Penlle'r Castel

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Significance: High Point for the Welsh Principal Area of Swansea
Member of: Marilyns
Parent Peak: TBC. NHN = Garreg Lwyd
Elevation: 373m
Date climbed: August 19th 2023
Coordinates: 51° 46' 2'' N, 3° 56' 15'' W

Route Start & Finish: Parking spot at junction of 2 small roads at marker 48 of the Gower Way
Route Distance: 1.3 km (>1 mile)
Route Elevation change: +/- 55m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): The Gower Way
OS Trig Pillar: TP5000 - Mynydd Bettws
Pubs / Cafes on route: N/A
Map: Swansea/Abertawe Map | Neath/Castell-Nedd & Port Talbot | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 165
Links: Wikipedia: (Swansea / Mynydd y Betws / Penlle'r Castell), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

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Mynydd y Betws is the high point of the Welsh Principal Area of Swansea within the Historic County of Glamorganshire.

It’s a misleading name as the Swansea high point is at Penlle'r Castel, an historic ruin on the summit of Mynydd y Gwair. There’s a nearby Trig Pillar called Mynydd Betws and, according to the map I was using, another summit called Mynydd y Betws with an elevation of 341m. I decided to bag them all just to be sure. My plan was to do them in a circular walk from the start of the access road to the farm near the Trig Pillar. It was wet and windy when I arrived so I decided to bag the Trig Pillar and the 341m peak first, then drive closer to the path to Penlle'r Castel.

The best place to park for access to Penlle'r Castel is at a path junction by marker 48 of The Gower Way on the east side of the hill. If you’re driving there from the south you’ll likely come up the Rhydypandy Road. This passes very close to the western side of the summit shortly before a sharp bend in the road and a steep descent. There’s no safe parking space here, so continue down the hill, then take a right at the first junction to find the parking spot at Gower Way marker 48. Note that the road junction you will have just taken is the tri-point of the counties of Swansea, Carmarthenshire and Neath Port Talbot.

From the parking spot follow the Gower Way to the remains of Penlle'r Castel. My map had the 371m point a little further to the south-west so I continued along the path, almost to the Rhydypandy Road. Retrace your steps to return to the parking spot.

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Tair Onnen Trig Pillar

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Also known as: Tair Onen (Pantylladron)
Significance: High Point for the Welsh Principal Area of Vale of Glamorgan
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Craig y Llyn. NHN = Garth Hill
Elevation: 137m
Date “climbed”: August 19th 2023
Coordinates: 51° 27' 24'' N, 3° 23' 17'' W

Route Start & Finish: Parking space near entrance of ConeMasters Limited, St Hilary Offices & Depot, Tair Onen, St Hilary, CF71 7UA
Route Distance: 1.2 km (>1 mile)
Route Elevation change: +/- 5m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched: N/A
OS Trig Pillar: TP6301 - Tair Onen
Pubs / Cafes on route: N/A
Map: Cardiff & Bridgend / Caerdydd a Pen-y-Bont Ar Ogwr Map | Vale of Glamorgan / Bro Morgannwg | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 151
Links: Wikipedia (Vale of Glamorgan), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

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Tair Onen is the high point of the Welsh Principal Area of Vale of Glamorgan within the Historic County of Glamorganshire.

This High Point can be bagged with a very short walk from the parking space near entrance of ConeMasters Limited. From the parking space walk south and cross the A48. Don’t take the footpath over the stone wall that’s immediately opposite the junction. Instead cross through the gate into the field on the right and follow the left hand edge of the field heading south. When you reach the solar panel farm take a right and follow the path following the northern edge of the solar farm. You’ll soon reach the highest point of the path where you can cut into the field to bag the Trig Pillar and county high point. Fortunately there were no crops growing when I was there but be careful not to damage anything during growing season. Return to the parking spot via the same route.

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Approaching the summit of Garth Hill

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Also known as: Mynydd y Garth (Welsh), The Garth
Significance: High Point for the Welsh Principal Area of Cardiff
Member of: Marilyn
Parent Peak: TBC. NHN = Cefn Eglwysilan
Elevation: 307m
Date climbed: August 19th 2023
Coordinates: 51° 32' 36'' N, 3° 17' 40'' W

Route Start & Finish: The Taffs Well Inn, Cardiff Road, Taff's Well, Cardiff, CF15 7PR
Route Distance: 6.2 km (3.6 miles)
Route Elevation change: +/- 260m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched: N/A … the Taff Trail runs past Taff’s Well Station
OS Trig Pillar: TP3324 - Garth
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Taff’s Well Inn (start), The Gwaelod-y-Garth Inn (600m in)
Map: Cardiff & Bridgend / Caerdydd a Pen-y-Bont Ar Ogwr Map | Vale of Glamorgan / Bro Morgannwg | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 151
Links: Wikipedia: Garth Hill / Cardiff / Taff’s Well, Peakbagger, Hillbagging

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Garth Hill is the high point of the Welsh Principal Area of Cardiff within the Historic County of Glamorganshire.

With all of the English, Welsh and Northern Irish Historic County Tops in the bag, I had now turned my attention to the modern day counties and Unitary Authorities. The Wife was away and I had a free weekend in hand so I drove to Cardiff for 2 days of bagging the High Points of the South Wales Principal Areas. I had already bagged Werfa (Mynydd Llangeinwyr) on a separate trip back in 2019, so I had 8 to complete in this trip.

After spending the night in Cardiff and ticking off Cardiff parkrun I headed north along the a River Taff to the small village of Taff’s Well. Taff's Well is a village in the south-east of Rhondda Cynon Taf, about 6 miles (9.7 km) north of Cardiff. It is known locally as the "Gates to the Valleys". The village is named after the River Taff, which flows through it, and the warm spring within Taff's Well Park. The spring is the only thermal spring in Wales, and is thought to rise from the carboniferous limestone. The water is tepid, with a temperature of around 18 degrees Celsius. Taff's Well was a popular spa resort in the 19th century, and people would travel from all over the UK and Europe to bathe in its waters. The spa closed in the early 20th century, but the spring is still a popular local tourist attraction.

Taff’s Well Station is an obvious place to start the walk but as I was driving I managed to save 1 km each way by parking on the road outside The Taff’s Well Inn. From here there’s a path that crosses the River Taff before climbing steeply up to Main Road. Take a right onto Main Road and then, just in front of The Gwaelod-y-Garth Inn, take a left up Route des Alpes road. Continue up Route des Alpes, gradually ascending for 1 km until you reach a path that takes a sharp right hand turn towards the north-east away from the road. Continue up the path and curve round to the north-west to the trig pillar at the summit.

For the descent retrace your steps to the start but take a few moments, 1km from the summit, to visit the cliff edge view over Taff’s Well and along the Taff Valley toward Cardiff. Shortly after the view-point there’s a path leading directly down to Route des Alpes road. I decided to take this rather than the longer route I came up with. It turned out to be very steep and, after a lot of recent rain, very slippery. I got down but mostly by sliding down on my arse grabbing hold of any heather I could find. It’s definitely a shorter route but not necessarily quicker and, if I were to do it again, I would avoid it in favour of returning via the same route I had come up on.

One peak completed … now on to Tair Onnen in the Vale of Glamorgan.

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Cows and oast houses near French Street

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Start & Finish: Toys Hill Car Park, Toy's Hill Road, Westerham, TN16 1QG
Distance: 8 km (5 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 215m
Greensand Way section covered: French Street to Ide Hill: 3.71 km
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): NT Octavia Hill Centenary Walk, Weardale Walk,
Other routes touched (cycle): N/A
Pubs / Cafes on route: Cock Inn at Ide Hill (just off route at 1.8 km in), National Trust Cafe at Emmetts Garden (3.4 km in)
Map: Sevenoaks & Tonbridge Map | Royal Tunbridge Wells & Westerham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 147
Links: Toys Hill National Trust, Ide Hill, Emmett’s Garden National Trust, Weardale Manor

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This is the twenty-second 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 the National Trust Car Park at the bottom of Toy’s Hill and picked up the Greensand Way heading east after crossing Chart Lane. The route covers a lot of the same ground as the NT Octavia Hill Centenary Walk, but it’s not exactly the same so be careful when following route markers. After 1.75km you’ll reach Ide Hill village and will leave the Greensand Way but follow the Octavia Hill Walk north along Sundridge Road. Take a footpath on the right to leave the road, crossing a field to Norman Street then taking a left to return to Sundridge Road. Take a right, then a left into the lane that passes Ide Hill Cricket Club.

Follow the Octavia Hill Walk up through Emmett’s Garden National Trust where there’s a café. Shortly after the cafe you’ll leave the Octavia Hill Walk and continue west, now picking up the Weardale Walk. Follow this to French Street to join the Greensand Way at the point that you left it on section 21. Take the Greensand Way in a southerly direction all the way back to the Toy’s Hill Car Park.

The Greensand Way doesn’t cross over the top of Toy’s Hill so it’s worth taking a short out-and-back diversion from the path to the summit. At the top you’ll find the remains of Weardale Manor, a memorial and great views over the Kent and Sussex countryside.

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Toys Hill

Significance: Kent Downs National Landscape High Point
Member of: England Peaks with 100 meters of Prominence
Parent Peak: Botley Hill.
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Betsom’s Hill
Elevation: 248m
Date climbed: August 13th 2023
Coordinates: 51°15'00.0"N 0°06'00.0"E
Map: Sevenoaks & Tonbridge Map | Royal Tunbridge Wells & Westerham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 147
Links: Wikipedia (Kent Downs / Toys Hill), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

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• Previous section: Walking The Greensand Way Part 21: Crockham Hill Common and Chartwell

• Next section: Walking The Greensand Way Part 22: Yorks Hill and Bailey’s Hill

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Lost village of Dode

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Significance:  Unitary Authority High Point for Medway
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Botley Hill. NHN = Detling Hill
Historic County: Kent (of which Betsom’s Hill is the County Top)
Elevation: 172m
Date “climbed”: August 12th 2013
Coordinates: 51° 20' 43'' N, 0° 23' 55'' E

Route Start & Finish: Holy Hill Wood Car Park, Holly Hill Lane (North Downs Way), Gravesend, DA13 0UB
Route Distance: 4.5 km (2.8 miles)
Route Elevation change: +/- 78m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): North Downs Way
Other routes touched (cycle): N/A
OS Trig Pillar: TP3974 - Holly Hill
Pubs / Cafes on route: N/A
Map: Maidstone & the Medway Towns Map | Kent Downs | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 148
Guidebook: N/A
Links: Wikipedia (Medway), Peakbagger, Hillbagging, Lost Village of Dode

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Holly Hill is the high point of the Unitary Authority of Medway within the Historic and Ceremonial Counties of Kent. We bagged it on a short walk that also takes in the Holly Hill Trig Pillar and the lost village of Dode.

The Holly Hill Car Park is open during the summer and is very close to the Trig Pillar. We chose to keep this to the end of the walk and headed up to the high point first. Not sure why the Trig Pillar and High Point are in different places. Turn left out of the car park onto the North Downs way and follow it for 250 metres then take a footpath to the right heading east. When the path enters into a large field take a left and follow the tree-line on the left hand side of the field to the top of the hill. The high-point is near the large tree in the corner of the field. There were crops growing at the time so we kept to the field edge which may have been a metre or 2 from the actual high point. There’s no obvious peak or anything to mark the summit.

Retrace your steps to the North Downs Way and follow it north but keep to the main track rather than take the right hand turn when the North Downs Way diverts to the east. When you reach Wrangling Lane take a left and follow it in a south-westerly direction. You’ll shortly pass the entrance to the lost village of Dode.

The lost village of Dode is a small hamlet in the North Downs of Kent, England. It is thought to have been abandoned in the 14th century due to the Black Death, a devastating plague that killed an estimated 30-50% of the European population. The only remaining trace of the village is its Norman church, which was built in the 12th century. The church has been restored and is now a popular wedding venue. It’s private property and the gate was locked at the time so we settled for some photos at the gate and continued along Wrangling Lane.

Keep on Wrangling Lane as it curves to the south and gradually ascends up to White Horse Road. Take a left onto White Horse Road then take the first footpath on the left to take you into Holly Hill Woodland. Keep to the paths following the easterly edge of the woodland and you’ll arrive at the OS Trig Pillar, an information board and a great view across to central London. The car park is a further 250 metres from the Trig Pillar.

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View across Westerham to the North Downs ride, Westerham Heights and Betsom’s Hill

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Start & Finish: Westerham Village Centre, TN16 1AY
Alternative start point at: National Trust Chartwell Car Park, Mapleton Road, Westerham, Kent, TN16 1PS
Distance: 8.8 km (5.5 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 157m
Greensand Way section covered: Surrey/Kent border to French Street: 3.73 km
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): NT Mariners Hill Loop, NT Chartwell Walk, Weardale Walk
Other routes touched (cycle): N/A
Pubs / Cafes on route: Several in Westerham village at start and end. Cafe at National Trust Chartwell (5.3 km in)
Map: Sevenoaks & Tonbridge Map | Royal Tunbridge Wells & Westerham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 147
Links: Westerham, Crockham Hill Common, Chartwell, National Trust Chartwell

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This is the twenty-first 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 attempted to park in Westerham village centre but we were thwarted by a lack of available paring spaces and on-street parking limited to maximum 2 hours. It’s a good place to start the walk if you can but we decided to start at the National Trust Car Park in Chartwell instead. If you’re a National Trust member it’s a good option as it’s free and you’re more likely to get a space.

If you start at Westerham pick up the Greensand Way spur on the south side of Vicarage Hill road and head south, crossing the Darent River than taking a right at the path junction with the NT Chartwell Walk. After 3km take a right to cross over Goodley Stock Road to meet the stone, last seen in section 20, that marks the Surrey/Kent border and the half-way point of the Greensand Way. After touching the stone, retrace your steps back across Goodley Stock Road to return to the path through Crockham Hill Woods. Take a right to continue south along this path and follow the Greensand Way as it curves in an anti-clockwise direction to the entrance to the National Trust Car Park at Chartwell. This is the point where you would start the walk if parking there.

From National Trust Chartwell continue following the Greensand Way in an anti-clockwise direction to French Street. Here’s you’ll leave the Greensand Way and continue in the anti-clockwise loop heading north-west to rejoin the NT Chartwell Walk. This will take you back to the Greensand Way spur back up to Westerham Village. If you started the walk at Chartwell there’s no need to go up to Westerham (unless you choose to). Instead continue along the Greensand Way Spur to the Surrey/Kent border stone.

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• Previous section: Walking The Greensand Way Part 20: Oxted and Limpsfield

• Next section: Walking The Greensand Way Part 22: Toys Hill and Ide Hill

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Stormy day on Chobham Common

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Start & Finish: Staple Hill Car Park, Chobham, Chertsey, KT16 0ED
Distance: 7.9 km (4.9 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 65m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): N/A
Other routes touched (cycle): N/A
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Red Lion (5km in)
Map: Windsor, Weybridge & Bracknell Map | Thames Path | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 160
Links: Chobham, Longcross, Chobham Common

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This is part of a series of short circular walks in Surrey. 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.

Chobham Common is a 656-hectare (1,620-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) north of Chobham in Surrey, England. It is a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade I and a national nature reserve. It is part of the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area and the Thursley, Ash, Pirbright and Chobham Special Area of Conservation. It contains three scheduled monuments. Most of the site is managed by the Surrey Wildlife Trust as the Chobham Common nature reserve, but the SSSI also includes a small private reserve.

For this walk we parked at Staple Hill Car Park next to the M3. It’s a convenient place to park but noisy as it’s next to the busy motorway that cuts through the once very quiet common. The motorway has now created a northern and a southern part of the common.

From the car park we crossed over Staple Hill Road and followed the boundary path in a clockwise direction past Burrow Hill to Killy Hill. At Killy Hil take the small path out of the Common onto Red Lion Road for a stop at the Red Lion Pub. After the pub follow Red Lion Road to the west then take a right onto the Windsor Road, heading north. Shortly after the entrance to Heather Way take a footpath on the right back into the common and follow paths in a northerly direction until you hit the boundary path before the M3. Continue along the boundary path until you return to Staple Hill Car Park.

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Walking the line north of Fray’s River

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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

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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.

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HS2 train parked up at Colnbrook Station

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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

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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.

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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.

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The full cycle route from Staines West to Denham

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

View fullsize

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

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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.

Staines West

Yeoveney Halt

Poyle Halt

Poyle Estate Halt

Colnbrook

West Drayton

Cowley

Uxbridge Vine Street

Uxbridge High Street

Denham

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More Disused Railway Posts

Brockenhurst, Sway and the Disused Railway

The Downs Link

The Ebury Way

The Nickey Line, Ayot Greenway and The Alban Way

The Parkland Walk

The Phoenix Trail and Watlington & Princes Risborough Railway

The High Wycombe To Bourne End Disused Railway

Guildford & Shalford

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See also:

- Cycling The Slough to Windsor Railway
- Cycling The Windsor to Staines Railway
- Chiltern Railways Walking and Cycling Routes

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Significance: Unitary Authority High Point for Portsmouth
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Butser Hill, NHN: Butser Hill
Historic County: Hampshire (of which Pilot Hill is the County Top)
Elevation: 122m
Date “climbed”: July 22nd 2023
Coordinates: 50° 51' 29'' N, 1° 6' 43'' W
Map: Meon Valley, Porstmouth, Gosport and Fareham (OS Explorer Map): Sheet 119
Links: Wikipedia (Portsmouth), Peakbagger, Hillbagging, Fort Southwick

Fort Southwick is the high point of the Unitary Authority of Portsmouth, within the Historic and Ceremonial Counties of Hampshire. The high point is on private land on a track up to a small reservoir but it’s easily accessible over a gate from Portsdown Hill Road just to the west of the old fort.

Fort Southwick was built in the 1860s to defend the landward approaches to the naval base at Portsmouth. The fort is a large, triangular structure with a dry ditch and a number of caponiers (small, projecting defensive works). It also houses a water storage tank and a spiral staircase that leads to the underground tunnels.

Fort Southwick was disarmed in 1906 but was retained as a barracks. It was also used by the army to train soldiers how to capture and hold a fort. In the Second World War, the fort was used as a headquarters for the Admiralty and as a communications center.

Today, Fort Southwick is mainly used as an NHS park and ride for Portsmouth and a used car dealership. There’s an OS Trig Pillar inside (TP3238 - Fort Southwick) but inaccessible except with special permission. Trigpointing logs indicate that permission is very hard to get.

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Significance: Unitary Authority High Point for Southampton
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Butser Hill, NHN: Telegraph Hill
Historic County: Hampshire (of which Pilot Hill is the County Top)
Elevation: 82m
Date “climbed”: July 22nd 2023
Coordinates: 50° 57' 0'' N, 1° 24' 16'' W
Map: New Forest Map | Southampton, Ringwood, Ferndown, Lymington, Christchurch & Bournemouth | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map OL22
Links: Wikipedia (Southampton), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Bassett Avenue is the high point of the Unitary Authority of Southampton, within the Historic and Ceremonial Counties of Hampshire. Most people will have passed right through the high point when approaching the city along the A33 Bassett Avenue having come off the M3. The high point is at the junction of Bassett Avenue and Bassett Health Avenue. Not much to see here so best done on the way to something more interesting

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View to Birmingham on a cloudy day from Rednal Hill North Top

Significance: Metropolitan Borough High Point for Birmingham
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Walton Hill.
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Rednal Hill
Historic County: Worcestershire (of which Worcestershire Beacon is the County Top)
Elevation: 250m
Date climbed: July 16th 2023
Coordinates: 52° 23' 14'' N, 2° 0' 27'' W

Route Start / End: Car park at Lickey Hill Golf Course, Rose Hill, Rednal, Birmingham, B45 8RR
Route Distance: 3.4 km (2.1 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 116m
Subsidiary tops on route: Beacon Hill
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Drovers Way
OS Trig Pillar: TP4411 - Lickey Hill
Map: Birmingham Map | Walsall, Solihull & Redditch | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 220
Links: Wikipedia (Birmingham), Lickey Hills Country Park, Peakbagger, Hillbagging

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Rednal Hill North Top is the high point of the Metropolitan Borough of Birmingham, within the Historic and Ceremonial Counties of Worcestershire. It’s within the Lickey Hills Country Park, once owned by the Cadbury family. Both the main summit of Rednal Hill and nearby Beacon Hill are higher although the boundary of present-day Worcestershire and the Birmingham Metropolitan Borough cuts off the north end of the Country Park, making the north end of the Rednall Hill Ridge the high point of Birningham.

There’s free parking at the entrance to the golf course off Rose Hill (road). I wasn’t sure if the car park is specifically for the golf course or open to anyone but there were no signs and plenty of spaces so I parked there. The circular route that I chose follows Rose Hill road in an easterly direction to the eastern end of the Country Park where you can take a steep footpath up the hill to the summit of Rednall Hill. There was a bunch of teenagers at the summit who aggressively shouted out “you awright, mate?” as I passed so I didn’t hand around. From the summit follow the ridge-top path for ~600m to the north-top summit and a view across to Birmingham City.

From the north-top summit retrace your steps for 200 metres and take a path to the right heading west across the golf course then up to the Trig Pillar. The Trig pillar isn’t the summit of Beacon Hill so continue for another 20m to the toposcope at the summit. From here follow paths to the south-east back to the car park.

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Significance: Metropolitan Borough High Point for Solihull
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Walton Hill
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Barr Beacon
Historic County: Warwickshire (of which Ebrington Hill is the County Top)
Elevation: 185m
Date “climbed”: July 16th 2023
Coordinates: 52° 27' 32'' N, 1° 37' 9'' W
OS Trig Pillar: N/A, nearest is TP3975 - Hollyberry End
Map: Coventry & Warwick Map | Weatherproof | Royal Leamington Spa & Kenilworth | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Active Map 221
Links: Wikipedia (Solihull), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Meigh’s Wood is the high point of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, within the Historic County of Warwickshire and in the Ceremonial County of West Midlands. It’s very close to Corley Moor, the high point of Coventry so it makes sense to bag them in the same trip

This one is a quick drive-by with parking in a layby off the B4102 Fillongley Road. This high point is deceptively named as it’s actually in Boultbee’s Wood which is on the opposite side of the A4102 from Meigh’s Wood. From the layby enter the woods and follow the fence on the northern boundary with the field. The high point is roughly half way along the boundary with the field. There’s nothing to mark the summit.

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Significance: Metropolitan Borough High Point for Coventry
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Walton Hill
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Meighs Wood
Historic County: Warwickshire (of which Ebrington Hill is the County Top)
Elevation: 167m
Date “climbed”: July 16th 2023
Coordinates: 52° 27' 39'' N, 1° 35' 16'' W
OS Trig Pillar: N/A, nearest is TP2413 - Corley Resr
Map: Coventry & Warwick Map | Weatherproof | Royal Leamington Spa & Kenilworth | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Active Map 221
Links: Wikipedia (Coventry), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Corley Moor is the high point of the Metropolitan Borough of Coventry, within the Historic County of Warwickshire and on the border of the Ceremonial Counties of Warwickshire and West Midlands. It’s very close to Meigh’s Wood, the high point of Solihull so it makes sense to bag them in the same trip

This one is a quick drive-by with parking at the Bull and Butcher pub in Corley Moor village. From the pub walk down Wall Hill Road in a south-easterly direction to the brow of the hill outside Sunnyside Farm. Nothing spectacular here.

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When: July 16th 2023
Where: Start/end at Compton Verney House
Course: Out to Lighthorne road, a loop to Kineton then back on the same route via Lighthorne Road
Other routes touched: N/A
Finish time: 57 minutes 37 seconds

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Staverton Clump, 05:00 on a Sunday morning in July

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I ticked off Arbury Hill, the high point of Historic Northamptonshire, back in 2013. This was my early days of peak-bagging and I was doing a few drive-bys and quick walks on the way to a work trip in Melton Mowbray. At the time I didn’t stray from public rights-of-way into private land so I got as close to Arbury Hill’s summit as possible on the footpath and considered it ticked.

Several years later my friends and I started our annual County Top long weekends to bag the furthest peaks from home. My “non-completion” of Arbury Hill became a constant source of debate during those weekends. For a while I insisted that I had definitely bagged Arbury due to my non-trespassing policy. I got as close as possible on public routes so I was done. Right?

They weren’t having it and 2 of them had made successful summits of Arbury without difficulties. One had got the land-owner’s permission and the other just went there. By our 2022 Scotland Trip I had decided that I needed to return to Arbury to resolve the dispute. My plan was to turn up, ask the land-owner for permission if I could find them and if not just do it, but be discreet and not disturb anything.

So, in the summer of 2023, as a part of a road trip of Midlands high points I returned to tackle Arbury Hill again. I parked at the same spot on the grass verge on Badby Road and up the closest footpath to the southern edge of Arbury Hill summit. No land-owner in sight and, being early evening on a Saturday, no-one at all.

At ~ 1 km from the start of the footpath on Badby Road there’s a gate across the path then a locked wooden gate on the right hand side that leads up the hill on the eastern edge of a crop field. 300m later, just before the woods, there’s another gate into a field and it’s a short walk from there to the summit. As it turned out it was a simple ascent with 2 easy to hop-over gates from the public footpath. I returned using the same route with a smug sense of being able to resolve a now 10-year debate with my friends.

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Arbury Hill

Significance: Highest peak in Northamptonshire (Historic CT), Unitary Authority High Point for West Northamptonshire
Member of: Hump, Tump
Parent Peak: Cleeve Hill. NHN = Ebrington Hill
Elevation: 224.3m
Date climbed: July 15th 2013
Coordinates: 52°13′27″N 1°12′36″W 
Route Start / End: Grass verge by start of footpath on Badby Road, just off the A361
Route Distance: 3 km (1.9 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 45m
Subsidiary tops on route: None
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched: None
Map: OS Explorer 206: Edge Hill and Fenny Compton
Guidebook: The UK's County Tops (Jonny Muir), Walking the County High Points of England (David Bathurst)
Links: Wikipedia (Northamptonshire), Wikipedia (West Northamptonshire), Wikipedia (Arbury Hill), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Wikipedia says there’s a Triangulation Station (Trig Pillar) at the summit. This is not correct as the nearer Trig Pillar is on Big Hill - Staverton Clump.

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Big Hill - Staverton Clump

Significance: Alternative Highest peak in Northamptonshire (Historic CT), Alternative Unitary Authority High Point for West Northamptonshire
Member of: Hump, Tump
Parent Peak: Cleeve Hill. NHN = Ebrington Hill
Elevation: 224.3m
Date climbed: July 16th 2013
Coordinates: 52° 14' 47'' N, 1° 11' 49'' W
Route Start / End: Staverton Park Hotel & Golf Club, Daventry Road, NN11 6JT
Route Distance: 2.4 km (1.5 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 48m
Subsidiary tops on route: None
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched: None
OS Trig Pillar: TP6169 - Staverton
Map: OS Explorer 206: Edge Hill and Fenny Compton
Guidebook: N/A
Links: Wikipedia (Northamptonshire), Wikipedia (West Northamptonshire), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Shortly before my first attempt at Arbury Hill in 2013 Big Hill - Staverton Clump was determined to be the twin County Top of Northamptonshire. It’s another one on private land so it didn’t make my to-do list until I made the decision to return to Arbury. Whereas Arbury’s summit is off the public right of way, the whole of this walk is on private land.

I had completed Arbury Hill early evening on a Saturday and checked in to the Staverton Park Hotel opposite the start of the walk up to Staverton Clump. For anyone not staying at the hotel, the best place to park is a layby further to the east along the A425. I set my alarm for 04:30 on the Sunday morning, left the hotel and hopped into the field opposite. The field was fully of grazing cattle so I kept out of sight to the edge of the field heading up to Staverton Clump at the top of the field. If you’re just going for the High Point, it’s only a 0.5km walk from the gate.

Rather than just bag the high point I continued for another ~0.5km to the east to bag the Staverton Trig Pillar. Strange that it’s not on the actual high point. After the Trig I retraced my steps along the edge of the field and into the woods to bag the high point. It’s a fairly flat summit with nothing obvious to mark the high point. Once bagged I followed the edge of the field back down to the road and into the hotel for breakfast.

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Mill Hill

Significance: Unitary Authority High Point for North Northamptonshire
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Cleeve Hill. NHN = Big Hill - Staverton Clump
Elevation: 160m
Date climbed: July 15th 2013
Coordinates: 52° 24' 6'' N, 0° 51' 56'' W
Route Start / End: Space for 1 car by gate to bridleway on small road between Harrington and Harrington Air Base War Memorial (post code = NN14 1LN)
Route Distance: 1.1 km (0.7 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 4m
Subsidiary tops on route: None
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched: None
Map: OS Explorer 206: Edge Hill and Fenny Compton
Guidebook: N/A
Links: Wikipedia (Northamptonshire), Wikipedia (North Northamptonshire), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Mill Hill became a new county high point on April 1st 2021 with the creation of the North Northamptonshire Unitary Authority. It lacks the minor thrills of Arbury and Staverton as it’s a flat, undemanding walk on a public right of way. It’s also a very short walk of a 1.1 km round trip from the layby off the small road between Harrington and Harrington Air Base War Memorial. There’s no obvious high point so I wander around the corner of the track for a bit until I was satisfied that I had bagged it.

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Trig Pillar at the summit of Bow Brickhill

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Significance: Unitary Authority High Point for Milton Keynes
Member of: Tump
Parent Peak: Haddington Hill. NHN = Dunstable Downs
Historic County: Buckinghamshire (of which Haddington Hill is the County Top)
Elevation: 171m
Date climbed: July 15th 2013
Coordinates: 52° 0' 4'' N, 0° 40' 5'' W

Route Start / End: Parking on south side of Church Road, just east of All Saints Church, Bow Brickhill, MK17 9LQ
Route Distance: 400m (0.25 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 6m
Subsidiary tops on route: None
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched: None
OS Trig Pillar: TP1543 - Bow Brickhill
Map: Buckingham & Milton Keynes Map | Weatherproof | Leighton Buzzard & Woburn | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Active Map 192
Guidebook: N/A
Links: Wikipedia (Milton Keynes), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Bow Brickhill is the high point of the Unitary Authority of Milton Keynes, within the Ceremonial and Historic Counties of Buckinghamshire. It can be easily accessed via short out-and back walk from the Car Park on Church Road or as a short diversion from the Milton Keynes Boundary Walk. From the parking spot on Church Road, it’s a 400m easy walk through the woods to the Trig Pillar that marks the high point. As Hillbagging points out “LIDAR suggests the summit is 22m NW of the trig at SP 91511 34503” .. however bagging the Trig Pillar was good enough for me.

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Harrold Park Farm Trig Pillar, north of the high point along the Three Shires Way

Significance:  Unitary Authority High Point for Bedford Borough
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Cleeve Hill. NHN = Bow Brickhill
Historic County: Bedfordshire (of which Dunstable Downs is the County Top)
Elevation: 107m
Date climbed: July 15th 2013
Coordinates: 52° 12' 4'' N, 0° 39' 59'' W

Route Start / End: Free on-street parking in or near Church Lane, Bozeat, NN29 7NJ
Route Distance: 6.5 km (4.0 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 39m
Subsidiary tops on route: None
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Three Shires Way
OS Trig Pillar: TP3642 - Harrold Park Farm
Map: Newport Pagnell & Northampton South Map | Towcester & Olney | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 207
Guidebook: N/A
Links: Wikipedia (Bedford Borough), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

The Slipe is the high point of the Unitary Authority of Bedford Borough, within the Ceremonial and Historic Counties of Bedfordshire.

After a few quick drive-by high-points I was happy to get out of the car for a short walk to the Bedford Borough top. Bozeat is a quiet village with a lot of free on-street parking near the start and end of this route. From Fir Tree Grove follow the footpath for a little over 2km until you reach the junction with the Three Shires Way. The Three Shires Path also runs along the North Northamptonshire / Bedfordshire border at this point. The county tri-point with Milton Keynes is to the south in The Oaks Wood.

The patch of woodland to the east of the Three Shires Way is called the Slipe and the high point is just inside the woods at the northern end. You’ll need to cross over a ditch to get into the woods and there’s nothing to mark the high-point. From the high point you could return to Bozeat the way you came or, as I did, make it a more interesting circular walk to visit the Harrold Park Farm Trig Pillar a further 2.4km along the Three Shires Way. From the Trig Pillar return to Bozeat by taking the westerly heading footpath through the field.

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Significance: Highest point of the Unitary Authority of Leicester City
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Cleve Hill, NHN = Beacon Hill Leicestershire
Historic County: Leicestershire (of which Bardon Hill is the County Top)
Elevation: 110m
Date “climbed”: July 15th 2023
Coordinates: 52° 39' 8'' N, 1° 2' 54'' W
Map: Leicester & Hinckley Map | The National Forest | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 233
Links: Wikipedia (Leicester City), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Nether Hall is the high point of the Unitary Authority of Leicester City, within the Ceremonial and Historic Counties of Leicestershire. From the map, while planning the trip, I was expecting a fairly urban area but it turned out to be a pleasant suburb.

This is a quick drive-by with free on-street parking at the eastern end of Keyham Lane West near the junction with Hamilton Lane. The high point is on the eastern side of Hamilton Lane at the entrance to a footpath to the golf course.

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Significance: Highest point in the Soke of Peterborough Administrative County, the defunct county of Huntingdon and Peterborough and the present-day Unitary Authority of Peterborough
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Cleve Hill, NHN = Cold Overton Park
Historic County: Northamptonshire (of which Arbury Hill is the County Top)
Elevation: 81m
Date “climbed”: July 15th 2023
Coordinates: 52° 37' 31'' N, 0° 28' 19'' W
Map: Rutland Water Map | Stamford & Oakham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 234
Links: Wikipedia (Soke of Peterborough, Huntingdon and Peterborough, Peterborough Unitary Authority), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

The Soke of Peterborough is an Administrative County that came into existence as a result of The Local Government Act 1888. It was formerly part of the Historic County of Northamptonshire and, for a brief period between 1965 and 1974, the high point of the county of Huntingdon and Peterborough. It is now a part of the Ceremonial County of Cambridgeshire, although only just inside the border with the Northamptonshire, and is the high point of Peterborough Unitary Authority.

You won’t need crampons or extra oxygen to conquer this one. It’s a simple drive by, exiting the A1 near Burghley Park and finding a parking space on the curve of Racecourse Road.

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