: Several in West Drayton High Street
Map: OS Explorer Map (172) Chiltern Hills East and OS Explorer Map (160) Windsor, Weybridge & Bracknell
Links: Slough Arm Canal (Wikipedia / Canal & River Trust) Slough, Langley, Iver, Yiewsley, West Drayton, Colne Valley Regional Park,

The Slough Canal is an arm that branches off from the main Grand Union Canal at Yiewsley in Hillingdon, Greater London. It was opened in 1882, primarily to serve the brick industry. The arm closed to commercial traffic in 1960 and re-opened in 1975. There have been plans to extend the canal to join the River Thames between Windsor and Maidenhead, but that feels unlikely to happen.

I’ve cycled the Slough Arm on many occasions and crossed over it on other walks but, until now, hadn’t walked the whole length. It runs parallel to the GWR mainline and Elizabeth Line which makes it easy to walk as a single point-to-point between stations. We started at Slough Station and finished at West Drayton, with a short ride on the Elizabeth Line back to the start.

Leave Slough Station at the north entrance onto Railway Terrace and walk west to join the B416. Follow the B416 in a northerly direction to find the entrance to the canal basin on the right hand side of the road shortly after St. Paul’s church. The first 4km runs between a mix of residential and light industrial areas. There’s a lot of rubbish along the way despite the best efforts of the Friends of The Slough Arm local community group.

After the Langley park Road Bridge (#7), the canal becomes a parking area for boats lined up for the repair yard at bridge #6 at Hollow Hill Lane. From here the canal enters the Colne Valley Regional Park and soon joins the Beeches Way and Shakespeare’s Way. The towpath passes under the M25, then over the Colne Brook, River Colne and Frays River. Watch out for the two WW2 Pill Boxes that guard the rivers and the Coal Duty Post by the footbridge carrying the London Loop.

By the time you reach the junction with the Grand Union Canal you’ll have passed through Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, the Historic County of Middlesex and into the Greater London Borough of Hillingdon. When you reach the main line of the Grand Union, cross over the footbridge and take a right to follow the towpath for 800m to the West Drayton High Street Bridge. Leave the canal and cross the bridge to reach the end of the walk at West Drayton Station.

The Bridges

Bridge numbers counting down from the Basin to the Junction with the Grand Union. Bridges 5 and 2 have been destroyed.

Richard gowerTrek, Canal, Railway, Chilterns, London, Middlesex, EnglandComment
Walking The Uxbridge To Denham Disused Railway

Walking the line north of Fray’s River

Start & Finish: Buckinghamshire New University, Uxbridge Campus, 106 Oxford Road, Uxbridge, UB8 1NA
Distance: 6.3 km (3.9 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 27m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): London Loop, Colne Valley Trail, South Bucks Way
Other routes touched (cycle): Grand Union Canal Towpath
Pubs / Cafes on route: Swan & Bottle pub (near start and end)
Map: Chiltern Hills East Map | High Wycombe, Maidenshead & Rickmansworth | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 172
Links: Uxbridge, Fray’s River, Alderglade Nature Reserve, Colne Valley Regional Park, Grand Union Canal

This trip was a return to visit to Uxbridge following my previous week’s cycle adventure on the Staines West to Denham Lines. Although we cycled between the old Uxbridge High Street Station and Denham, we followed a more cycle-friendly route rather than the course of the old rail line. This week Timea and I returned to walk the true route of the line. As with last week’s longer route from Staines West to Denham, this trip was inspired by Geoff Marshall’s London’s Lost Railways videos. Check out Geoff’s video for more detail on each of the lines and stations.

The route starts at 106 Oxford Road, the site of the former Uxbridge High Street Station, now a campus for Buckinghamshire New University. It’s actually in Hillingdon, Greater London, though and not in Buckinghamshire which is just across the River Colne to the west. The line closely follows the Hillingdon/Buckinghamshire border staying in Hillingdon for most of it’s length apart from one very short section at the start of Alderglade Nature Reserve.

From 106 Oxford Road follow Braybourne Close in a northerly direction to the end then into Alderglade Nature Reserve. The path follows the left hand side of the old railway embankment then follows the top of it. You can see a few bits of remaining metal from the railway if it’s not too overgrown. At the 1.3 km mark you’ll reach an old graffitied bridge that goes under the railway. Here you’ll need to cross over the Shire Ditch (Stream) and divert away from the rail route as it passes through private property.

Keep heading north on the footpath closest to the rail line and you’ll pass under a raised section of the A40 and through the Graffiti Gallery. On the north side of the A40 follow a path taking you east back to the course of the old rail line. There was a lot of nettles when we were there in July which made if difficult to see the path. Once on it, you can follow the route of the rail line through wood most of the way to the old mainline junction.

This section after the A40 is littered with old railway sleepers and bits of old railway metal. It’s a great place to explore in an area that attracts relatively few people. Around 500m from the A40 you’ll cross over an old bridge over the River Frays. Climb down the embankment just to the south of the river to get a good view of the old bridge. After the bridge continue along the route of the old railway to the site of the triangle junction that took trains onto the GWR/Chiltern Main Line. The route now ends here as the triangle is now used by a concrete company. Here you have the choice of retracing your steps for 200m to the footpath junction or, as we did, take a circuit of the small fishing lake in the woods to the east.

Whichever route you take to return from the end of the line, take the footpath that crosses between the 2 lakes on the eastern side of the old rail line. Cross over the Grand Union Canal and take a left to head south back to Uxbridge. When you pass Denham Deep Lock you could take a right into Denham Country Park to follow the South Bucks Way to Denham Station. As I’d followed that route on the bike the previous week we continued south along the canal. When you return to Uxbridge the Swan and Bottle Pub (next to the canal bridge) is a good place to stop for a rest. Look out for old photos of Uxbridge on the wall and a great map of waterways in the area. From the Swan and Bottle cross the bridge to the eastern side of the canal and back to the start at 106 Oxford Road.

Richard gowerTrek, Canal, Railway, Disused Railway, Colne Valley, Buckinghamshire, London, Chilterns, EnglandComment
Cycling the Staines to Denham Disused Railways

HS2 train parked up at Colnbrook Station

Start / Finish: Site of Staines West Station: The Old Station, Moor Lane, Staines, TW18 4BB
Distance: 22.9 km (14.2 miles)
Elevation: + 99m / -67m. Net +22m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (walk): Colne Valley Way, London Loop, Shakespeare’s Way, Celandine Route, South Bucks Way
Other Routes Touched (cycle): Grand Union Canal Towpath, NCN 6, 61
Pubs / Cafes on route: Fat Boys Cafe, Colnbrook (7.8k in), Several as you pass through West Drayton and Yiewsley (~14 km in), Swan and Bottle pub, Uxbridge (18.8k in), Colne Valley Cafe (21 km in)
Maps:
- Windsor, Weybridge & Bracknell Map | Thames Path | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 160
- Chiltern Hills East Map | High Wycombe, Maidenshead & Rickmansworth | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 172
Links: Staines-upon-Thames, Staines Moor, Stanwell Moor, Poyle, Colnbrook, Harmondsworth Moor, West Drayton, Yiewsley, Cowley, Uxbridge, Denham, Colne Valley Regional Park

This is a short cycle adventure inspired by 3 of Geoff Marshall’s London’s Lost Railways videos. It traces 3 separate disused railways that ran from Staines in Surrey to Denham in Buckinghamshire. Much of the route travels through the Colne Valley Regional Park, an interesting mix of countryside, industry and transport links on the western edge of Greater London. I cycled this route as a part of a 100 km circular tour of the Colne Valley, Chiltern Hills, South Bucks and Windsor. There’s a mix of road and off-road sections so it’s best to take a mountain bike or similar.

Check out Geoff’s videos for each section of the route for more detail on each of the lines and stations.

Line 1: Staines West to West Drayton

The Staines to West Drayton Railway was in existence from 1884 to 1965 and once also connected to the Reading to Waterloo Line at Staines. The Staines West Station building is still intact and now used as offices.

From Staines West Station follow Moor Lane until you reach a footpath on the right hand side just ahead of the A30 Staines Bypass. Follow this path to cross over the old bridge that crosses the River Wraysbury and the route of the old railway. Take a left after the bridge to pass under the A30 and onto Staines Moor. Keep to the south-western edge of the moor and find a gate leading to a bridge in the woods and the route of the old railway. Here you’ll find an information board about the railway and steps up to join the old rail line.

Follow the route of the old railway in a northerly direction to meet the site of the old Yeoveney Halt Station. There’s not much left but you can find some concrete remains in a clearing to the right hand side of the track.

Continue north following the edge of the M25 and River Wraysbury and take a path that passes through Junction 14 of the M25 to reach the western edge of the motorway. Just before you join Horton Road take a track heading south for about 100m to the approximate site of the old Poyle Halt Station. Nothing remains. You’re now also at the most westerly point of Greater London.

Retrace your route back from Poyle Halt to meet Horton Road following it west and then join Poyle Road at the roundabout. Take a right on the next roundabout onto Blackthorne road, following it east to the junction of Blackthorne Crescent where you’ll be at the approximate site of Poyle Estate Halt. As with the previous station, nothing remains.

Retrace your route back down Blackthorne Road and take a right back onto Poyle Road heading north, then a right onto Bath Road. Colnbrook Station can be found on the left hand side of Bath Road just after the junction with Meadowbrook Close. The old building still remains and is now a private house called Station Cottage. After Colnbrook Station the rail line is still in use but now only for cargo and not for passengers.

There was one extra station north of Colnbrook station called Colnbrook Estate Halt. There’s nothing left of it and I couldn’t find a way to get close to the location so we cycled on to West Drayton. To do this continue east along Bath Road over the M25 then take the first track on the left which takes you north to Harmondsworth Moor. Pass under the M4 near the M4/M25 junction and onto a road called The Common. Continue north, then right onto Cricketfield Road, right onto Mill Road, left onto Station Road, right onto Warwick Road where you’ll find West Drayton Station and the end of this section.

 

Line 2: West Drayton to Uxbridge Vine Street

This section follows the Uxbridge (Vine Street) branch line from West Drayton station. The line ran passenger services from 1884 to 1962 and completely closed in 1979. Today nothing remains of Uxbridge Vine Street Station or Cowley Station, the only other station on the route. You can still find evidence of the line in the shape of streets and some road names.

From West Drayton Station cross over High Street and follow Tavistock Road, following the curve of the old railway. Take a right onto Trout Road over the Grand Union Canal, a left through a path onto Chantry Close then a left onto the A408. Taking a right onto Moorfield Road then take a left onto St Martin Close, a right onto New Peachy Lane and a left onto Peachy Lane. Note that in Geoff’s video he found some alleyways between the houses that traced a closer route to the old line.

Take a left off Peachy Lane onto Kingdom Lane, a cycle path that directly follows the route of the old railway. Follow this for 0.5km to Station Road, near the site of the old Cowley Station. Cross Station Road and continue to follow the old rail route up Cleveland Road, Whitehall Road and Kendal Mews. You’ve now arrived at the busy A4020 (Hillingdon Road) dual carriageway that runs through Uxbridge. The Hertz building on the north side of the A4020 is on the site of the old Vine Street Station.

 

Line 3: Uxbridge High Street to Denham

From the site of Uxbridge Vine Street Station navigate round the roundabout to pick up Oxford Road to the site of the old Uxbridge High Street Station at 106 Oxford Road. There’s no remains of the old station and the site is now a building for the Buckinghamshire New University.

Geoff’s video on this section describes a walk along the route of the old line that connected Uxbridge to the Chiltern main line (formerly GWR) from 1907 to 1964. Having cycled through Alderglade Nature Reserve and Frays Farm Meadows before I remember it being a tricky ride and best tackled on foot. This time we opted for a more cycle-friendly route to the west of the old line. Timea (wife) and I went back to Uxbridge a week later to walk the true route of the old railway and you read about that in my next post.

From 106 Oxford Road we followed the Grand Union Canal Towpath from the Swan and Bottle pub to the southern entrance of Denham Country Park south of Denham Deep Lock. From here follow the South Bucks Way through the Country Park, Buckinghamshire Golf Course, Denham Village and along The Pyghtle to Denham Station. This is the end point of the route along the 3 disused rail lines.

The full cycle route from Staines West to Denham

The full cycle route: all 3 lines from Staines (south) to Denham (north)

Elevation plan for the full cycle route between Staines West and Denham

Stations on the Staines West to Denham Lines

Displayed in order of the cycle route from Staines West to Denham. Click on each photo to connect to the Wikipedia article for the station. Includes West Drayton and Denham which are still operating stations.

More Disused Railway Posts

Richard gowerCycle, NCN, Coal Duty Post, Canal, Railway, Disused Railway, Colne Valley, London, Buckinghamshire, EnglandComment
Train out, walk back: The Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway

Start: Princes Risborough Station, Station Approach, Princes Risborough, HP27 9DN
Finish: Chinnor Railway Station, Station Road, Chinnor, OX38 4ER
Distance: 6.3 km (3.9 miles)
Elevation change: +73m / -46m. Net = +27m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Risborough Blue Route, The Chiltern Way, Midshires Way, The Ridgeway, Wildlife Walk
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 57
Pubs / Cafes on route: Lions of Bledlow (3.4 km in)
Map: Chiltern Hills North Map | Aylesbury, Berkhamsted & Chesham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 181
Links: Chinnor and Princes Risborough Historic Railway, Watlington and Princes Risborough Railway, Chinnor, Princes Risborough, Bledlow

The Chinnor and Princes Risborough Historic Railway runs on a section of the old Princes Risborough to Watlington line. I’ve passed by it many times on walks and cycle rides in the area but never taken a trip on the restored section. We decided to take a ride on it to celebrate our friend gaining her British Citizenship as a part of an English-themed summer day out. The guidance below will help you navigate but don’t use it as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide. Always take a map and/or a GPX route and prepare well for the weather and terrain.

The historic railway visitor centre at Chinnor station is the best place to start. The station is lovingly preserved and staffed by volunteers who obviously love what they do. There’s a choice of a steam or diesel powered trip to Princes Risborough. We planned a trip on the steam powered train but it was a hot day after a few dry weeks and they decided not to use the steam engine due to a fire risk.

I loved the trip more than I expected. The old carriages reminded me of when I used to take the train from Maidenhead to London with my Dad when I was growing up in the ‘80s. It was a short distance but took around 30 minutes due to having to stop for the gates to be opened at the various road crossings and a section of track shared with mainline trains. It was great to go at a slower pace to enjoy the experience and see the Chiltern Hills roll by on the right hand side of the train.

The entry ticket includes a return trip to Chinnor but we decided to walk back instead, having a picnic on the way.

The route back

When exiting Princes Risborough Station look out for the footpath opposite the station building before the entrance to the car park. Follow this path south to Picts Lane then take a right to cross the bridge over the railway. Continue along Bledlow Road for 400 metres then take a footpath on the left, following the Risborough Blue Route trail. Take the first path on the right to pick up the Chiltern Way and follow this all the way to the village of Bledlow.

Keep following Church End Road through Bledlow to the Lions of Bledlow Pub, now leaving the Chiltern Way. The Lions is a great old pub to stop for a rest at this half-way point. After the pub take a footpath diagonally across a field in a south-westerly direction. Keep heading in the direction on the track that follows the Midshires Way up the hill to Bledlow Ridge. Here you’ll join the Ridgeway which you’ll follow until it meets Hill Road. Take a right onto Hill Road to follow it in a north-westerly direction back to Chinnor station. There’s no pavement on the first half of this section of Hill Road and a safer route is to follow the edge of The Rec (playing field) to exit onto Hill Road where the pavement starts.

See my post on Cycling The Phoenix Trail and Watlington and Princes Risborough Railway for more on the disused line and the stations along the way.

Richard gowerTrek, Railway, Disused Railway, Chilterns, National Trails, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, EnglandComment
Walking The Greensand Way Part 13 - Brockham and Betchworth

St Michael’s Church, Betchworth

Start & Finish: St Michael's Church, The Street, Betchworth, RH3 7DN
Distance: 10.4 km (6.5 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 149m
Greensand Way section covered: Punchbowl Lane to St Michael’s Church, Betchworth: 3.9 km
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): The Box Hill Hike
Other routes touched (cycle): Surrey Cycleway
Pubs / Cafes on route: Cafe at Hillier Garden Centre (4.9 km in), The Royal Oak Brockham or The Grumpy Mole, Brockham (both 9.1 km in)
Map: Dorking, Box Hill & Reigate Map | Leatherhead & Caterham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 146
Links: National Trust Box Hill, Betchworth Quarry and Lime Kilns, Betchworth, Brockham, Dorking, River Mole

This is the thirteenth of a series of short circular walks featuring the Greensand Way. The full trail is a long distance path stretching from Haslemere in Surrey to Ham Street in Kent. Our walks take in short sections of the Greensand Way and loop back to the start on other paths. The Greensand Way is well sign posted however you’ll need a map or GPX route to keep on track for the return sections of the loops. The guidance below will help but don’t use it as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide.

For this section we parked at St Michael’s Church in Betchworth and followed the path that heads north out of the village. Initially the path runs parallel to The Street, the road that runs through the village, then curves away to the north-west. Cross over the Old Reigate Road and keep to the path that runs to the left (west) of the Post Office. Keeping on the path you’ll (carefully) cross over the busy A25 Reigate Road, over a bridge crossing the railway line, then a steady ascent up to Brockham Quarry Woods. As soon as you enter the woods take a sharp left onto a path that runs in a westerly direction along the base of the woods. This takes you through the remains of the old Lime Works with some interesting information signs telling the history of them.

Continue heading west for just over 2km until you reach Boxhill Road. Take a left onto the road, now heading south for 1 km to Hillier Garden Centre and the A25. Carefully cross over the A25 following the small road towards the Golf Club. Before the Golf Club Car park take a right onto a footpath that runs along the north side of the Golf Club buildings and into woodland. After approximately 1 km you’ll reach Punchbowl Lane where you’ll take a left onto the lane heading south.

Shortly down Punchbowl Lane you’ll pick up again on the route of the Greensand Way and you can follow the GSW signs all the way back to St Michael’s Church in Betchworth. At around 9 km into the walk you’ll pass through the pretty village of Brockham where there’s pubs on route for a rest before the final 1.5 km back to the start.

Richard gowerTrek, Surrey, Railway, England, National Trust, Surrey HillsComment
Walking The Ebury Way Disused Railway

The River Chess at the end of the Ebury Way at Rickmansworth. The hotel in the centre is the site of the old Rickmansworth Church Street Station.

Start: Watford Junction Station, Station Rd, Watford WD17 1EU
Finish: Premier Inn Rickmansworth Hotel, Batchworth Lock House, Rickmansworth, WD3 1JB
Distance: 8.8 km (5.5 miles)
Elevation change: +39m / -61m. Net -22m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Abbey Line Trail, Croxley Green Boundary Walk, Grand Union Canal Towpath
Other routes touched (cycle): Colne Valley Cycle Route, Abbey Way, NCN 6, 61
London Coal Duty Posts: 45, 46
Pubs / Cafes on route: Many in Watford and Rickmansworth. On route: café in the Oxhey Activity Park at 3 km in.
Maps:
- London North Map | The City, West End, Enfield, Ealing, Harrow & Watford | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 173
- Chiltern Hills East Map | High Wycombe, Maidenshead & Rickmansworth | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 172
Links: Watford, Watford Junction Station, London Orphan Asylum, River Colne, Ebury Way, Croxley Common Moor, Rickmansworth

The Ebury Way is a walking and cycle path that runs along the course of the old Watford to Rickmansworth branch line. I have cycled it many times as a part of longer trips but it’s a short trail and it always went by too quickly to fully appreciate it. Having recently completed the Abbey Line Trail from St Albans to Watford Junction, it felt right to continue the rail-themed walk to Rickmansworth via the route of the old line.

Source; Wikipedia - creator Cnbrb

The original rail line followed the current route of the Overground service to Watford High Street Station but then continued to the south-west and split into 2 branches, one to the old Croxley Green Station and the other to Rickmansworth. The route branched again with a short section diverting north to Croxley Mills goods station. There’s an image on the Wikipedia page for the Watford & Rickmansworth Railway that shows the different routes.

The start of the Ebury Way is in Riverside Park just south of the old split to Croxley Green Station. It’s impractical, and not a scenic walk, to follow the old rail route to here from either Watford Junction or Watford High Street stations. A better walk is to follow the route of the Abbey Way / NCN 6,61 cycle route that follows the River Colne. From Watford Junction station you can get to this route by retracing the last 1 km of the Abbey Line Trail down Orphanage Road, Radlett Road and Link Road to Radlett Road Playing Fields. From here you can follow the cycle route to the south.

There’s a few things to look out for on this first section of the walk through Watford. At 1.6 km (1 mile) in, just after the huge brick rail bridge crossing the River Colne you can find a great example of one of the old London Coal Duty Posts. This one is a large stone obelisk, originally positioned on the opposite side of the river but repaired and moved to its current position in 1984.

After the Coal Duty Post Obelisk you’ll be in Waterfields Recreation Ground. At the point where the Colne takes a curve to the left you’ll see a metal sculpture of a man about to dive into a pool. The inscription reads: “In the early 1900’s this was the site of a fresh water Lido, an outdoor swimming pool where Watfordonians could dive and swim in the River Colne”. I hope that the river was a lot cleaner then as I wouldn’t want to get into it now.

After another 200m and after crossing under the A411 you’ll cross over Water’s Lane where there’s a similar sculpture, this time of a man leaning out of a window holding a net. The inscription on this one reads: “In the 1900’s houses on this lane were continuously flooded with stories of locals climbing in through their upstairs window from boats. This is how Water Lane got its name”.

As you cross over Water Lane look to the left across the bridge over the River Colne to see another Coal Duty Post, this one is a good example of the distinctive and more common white Type 2 cast iron posts.

For the next kilometer you’ll pass through the retails parks of the east side of Watford. There’s not much to see here until you cross under the large curved viaduct that carries the Overground from Watford High Street to Bushey. After the viaduct you’ll cross over Thomas Sawyer Way, into Oxhey Activity Park and back to the River Colne.

Follow the National Cycle Route 6/61 in an westerly direction next to the River Colne through Oxhey Activity Park, over the A4178 into Riverside Recreation Ground and then into Riverside Park. The route curves through Riverside Park before connecting with the route of the old railway. An Ebury Way Information Board and a Millennium National Cycle Network sign mark the official start of the Ebury Way. You’ll now be 4 km into the walk from Watford Junction station.

Navigation along the Ebury Way is as simple as you would expect from a disused railway and there’s regular signposts along the way. We noticed a lot of litter on the route which spoilt an otherwise pleasant trail.

After 2 km on the rail route (6 km from Watford Junction) you’ll reach the western edge of Croxley Common Moor, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Local Nature Reserve (LNR). This is also the point where the branch line to Croxley Mills split off from the Watford to Rickmansworth line. If you pass through the kissing gate into the common you can see the a footpath along the western side of the common that follows the route of the old track.

Continuing along the Ebury Way you’ll have uninspiring light-industrial buildings on your left and Croxley Common Moor on your right. At the eastern end of the moor you’ll pass under the railway bridge that carries the Metropolitan Line between Moor Park and Rickmansworth.

The final 1.5 km, after the railway bridge passes through a series of fishing lakes, and over the Grand Union Canal. The Ebury Way ends with another information board before crossing a bridge over the River Chess. This is a nice spot with barges and quirky moorings. Beyond the barges you’ll see the Premier Inn which is built on the site of the old Rickmansworth Church Street Station.

More Disused Railway Posts

Richard gowerTrek, Railway, Disused Railway, Colne Valley, Hertfordshire, EnglandComment
Walking The Abbey Line Trail

Ver Valley Meadows

The Abbey Line is a 10 km railway branch line connecting St Albans and Watford in Hertfordshire. The Abbey Line Trail follows the route through local countryside following quiet paths in an otherwise busy area. There’s 5 local stations between the start and end points giving several options to break up the walk into smaller sections.

The whole Abbey Line walking route is 15 km and would be a good 1 day hike in good weather. We did it in the winter and broke it up into 2 sections of around 8.5 km using Bricket Wood Station to access the start & end points.

As well as being a good spot to cut the trail in half, Bricket Wood also marks the end of the River Ver Trail. If you have already completed the River Ver Trail you could skip the first section and complete the Abbey Line from Bricket Wood to Watford Junction.

If you are using the train to return to the start point of your walks, be careful to check the timetable. Trains were running once an hour when we walked it and we missed one by a minute.

Section 1: St Albans Abbey Station to Bricket Wood

Start: St Albans Abbey Station, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 2AY
Finish: Bricket Wood Station, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL2 3PE
Distance: 8.6 km (5.3 miles)
Elevation change: +43m / -45m. Net -2m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): River Ver Trail,
Other routes touched (cycle): The Alban Way, NCN 6, 61
Pubs / Cafes on route: Many in St. Albans, The Overdraft in Park Street (4 km in), Moor Mill Beefeater (6k in), The Gate pub is near the end of the route at Bricket Wood
Map: OS Explorer Map (182) St. Albans and Hatfield
Links: St Albans, St Albans Abbey Station, The Abbey Line, Abbey Line Community Partnership, Park Street, How Wood, Bricket Wood, Bricket Wood Station

 

The start of the Abbey Line at St Albans City Station will be familiar if you’ve done other walks in the area. This is also the end of the Alban Way, a disused rail line, now a walking and cycle path, that connected St Albans to Hatfield. Verulamium Park opposite also marks the start of the final section of the River Ver Trail connecting Kensworth with Bricket Wood.

When planning this trip my first thought was to skip the first section and start at Bricket Wood. The Abbey Line Trail follows the same route as the River Ver Trail for this first section and I initially wasn’t keen to do it again. However, my River Ver walk was an overnight Summer Solstice trip and much of it was in the dark so I decided to re-walk the section in better light. It’s a very pretty and interesting walk so I’m glad I did it again to take in the parts I missed the first time.

From St Albans Abbey Station the trail takes a right to follow the busy Holywell Hill road towards the city centre. After less than 100m you reach the bridge over the River Ver and can take a right onto the river-side footpath on the south side of the river. From here navigation is straightforward as the trail follows close to the river and is well-signed with either Abbey Line Trail or River Ver Trail stickers.

After 1km you’ll pass under the old railway bridge that carries the Alban Way over the River Ver before the old line takes a curve into St Albans City Station.

After 3km the trail passes under the A414 North Orbital Road and through the Ver Valley Meadows. Be careful here as the meadows can be very wet and you might, as we did, have to stay close to the eastern edge of the field to keep dry.

After the Ver Valley Meadows the trail joins the A5183 between Park Street and How Wood. This gives you your first chance to cut the trip into a shorter section and return by train. Unless the weather is really bad or you’re up for a very short trip, it’s worth continuing though. As you walk down the A5183 keep an eye out on the left hand side to see the remains of an embankment where a the Park Street Branch Line went over the road. This was a short section of track that connected the Abbey Line with the Borehamwood to Harpenden line connecting at Napsbury. Another clue to this old track is in the name of Branch Road which you’ll pass on the right before the next bridge over the Ver.

When you reach the bridge over the Ver leave the A5183 and take a right to follow the footpath on the south side of the river. Continue following the trail, passing under the M25 around 1 km later. About 1.5km from the M25 tunnel you’ll reach a bend in Drop Lane as it diverts north away from the River Ver. This marks the end of this first section of the Abbey Line Trail and the end of the River Ver Trail. Continue up Drop Lane for an extra 1km to reach Bricket Wood Station for the return trip back to St Albans Abbey.

Section 2: Bricket Wood to Watford Junction Station

Start: Bricket Wood Station, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL2 3PE
Finish: Watford Junction Station, Station Rd, Watford WD17 1EU
Distance: 8.3 km (5.2 miles)
Elevation change: +46m / -56m. Net -10m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): River Ver Trail, Hertfordshire Way,
Other routes touched (cycle): Colne Valley Cycle Route, NCN 6, 61
Pubs / Cafes on route: Many in Watford
Maps:
- St Albans & Hatfield Map | Hemel Hempstead & Welwyn Garden City | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 182
- London North Map | The City, West End, Enfield, Ealing, Harrow & Watford | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 173
Links: Bricket Wood, Bricket Wood Station, Munsden House, Munsden Estate, London Orphan Asylum, Watford, Watford Junction Station

 

From Bricket Wood Station cross over Station Road and follow Drop Lane back to the Abbey Line Trail at the River Ver. At the bend, take a right to follow the path on the right along the Ver in a south-westerly direction. You’ll reach the confluence with the River Colne and the end of the Ver. The rest of the Abbey Line Trail follows closely to the River Colne until Radlett Playing fields in Watford before taking a sharp turn up to Watford Junction Station.

Navigation is as straightforward as Section 1. The main thing that you need to look out for is where the tail takes a sharp right away from the Colne just after the confluence with the Ver. This takes you across the field and up a small hill where it takes a left to follow the direction of the Colne at a higher elevation.

Much of the first half of this section is through the grounds of the Munsden Estate. It’s a well-maintained private estate with several trails crossing it. As you traverse it you’ll start to see the taller buildings of Watford in the distance. After the estate you’ll cross over the M1 on a bridge then over the busy A41 Colne Way. We were able to cross straight over the A41 in a gap in traffic. Be careful though as it’s a very busy road so it’s safer to cross at the lights just to the north-west.

After the A41 the trail follows the Colne through the outskirts of Watford passing though Knutsford Playing fields. You can keep to the water’s edge here but it can be muddy after wet weather so an alternative is to walk through the middle of the playing fields or along Radlett Road.

Once you get to the bridge over the Colne at Link Road you’ll leave the Colne to head uphill to Watford Junction Station via Orphanage Road. Look out for buildings of the former London Orphan Asylum on the right of the road. These are now private homes.

The trail ends at Watford Junction Station where you can catch the train back to St Albans. If you’re not ready to finish walking, you can pick up the Ebury Way, a disused rail line that connected Watford Junction to Rickmansworth.

Richard gowerTrek, Railway, Disused Railway, Colne Valley, Hertfordshire, EnglandComment
LonDone parkrun Transport Connections

LonDone is the term for completing all parkrun events in Greater London. There are currently 62 parkrun events in Greater London. The first was Bushy Park which started on October 2nd 2004 and there’s typically a couple of new events added to the region each year. London is blessed with great public transportation links with most parkrun events within walking distance of a train, tube, tram or DLR stop. Travelling by bus gives you even more options.

Driving to the events is generally discouraged, but it will be the preferred option for some parkrunners for some events. Key considerations for drivers are parking options and whether the event is in, or the trip is through, the ULEZ or Congestion Charge zone.

Content on this page is sourced from the individual event pages, desktop research and input from the parkrun community. There make be some errors in the early release of this page and things can change. When planning your trip use this as a guide but always check the Course page of the relevant parkrun event and check other travel sites for any issues on your route for the day. Let me know if you spot any errors or have new information and I’ll make a quick update.

Links to key sections:

See my main parkrun LonDone page for more geekery on the Greater London parkrun events.

Public Transport: Nearest Stations and Stops

Notes:

  • Nearest station, excluding bus stops, is shown with a white background. Nearest alternative type shown with a light blue background.

  • Nearest and nearest alternative stations are all within walking distance of the start line. “Walking distance” is subjective but for the purposes of this I’ve determined it as “half-a-parkrun” (2.5 km).

  • Stations with an orange background are longer walks of between 2.5 km and 5 km.

  • “N/A” indicates that there’s no station of this type within a 5 km walk for the start line.

  • The Bus column shows the nearest stop to the start line. There’s normally several other stops nearby and on different routes.

Ally Pally to Fulham Palace:

Gladstone to Orpington:

Osterley to Wormwood Scrubs:

Parking, ULEZ and Congestion Charges

Driving to London parkrun events is generally discouraged and it can often be expensive. I learned that the hard way when I running late for Victoria Dock had to pay £20 for a short stay in the nearest car park.

If you are driving the main three things to know are about parking, the ULEZ zone and Congestion Charge.

  • Most events have a car park either in the park or nearby. Some can be small so plan to arrive early to make sure you get a space and have time to pay (if needed) and walk to the start. If there’s a charge many car parks have pay-by-app options. This is great if you already have the app but takes time if you’re a first-time user and need to set it up. Northala Fields is an example of app-only parking with no options to pay by cash or card at a machine. I’ve made note of any specific details on parking, but let me know if you have additional local knowledge.

  • The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) is a large area of London where you have to pay a charge if your car doesn’t meet certain emissions standards. You can find out if your car is exempt, see the area covered, and pay the fee on this TFL page. From August 29th 2023 the ULEZ zone was expanded to include most of Greater London, and all London parkruns are now in the zone. 2 events; Bedfont Lakes and Riddlesdown are right on the edge of the zone. It’s possible to reach these by car and park outside of the ULEZ zone, however be careful not to cross into it on the drive there.

  • There are currently no parkrun events inside the Congestion Charge zone. As with the ULEZ Zone, be careful when planning your drive as you may have to pass through the zone even if the parkrun event is outside of it.

Ally Pally to Fulham Palace:

Gladstone to Orpington:

Osterley to Wormwood Scrubs:

Cafés and Toilets

Knowing whether there’s a toilet at the event is often important when planning your trip. Most events have one near the start line but if they don’t it’s worth checking to see what’s on your route, especially for long trips. The original information here is from the Course pages from each event. Let me know if you have additional information (e.g. opening times, disabled access) on each that would help other parkrunners.

The cafés shown here are either ones noted on the Course pages or the closest one if not mentioned. These are not recommendations.

Ally Pally to Fulham Palace:

Gladstone to Orpington:

Osterley to Wormwood Scrubs:

The LonDone parkrun tube and train map

There’s often chat in the Facebook parkrun groups about having a transport map showing the nearest stations to the London parkrun events. I’m certainly not the first to have this idea or to give it a go. Here’s my attempt at putting one together. Things to know are:

  • It shows nearest stations to parkruns and key interchanges, not all stations and lines.

  • Other stations may be more convenient for each parkrun, depending on where you’re coming from. Check the tables above for alternatives.

  • It’s intended to be an “artistic impression”, not for navigation.

Nearest airports to London parkrun events

I’m guessing that parkrun’s encouragement of using public transport doesn’t include flying to events. This section is likely to be pretty niche, but I included it anyway. The map and table below shows the nearest major London airport to each parkrun event. “Nearest” is defined as the quickest route via public transport rather than as the crow flies.

The reality is that anyone flying to London for a parkrun is likely to choose whichever airport has the best cost and route options from wherever they are flying in from. Every parkrun event is accessibly from each of these airports within 90 minutes, so flying into any London airport on a Friday gives you lots of options to get to the event by parkrun o’clock on the Saturday.

A few notes on the exercise:

  • I included major commercial airports and excluded RAF or smaller airfields such as Northolt or Biggin Hill.

  • London Southend (SEN) was in-scope but there is no London parkrun that is closer to it by public transport than to a different airport. Harrow Lodge is the closest event to SEN but it’s quicker to get there by public transport from London City Airport (LCY).

  • Walthamstow is the only parkun event that is closer to London Stansted (STN) than any other London airport. This is mostly due to LCY being very well connected to many public transport routes with fewer options into London from STN.

Ally Pally to Fulham Palace:

Gladstone to Orpington:

Osterley to Wormwood Scrubs:

More parkrun posts

parkruns are free, weekly, community 5k events all around the world. I started in December 2012 and have been obsessive about it ever since. See my parkrun Collection page for details.

Featured and popular parkrun posts:

Richard gowerRun, parkrun, Railway, Underground, London, England Comments
New Forest Walks: Brockenhurst, Sway and the Disused Railway

Bridge over the disused railway.

Start: Brockenhurst Railway Station: Brockenhurst, SO42 7TW
Finish: Sway Railway Station: Sway, Lymington SO41 6BA
Distance: 10.6 km (6.6 Miles)
Elevation change: +79m / -101m. Net -22m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (walk): Southampton and Dorchester Railway Path
Other Routes Touched (cycle): NCN 2
Pubs / Cafes on route: Several in Brockenhurst and Sway. None on the route
Map: New Forest Map | Southampton, Ringwood, Ferndown, Lymington, Christchurch & Bournemouth | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map OL22
Links: Brockenhurst, Southampton and Dorchester Railway, Sway

This is a flat(ish) point to point walk between Brockenhurst and Sway railway stations, taking in a stretch of the disused Southampton and Dorchester railway path. The guidance below will help you navigate but don’t use it as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide. Always take a map and/or a GPX route and prepare well for the weather and terrain.

From Brockenhurst Station cross over the car park onto Avenue Road and follow it in a north-westerly direction to Sway Road. Take a left onto Sway Road then a right into a small car park to the left of the school. Continue through the car park onto a path that crosses Culverley Green to Burley Road. Take at left at Burley Road and follow it for 300 metres before taking a path on the left. Continue along this path with the stream on your left and farm buildings on your right. Continue following this path in a roughly south-westerly through Hinchslea Bog. We were there in winter after a lot of rain and the Bog was very ….boggy. Make sure you wear waterproof boots and are prepared to jump over a few streams and puddles.

At 3km from the start of the walk you’ll arrive at a crossing in the path. Take the left hand path which will take you to the start of the Southampton and Dorchester Railway path at the south-western corner of the golf course. Take a left and follow the railway path for ~3.5 km until the path ends and the old rail route becomes a road. From here you can either retrace your route along the railway path or take another path just to the south back to the edge of the woods near Oaken Caravan site. From here leave the railway path and follow a footpath in a south-easterly direction through the woods to Adlams Lane.

Follow Adlams Lane to the junction with Mead End Road, then take a left onto Mead End Road and follow it onto Station Road to reach Sway Station. From here you can catch a train back to Brockenhurst (1 stop).

Scroll down for information on the Old Station Tea Room on the site of the old Holmsley Station, further along the disused rail line.

Holmsley Railway Station - The Old Station Tea Room

The route described above covers the section of the old Southampton to Dorchester line that has been converted to a shared path for walking, cycling and riding. Further up the line to the west, on the section that’s now a road, you can find the old Holmsley Station, now converted into a Team Room. It’s a great place to stop whether you’re a train enthusiast or not. It’s been lovingly restored and is now a busy cafe.

Links:

More Disused Railway Posts

Richard gowerTrek, Railway, Disused Railway, New Forest, National Park, Hampshire, EnglandComment
Walking The Greensand Way Part 12 - The Nower and Dorking

Denbies Hillside. View towards railway and Westcott

Start & Finish: Reigate Road Car Park, 9 Reigate Rd, Dorking RH4 1SN
Distance: 10.8 km (6.7 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 222m
Greensand Way section covered: Bury Hill to Punchbowl Lane: 5 km
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): None
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 22, Surrey Cycleway
OS Trig Pillar: TP6411 - The Nower
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Queen’s Head (6.5 km in) and several on Station Road at the start/finish
Map: Dorking, Box Hill & Reigate Map | Leatherhead & Caterham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 146
Links: Dorking, Milton Heath and The Nower, National Trust Denbies Hillside, Deepdene Estate

This is the twelfth of a series of short circular walks featuring the Greensand Way. The full trail is a long distance path stretching from Haslemere in Surrey to Ham Street in Kent. Our walks take in short sections of the Greensand Way and loop back to the start on other paths. The Greensand Way is well sign posted however you’ll need a map or GPX route to keep on track for the return sections of the loops. The guidance below will help but don’t use it as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide.

For this section we parked at Dorking Sports Centre at the northern end of the town. From here cross over Reigate Road and follow London Road until a footpath on the left that takes you onto a bridge over the Pipp Brook. Take a left onto the path that follows the brook. Pass the mill pond on your left, and cross the park to reach a footpath that cuts into a residential area called the Parkway. Continue in an westerly direction to Chalkpit Lane and take a right. Walk up Chalkpit Lane and take a footpath on the left after the railway bridge. Take a right onto Ranmore Road then a left onto a footpath immediately after the school.

You’ll now be in the Denbies Hillside National Trust property. Continue in a westerly direction for ~1.5 km until the path curves down to the south to meet the railway line. Carefully cross the level crossing and continue south for 1.2 km until you meet the A5 Guildford Road at Westcott. Shortly after the railway line you’ll reach a path junction in Clay Copse. Take the right hand path up through the woods to keep on track.

Cross over the A25 Guildford Road and continue south onto Milton Street. After 200m you’ll rejoin the Greensand Way at the point where you left it on section 11. Follow the Greensand Way for 5 km to Punchbowl Lane at Deepdene. Along the way you’ll pass up and over The Nower (with an OS Trig Pillar on top), the southern end of Dorking Town and what’s left of the Deepdene Estate. The Queen’s Head pub at 6.5km is a good place to stop for a rest.

At Punchbowl Lane you’ll leave the Greensand Way which heads in a southerly direction. Instead, take a left, heading north, then a right onto Ladyegate Road. After 200m take a right onto a footpath leading to Deepdene Park Road. Take a left, following Deepdene Park Road to Deepdene Drive. Take a right and continue to the end of the estate at the A24 Deepdene Avenue. Cross over and take the footpath leading to Moores Road. Take a right, a right again and you’ll be back in front of Dorking Sports Centre.

Richard gowerTrek, Surrey, Trig Pillar, National Trust, Railway, England, Surrey HillsComment
Alexandra Palace and The Parkland Walk

Protected View to St Paul’s Cathedral

Start & Finish: Alexandra Palace, Alexandra Palace Way, London N22 7AY
Distance: 11.1 km (6.9 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 138m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): New River Path, Capital Ring
Other routes touched (cycle): None
Pubs / Cafes on route: Many, including: Finsbury Park Cafe, Goods Office (Parkland Walk South), Queens Wood Cafe (Highgate Wood)
Map: OS Explorer 173 London North
Links: Alexandra Palace, New River, Finsbury Park, Parkland Walk, Highgate Wood, London’s Protected Views

This is a short circular walk in north-west London that takes in Alexandra Palace, The New River Path and The Parkland Walk. The Parkland Walk follows a disused railway line and is now an area of calm in a busy part of the capital.

If you’re driving there’s a large car-park at Alexandra Palace that, at the time of writing, takes donations rather than a fixed charge. To access the route by public transport, the route passes close to Hornsea and Harringay rail stations and Highgate tube on the Northern Line.

At Alexandra Palace find the view point on the terrace at the centre of the south side of the main building. This is a Protected View to St. Paul’s Cathedral, although we couldn’t see St Paul’s even through the viewfinder. Must have been hiding.

From the view point take the paths through Alexandra Park to the southern exit to North View Road. Here you can either take a left onto the path following the southern edge of the park, or follow North View Road and Newlands Road as they run parallel to the path. We were there after a lot of rain and the path was muddy so we took the roads. The path and Newlands Road join just before Campsbourne Play Centre. Follow Newlands Road, then Greenways in an easterly direction until you reach the New River Path.

Follow the New River Path in a southerly direction for 2.6km until the junction of Alroy Road and Endymion Road. Take a right onto Endymion Road and follow it south until the entrance to Finsbury Park. Enter the park and follow the path on the western edge down to meet the Capital Ring just south of the Finsbury Park Café. Take a right onto the Capital Ring, cross the footbridge over the rail line and join the Parkland Walk.

Parkland Walk South

The Parkland Walk follows the route of the old railway line that ran from Finsbury Park station to Alexandra Palace. The route of the southern, and longer, section of the Parkland Walk runs from Finsbury Park (the park not the station) to the Holmesdale Tunnels near Highgate tube station.

Disused Stations Passed:

When you reach the western end of Parkland Walk have a look at the entrance to the tunnels before leaving the path. These are now blocked off to protect the bats that now live there. Leave the Parkland Walk at Holmesdale Road and follow signs for the Capital Ring. You’ll pass through Priory Gardens, Queen’s Wood and Highgate Wood. The Queen’s Wood Café is a great place to stop for a rest ahead of the final 2 km. Once you have crossed Muswell Hill Road from Queen’s Wood into Highgate Wood, leave the Capital Ring and follow the path on the eastern edge of Highgate Wood to the north-east corner at Cranley Gardens.

If you want to stay true to the route of the old rail line, you could follow the path on the western side of Highgate Wood instead.

Parkland Walk North

After Highgate Wood, the Parkland Walk can be picked up again on the junction of Muswell Hill Road and Cranley Gardens (road). This section of the Walk exits into Alexandra Park where you’re a very short walk back to the start.

Disused Stations Passed:

More Disused Railway Posts

Richard gowerTrek, Canal, Railway, Underground, Disused Railway, Middlesex, London, EnglandComment
Downs Link Ultra Marathon
Crossing The Old Shoreham Toll Bridge on the last mile

Crossing The Old Shoreham Toll Bridge on the last mile

When: October 10th 2021
Start: Church of St Martha-on-the-Hill, Halfpenny Lane, Guildford, GU4 8PZ
Finish: 3rd Shoreham Sea Scouts, Shoreham-by-Sea, BN43 5LT
Distance: 61.3 km (38.1 miles)
Elevation change: +456m / -622m (Net -166m)
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): North Downs Way, Tillingbourne At Work (SCC), Wey South Path, The Fox Way, Greensand Way, Sussex Border Path, West Sussex Literary Trail, South Downs Way
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 22, 223
Maps:
- OS Explorer Map (145) Guildford and Farnham
- OS Explorer OL34 Crawley & Horsham
- OS Explorer OL11 Brighton and Hove
Finish time: 8 hours 32 minutes
Links: Downs Link (Wikipedia), The Cranleigh Line, The Steyning Line, St Martha’s Hill, Surrey Hills AONB, Wey and Arun Canal, South Downs National Park

This was a return to familiar territory for Mark and I. We’d cycled the Downs Link in July and passed by St Martha’s church on the Hardest of Snails 10k shortly after. Running the whole of the 38 mile trail was an altogether bigger challenge. This was also Mark’s first Ultra and my first running one with a friend.

I had worked out a plan to get us through it at a steady pace with 30 minutes contingency for the 10 hour cut-off. I have a consistent pace for Ultras, but not knowing how Mark would get on I didn’t know whether we would be able to stick together or not.

The first 6.4k to the old railway path is steep and hilly. With a lot of runners packed tightly into narrow paths you have to go at the speed of the group. This was a comfortable pace for a short race but faster than I had planned for this. I couldn’t see Mark at all in this first section and was worried that I was getting a long way ahead. I needn’t have worried as he arrived at the first Aid Station 30 seconds behind me.

This was the pattern for the first half of the race. I was slightly ahead on each section and we met up at the Aid Stations. Somewhere between Henfield and Steyning we’d both slowed to a fast walk and kept together to the end. By the finish point at Shoreham-by-Sea we were a hour ahead of our planned time and well within the official cut-off.

This is billed as a great Ultra for first timers and I’d argue that it’s a great one all round. After the first 6.4k it’s mostly flat and on good ground. There’s a few long straight stretches that got a bit boring but made up for by the remains of the old stations along the way. See my post on the cycle trip for more about these.

Running and crossing the finishing line with a friend made it special for me. Well done Mark on joining the Ultra club and huge thanks for Mark’s family for supporting us along the way.

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Richard gowerRun, Ultramarathon, Canal, Railway, Disused Railway, Coast, South Downs, National Park, National Trust, Surrey, Sussex, England, Surrey HillsComment
Cycling The Downs Link
Old carriage at West Grinstead Station

Old carriage at West Grinstead Station

Start: St. Martha’s Hill Guildford Lane Car Park, Guildford Lane, Albury, Guildford, GU5 9BQ
Finish: Shoreham-by-Sea Station, Station Approach, Shoreham-by-Sea, BN43 5WX
Distance: 61 km (38 miles)
Elevation change: +344m / -457m (Net -113m)
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): North Downs Way, Tillingbourne At Work (SCC), Wey South Path, The Fox Way, Greensand Way, Sussex Border Path, West Sussex Literary Trail, South Downs Way
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 22, 223
Other routes touched (run): Downs Link Ultra
Pubs / Cafes on route: Wild & Green Kitchen (Cranleigh), The Little Teahouse (Southwater), The Old Railway (Henfield) …and others
Maps:
- OS Explorer Map (145) Guildford and Farnham
- OS Explorer OL34 Crawley & Horsham
- OS Explorer OL11 Brighton and Hove
Links: Downs Link (Wikipedia), The Cranleigh Line, The Steyning Line, St Martha’s Hill, Surrey Hills AONB, Wey and Arun Canal, South Downs National Park

The Downs Link is a ~59k trail linking the North Downs Way at St. Martha’s Hill and the South Downs Way near Shoreham-by-Sea. Having recently completed the similarly sounding Thames Down Link, this was an obvious next trip. The first 6k is a hilly route through countryside around Blackheath and Chilworth. Once it connects to the Wey and Arun Canal it follows the route of the disused Cranleigh and Steyning Lines.

There’s no practical public transport connection between the start and the end (maybe they should build a train line to connect them?) … so we did a 2-car shuffle. Our total route was a bit longer than the actual Downs Link as we started from the Guildford Lane Car Park and finished at Shoreham-by-Sea station.

Navigation is very easy, especially once you’re on the old rail line. There were a couple of path junctions on the first 6k that we may have missed if we’d not had a GPX route to guide us.

There’s remains of the former stations along the route, some better preserved than others. West Grinstead is a particular highlight as there’s a British Rail Mark 1 coach on site, now used as an information centre. Others, like Partridge Green and Bramber have been completely demolished with no remaining evidence.

Don’t miss stopping at Rudgwick Bridge over the River Arun. The previous gradient up to Rudgwick Station was too steep for trains so the embankments were raised and an iron bridge was built on top of the brick arch. There’s a viewpoint just off the path where you can see the two layers. The logo on the Down Link signs along the route are based on this bridge.

If you’re an OS Trig Pillar bagger, you can find TP1686 - Broomhall Copse 5 minutes off the path at the intersection with the Sussex Border path.

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Downs Link Disused Stations

Pictures above: top row, left to right:

Pictures above: bottom row, left to right:

  • Southwater: Wikipedia. Replica sign only, road now covers site of original station.

  • West Grinstead: Wikipedia. Station building and cottages now in private hands. Platform remains with a British Rail Mark 1 coach on display.

  • Partridge Green: Wikipedia. Station buildings have been removed and replaced by housing and the Star Road Industrial Estate

  • Henfield: Wikipedia. Station demolished. Only evidence is Beechings and Station Road sign where station used to be.

  • Steyning: Wikipedia. Station demolished but old warehouse building remains, now converted into townhouses.

  • Bramber: Wikipedia. Station demolished and replaced by a roundabout (photo). No other evidence.

More Disused Railway Posts

Richard gowerCycle, NCN, Canal, Railway, Disused Railway, Coast, South Downs, National Park, National Trust, Surrey, Sussex, Surrey Hills, EnglandComment
Cycling The Prime Meridian
View to the north from the Greenwich Observatory: National Maritime Museum and Isle of Dogs in the background

View to the north from the Greenwich Observatory: National Maritime Museum and Isle of Dogs in the background

The Prime Meridian, also known as the Greenwich Meridian, is the line of longitude defined as 0°. It’s the line that divides East and West. It’s also a line that I asked myself one Christmas: “can that be cycled"?”. The answer is “no” as it’s a dead-straight line with buildings inconveniently built along it's path. You can cycle quite close to it though, so that’s what we did.

If you want to walk it, there’s a well-signed path called the Greenwich Meridian Trail. The Trail is also very well described in a series of 4 books by Graham and Hilda Heap. The cycle route that I designed stays as close to the Prime Meridian as possible but avoiding footpaths and opting for quieter country roads over busy main roads. Even if you’re cycling I highly recommend the Greenwich Meridian Trail books as they’re a great guide to the interesting things to see along the way.

Our cycle trip was 8 days in total, averaging 77k (48 miles) per day. That’s a gentler pace than our previous long distance trips such as LEJOG or Titanic Ireland. Although we could have gone further each day we opted for more coffee and cake stops. We also split it into 3 separate trips rather than a single end-to-end. This ended up taking us exactly a year to complete as Covid Lockdowns interrupted our plans and we had to fit the trips in where we could.

We based the start and end of each section based on access to train lines. Fortunately there’s good train connections along the route without significant diversions. The start at Peacehaven is close to Newhaven Station, although Brighton Station, 6.5 miles away, gives better connections to the North. For the end of Day 2 we wanted to get through London and Waltham Abbey is a natural stopping point. There’s a station nearby at Waltham Cross, or more north/south connections 12 miles west at Potters Bar.

For section 2, covering Days 3 and 4 we covered Waltham Abbey to Peterborough. This takes you quite a way off the Meridian but has a lot of north/south rail connections including to Potters Bar and Hull. Picking up from Peterborough on Day 5 for section 3, we cut diagonally north-east to rejoin the Meridian at Fleet. There’s not much to miss in the section between March and Fleet and the route takes in the main Meridian markers.

By the end of Day 6 the Meridian reaches the coast at Cleethorpes. From here the challenge is crossing the Humber Estuary to pick up the Meridian where it rejoins land at Sunk Island. The Greenwich Meridian Trail ends at Cleethorpes and a bus is the most practical means of picking up the route at Patringham on the northern side. For our cycle route we took a long diversion west to cross the Humber Bridge and return on the northern side via Hull. This gives you an unbroken cycle trip, but means that all of day 7 and half of day 8 are off the Meridian. It’s worth it for the crossing of the Humber Bridge and the Hull to Winestead Rail Trail.

The final point of the Prime Meridian at Sand Le Mere is quite different to the start at Peacehaven. There’s no monument to mark the end of your trip … at least not any more. This is one of the most eroded parts of the English coast and the previous marker is long gone. Instead we found a large lump of concrete that was more or less in the right position and decided it was the end point. From here it’s 28k ride back to Hull where you can get the train back home.

See the individual blog posts for each section for photos, maps and stats covering each day.

Links to each section:

The Complete Route

Two maps of the Prime Meridian. Above: Cycle route, each colour representing a different day of the trip. Right: tube-style map showing the cycle route, 0 degrees longitude and the Greenwich Meridian Trail

Two maps of the Prime Meridian. Above: Cycle route, each colour representing a different day of the trip. Right: tube-style map showing the cycle route, 0 degrees longitude and the Greenwich Meridian Trail

Richard gowerCycle, NCN, Coast, Thames, Railway, Disused Railway, Canal, South Downs, National Park, Sussex, Surrey, London, Hertfordshire, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, EnglandComment