Brent River Park

NEAREST LOCATION

Brent River Park

RECOMMENDED BY
DISTANCE

3.5 miles (5.7kms)

ASCENT
0ft (0m)
TIME
2hrs 45min
GRADIENT
DIFFICULTY
Medium
STARTING POINT
TQ154805

About the walk

This walk takes you through the Brent River Park, a delightful series of green open spaces that incorporate several local parks, through which the River Brent meanders. Brent River Park, with its abundance of flora and fauna, is one of London’s largest urban green spaces and, although the hum of the traffic is never far away, parts of the walk are imbued with a distinctly rural ambience.

Landmarks

There are also a few surprises en route, chief among them the magnificent Wharncliffe Viaduct, the first major structural design of the great Victorian engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, constructed between 1836 and 1837 for the opening of the Great Western Railway. The viaduct has the distinction of having carried the world’s first electrical commercial telegraph in 1839, while the hollow cavities of its supporting structures, a unique feature when the viaduct was first built, have attracted a colony of bats that have roosted within these man-made bat caves. Elsewhere, the route meanders past reed beds – where you can catch fleeting glimpses of reed warblers – and skirts meadows and grasslands, some of which are cut annually for hay and which contain wild flowers such as sheep’s sorrel and mouse-ear hawkweed.

Towards the end of the walk you encounter the lovely St Mary’s Church, a Grade I listed building, which was declared redundant in 1972 and which has now been converted into a music and arts centre for the local community. The church itself dates from 1135 and its picturesque and tranquil churchyard would not look out of place in an English country village, which proves all the more surprising when, within a few short steps of its lychgate, you find yourself confronted by the traffic thundering its way along the extremely busy Western Avenue. Yet, even this abrupt end to the tranquillity of the latter section of the walk has its redeeming features in that, from the bridge that you use to cross over it, you can enjoy splendid views of the arch of Wembley Stadium and the art deco architectural style that has helped make the Hoover Factory a prominent local landmark.

Walk directions

Exit Hanwell railway station and follow the road in front as it bends to the left. At the end turn left and head towards the viaduct. Just before it, cross the road and join a tarmac path to the left of a small, enclosed park. A few paces further on take the paved path on the left and continue as it becomes a track (signposted to Greenford) running beside the Wharncliffe Viaduct. Isambard Kingdom Brunel designed the viaduct in 1837 and it was used by the Great Western Railway to carry trains from London to Bristol.

Go up the steps to your left, following the fingerpost signed 'Brent River Park Walk'. At the end of the meadows follow the path through the trees as it runs alongside the river. Continue across the grass towards St Mary's Church and follow the path next to the church, which slopes down. The area ahead is where the colonies of bats often feed. Many of these warm-blooded mammals hang from the nooks and crannies of Wharncliffe Viaduct, coming out at dusk to feed on insects along the river. You won’t see them in winter though, as this is when they hibernate, due to lack of food supplies.

Cross the tubular iron bridge, take the right-hand path and keep going to reach the golf course. Go immediately right over the lawn, pass the bench, turn right then left over the footbridge, emerging on to a golf course (beware!). Turn left and veer right at the ditch, go left down the slope to cross the ditch by the very narrow footbridge. Keep ahead with the river to your left.

Keep going straight ahead at the next bridge to join a red-gravel path. Fork left. Now continue on the grass path past a wooden bridge to your left and then go to the right of an area of reed beds following the meander of the river. The reed beds here provide not only nesting sites for reed warblers but also feeding areas for migrating birds, especially in autumn. Continue ahead past a weir. On arrival at the brown wooden fence go right up the steps and turn left along the red-gravel path, which runs alongside Bittern’s Field. Follow the path as it swings left and descends becoming grass again. At the end cross the busy Ruislip Road, bear right and go left through the gap in the rail to pick up the footpath once again.

After two weirs, the second of which is enclosed by railings, you will see Perivale Golf Course on the left. Continue on this path as it runs parallel to the road very briefly and merges with the pavement before veering to the left under the railway bridge. Go past a metal footbridge then go up some wooden steps. Pass to the left of Gurnell Sports Centre and turn left to pass a wooden marker post and head along the narrow, gently descending track, following the river along the edge of the sports field. Swing right and go up the incline.

Head left to join the main road and turn right along it. Cross over the zebra crossing, bear right and, just after the bench, veer left along the grass path and then left along the asphalt path. At a crossing of paths, keep ahead along a fenced path that slices through Ealing Golf Course. At the end turn left to cross a wooden bridge. Ahead is the white-timbered steeple of the 12th-century St Mary the Virgin Church in Perivale, whose churchyard is a haven for wildlife and features the rare black poplar tree. The church is now an arts centre and plays and concerts are performed here during summer weekends.

At the lychgate turn left and then right into Old Church Lane, passing the Myllet Arms pub. At the end cross the footbridge over the busy Western Avenue (pausing to admire the famous art deco Hoover building and the landmark arch of Wembley Stadium). Go left along Horsenden Lane South to reach Perivale railway station.

Additional information

Mainly grassy riverside tracks that can get muddy

Riverside meadows and wildlife

Not allowed in churchyard

OS Explorer 173 London North

Plenty in streets adjacent to Hanwell station

Brent Lodge Park

<p>To return to start, take 95 bus from Western Avenue to Greenford Red Lion, then E3 to Hanwell Station</p>

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WALKING IN SAFETY

Read our tips to look after yourself and the environment when following this walk.

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About the area

Discover Greater London

Greater London is one of the world’s largest urban areas; 33 boroughs stretching north to Enfield, south to Croydon, east to Havering, west to Hillingdon and with central London at the heart of it all.

Greater London was officially created in 1965, but the boroughs themselves all have their own histories going back much further. Greenwich is home to the Prime Meridian, which all clocks on earth take their time from, while Hounslow contains Heathrow Airport, one of the busiest airports in the world. Greater London contains a multitude of parks and green spaces, from the six Royal Parks (including Richmond Park, Green Park, Hyde Park and Regent’s Park) and other huge open spaces like Hampstead Heath and Clapham Common; to smaller community spaces like Clissold Park in Stoke Newington and Burgess Park in Southwark.

The centre of London has its quiet spaces too, like Coram’s Field by Great Ormond Street, and Camley Street Natural Park, a stone’s throw from King’s Cross and St Pancras. One of the city’s most impressive features is the London Underground. Beginning in 1863 as the Metropolitan Railway, it took commuters into The City from the suburbs of Middlesex. It was the first underground railway in the world, and now consists of 11 lines, 270 stations, and 250 miles (402km) of track. It’s estimated that nearly five million journeys are taken every day, and there are nearly one and a half billion riders each year.  At peak times, there are more than 543 trains whizzing around the Capital.

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