Walk No  2 – A Circular Walk from Stanmore at the Northern end of the Jubilee Line.

 

 

Distance

8 km (5 miles)

Underfoot

Paved surfaces and footpaths

Outward Journey

By Jubilee Line to Stanmore- about 30 minutes from Central London

Return 

By outward route

Points of Interest

Stanmore Hill, Bentley Priory Park

Refreshments

Cafes in Stanmore town centre

Public Toilets

At Stanmore Station

Shortening the Walk

Bus to Stanmore Station from the half-way point at the junction of Warren Lsne with the A4140

 

What To Expect From This Walk  

 

 

This walk explores the pleasant countryside to the  north of Stanmore. Its highlight is the view from Stanmore Hill, which at 152m is one of the highest points in London. On a clear day, you will easily see for 20 miles and the view takes in Canary Wharf, the Shard and Wembley Stadium. The walk then joins up with the London Loop and follows it into the grounds of Bentley Priory, where you pass a deer sanctuary before returning to Stanmore.

 

 

Route Directions

1. Outside Stanmore Station cross the A410 at the pedestrian traffic lights. Turn right along the footpath for a few steps, then go left through a gap in the hedge and straight ahead up Kerry Avenue. Cross over Valencia Road and continue up Kerry Avenue North to a wooden gate, where you enter Stanmore Country Park (SCP). Ignore a small path to the right and continue to a marker post (SCP24). The London Loop turns left here, but you go straight ahead uphill. In a grassy clearing, ignore a sign showing a path going right and a marker post (SCP17). Continue straight ahead, veering left to leave the woods through a kissing gate, shortly after a path coming in from the right.

2. A few metres further on, you reach a bench by a broad crossing track with a prominent signpost and waymarks to the left and right. Ignore these and go straight ahead, behind the post, on a narrow path leading slightly uphill. At a T-junction with another broad crossing track, turn right and follow the track as it curves uphill towards some red brick houses which soon appear on the skyline. Continue ahead to the top of Stanmore Hill and arrive at the London Viewpoint with its information board.

3. On leaving the viewpoint, ignore the gravel track going towards the houses (signposted Wood Lane Car Park) and take the grassy track downhill, just beyond the panorama board, signposted Stanmore Country Park and Station. Keep right at a fork to go more steeply downhill. At the bottom, bear right down a narrow path leading to steps and a small bridge which takes you into the woods.

4. Passing marker post 11, go straight ahead uphill on a path between the trees. At the top, bear left by a finger post marked Nature Trail. When you reach a grassy clearing, look for a London Loopmarker post partly concealed by foliage. Turn right here on the London Loop and exit the country park via a gate leading you out onto a road (Dennis Lane). Still following the London Loop, turn right uphill on the road. When you reach a T-junction, you turn right again and are soon walking alongside a high brick wall. Ignore a green footpath fingerpost on the opposite side of the road, but look out for a London Loop sign, just in front of the entrance to Harrow Rugby Football Club. Cross the road and take the path going left, marked with a blue arrow on the two-way London Loop sign. The path leads at a sharp angle away from the road, and takes you along the side of a large pond to your left.

5. Where the fence enclosing the pond goes left, take the right-hand path, which soon leads to a grassy area in front of a row of houses. Turn right here towards the London Loop sign at the end of the row. Continue on the Loop as it turns left just before the rugby pitch. Follow the path, which skirts right and later left round the edge of some more ponds, till you reach a small car park and a road (Warren Lane). Cross the road to take a path directly opposite and swing left through the woods. You then reach another car park. Walk out to the road (Warren Lane again) and turn right to reach the junction with the A4140. At this point, which is about half-way through the walk, you can catch a bus back to Stanmore Station.

6. To continue the walk, cross the road and enter Priory Drive. Walk to the end and turn right. After passing a large house called Green Tiles, turn left on a path to Common Road, which leads up to Bentley Priory Nature Reserve. While walking through this Site of Special Scientific Interest, keep your eyes open  for its diverse wildflower mix and the relatively uncommon birds found there, including buzzards, spotted flycatchers and bullfinches. In summer, birds such as whitethroat, blackcap, chaffinch and willow warbler can be heard. Continue through the gate by the welcome sign to enter the park. Shortly after, next to two information boards, the London Loop turns right, signposted to Harrow Weald. You, however, leave the London Loop here and go straight ahead on the asphalt path, following the sign for Stanmore Church. Your path now goes along the perimeter fence of a large deer enclosure.

7. At the far end of the deer park, continue ahead through a wooden gate. After more woodland, the track takes you across a stretch of open land to a metal gate, where you leave Bentley Priory Park to go down the residential road directly ahead (Old Lodge Way). Follow this to a T-junction with the A410 (Uxbridge Road), where you turn left. Here you can either take the H12 bus to Stanmore Station or walk along the main road to the centre of Stanmore, with its shops and cafés, and then on to the station, altogether about 1.5 km

 

Information On The Things You Will See

Stanmore is a suburban residential district of northwest London.  Stanmore Hill is one of the highest points of London, 152 metres (499 ft) high.  During the war, Stanmore housed an outstation of Bletchley Park, the codebreaking establishment where German Enigma messages were decoded. Stanmore was also home to RAF Bentley Priory from where the Battle of Britain was controlled. It is now a museum.  

The London Loop is a 240Km (150mile) long distance circular path around London which runs mostly within the M25 Motorway.  Its 24 sections make maximum use of London’s open spaces and parks.  You can find more information at https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/walking/loop-walk