Posts tagged Railway

Cycling The Thames Estuary: Thames Barrier to Margate

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.

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Richard gower24 March 2024Cycle, 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 AONB. 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.

The Bridges

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

Back to Chiltern Rivers Index

Richard gower25 November 2023Trek, Canal, Railway, London, Middlesex, EnglandComment

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.

Back to Chiltern Rivers Index

Richard gower28 October 2023Trek, Canal, Railway, Chilterns, London, Middlesex, EnglandComment

Walking The Uxbridge To Denham Disused Railway

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.

Back to Chiltern Railway Walks Index

Richard gower30 July 2023Trek, 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.

Staines West

Yeoveney Halt

Poyle Halt

Poyle Estate Halt

Colnbrook

West Drayton

Cowley

Uxbridge Vine Street

Uxbridge High Street

Denham

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.

Back to Chiltern Railways Walks Index

Richard gower5 February 2023Trek, 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 Hilly Fields:

Hoblingwell 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 Hilly Fields:

Hoblingwell to Wormwood Scrubs:

Café 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 Hilly Fields:

Hoblingwell 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.
There’s likely mistakes in this version. Please let me know if you spot any.

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 Foots Cray Meadows:

Fulham Palace to Orpington:

Osterley to Wormwood Scrubs:

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:

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:

Stroud Green: Disused Stations / Wikipedia. Platforms no longer exist. The Station Master’s House survives and is in alternative use.
Crouch End Station: Disused Stations / Wikipedia. Both platforms survive.
Highgate: Disused Stations / Wikipedia. Still exists but not publicly accessible.

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:

Cranley Gardens: Disused Stations / Wikipedia. No longer exists, site now used for housing and St. James primary school.
Muswell Hill: Disused Stations / Wikipedia. No longer exists, site now used for Muswell Hill primary school.
Alexandra Palace: Disused Stations / Wikipedia. Platforms removed but the station building survives and is in alternative use.

Downs Link Disused Stations

Pictures above: top row, left to right:

Bramley and Womersh: Disused Stations / Wikipedia. Platform and shelter still there.
Cranleigh: Disused Stations / Wikipedia. Station’s old platform levels still exist behind shops. Everything else has gone.
Baynards: Disused Stations / Wikipedia. Station has been restored but now in private hands.
Rudgwick: Disused Stations / Wikipedia. Rudgwick Medical Centre has been built on the site of the station's main building.
Slinfold: Disused Stations / Wikipedia. Station demolished & replaced by caravan park. Photo shows Railway Cottages opposite.
Christ’s Hospital: Disused Stations / Wikipedia. Old station demolished but platform remains. New station to the south.

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.

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

Back to Cycle Index

Richard gower14 July 2021Cycle, NCN, Coast, Thames, Railway, Disused Railway, Canal, South Downs, National Park, Surrey Hills AONB, Sussex, Surrey, London, Hertfordshire, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, EnglandComment

Walking the Thames Down Link - Overnight Summer Solstice Trek

Start: Box Hill & Westhumble Train Station, Westhumble Sreet, Westhumble, Dorking RH5 6BT
Finish: Kingston Bridge, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 1QN
Distance: 26.3 km (16.3 miles)
Elevation change: +202m /- 241m. Net -39m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Mole Gap Trail, Ranmore SCC Circular, North Downs Way, Box Hill Hike, Chessington Countryside Walk, Hogsmill Valley Walk. London Loop, Thames Path
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 22, 4
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Stepping Stones pub in Westhumble, William Bourne pub in Chessington, several in Berrylands and Kingston centres
Map: OS Explorer Map (146) Dorking, Box Hill and Reigate and OS Explorer Map (161) London South, Westminster, Greenwich, Croydon, Esher & Twickenham
Links: Thames Down Link, Westhumble, Box Hill and Westhumble Station, River Mole, Epsom Common, Horton Country Park, Bonesgate Stream, Epsom and Ewell, Hogsmill River, Berrylands, Kingston-upon-Thames

For the last 5 years, a dawn-to-dusk Winter Solstice walk has become a feature of my hiking calendar. It was half-way through our 2020 winter walk where the idea for a dusk-to-dawn Summer Solstice was formed. The idea was simple; find a point-to-point route that we can start at sunset and arrive at the end-point at sunrise.

In the planning stage the obvious route was the Avebury to Stonehenge route described in Andy Bull's Pilgrim Pathways book. At 27 miles it was too far for my walking friends. On hunting for a shorter walk I landed on the Thames Down Link. This is a 16 mile path connecting the North Downs Way at Westhumble to the Thames Path at Kingston-upon-Thames. I'd crossed a part of it recently on the Chessington Countryside walk and was keen to return.

So, on the closest Saturday night to the Summer Solstice, Brian and I arrived at Box Hill and Westhumble station and headed north. The first section was simple: a 50 metre walk to the Stepping Stones pub where we had a table booked at 20:00 for a pre-hike dinner. It was still light when we left the pub but fading fast and the 21:22 sunset arrived as we climbed up to Mickleham Downs.

The weather forecast for the evening looked grim, a continuation of a lot of rain through the previous week. We prepared for the worst but it turned out to be a dry evening where we were. My wife called at 22:30 to check we weren't already lost and soaked. It was chucking it down where she was but perfectly dry on the trail. The sky was clear but a lot of the trail was in narrow wooded paths so we were glad of the several torches that we took along.

The route follows mostly countryside paths with only a few busy roads to cross. If we had gone in the daytime I'm sure the photos would have been impressive, but we mostly only saw dark trees. Nonetheless, it was a quiet, safe route with fairly easy navigation, making it a good choice for a night hike.

The consequence of walking at night is a lack of open cafes and pubs to stop for a rest. We had taken enough food and water, but it did mean that we made a lot faster progress than a day-time trip where we would have stopped for longer. We arrived at the Thames at Kingston at 03:00, a full 1 hour and 44 minutes before sunrise. I had hoped to have taken a sunrise photo from the Thames bridge but neither of us were up for hanging around long enough for sunrise. Instead, we drove back to Westhumble to pick up my car and returned to our respective homes ready to see sunrise from the garden.

As a first Summer Solstice, it was everything we hoped for and it's likely that this will also be an annual event. Our main learning is that we'll need a longer one next time if we're going to arrive at sunrise. Stonehenge 2022?