Walk No 1 – from Harrow & Wealdstone, at the northern end of the Bakerloo Line, to Stanmore
Walk Distance 14.5 Kilometres (9 miles)
Underfoot Roads and country paths, mud in winter or after rain
Journey Time (from Central London to Stratford) 40 minutes
Getting Back to Central London By Jubilee Line tube from Stanmore
Points of Interest Harrow Museum, Bentley Priory Park, Stanmore Hill
Refreshments - Moat Visitor Centre Cafe, The Case is Altered PH, Old Redding
Opportunities For Shortening This Walk From Bentley Priory (Point A) you can walk directly to Stanmore
Route Directions
1. Leave the station at platform level (do not cross the footbridge.) signposted to Harrow Town Centre. Walk across the car park and turn right away from the town center. Swing left and go ahead into Kings Way. At the end of Kings Way turn left into Queens Walk and then turn right into Marlborough Hill. After 200m where Marlborough Hill swings slightly left, just after Marlborough Primary School, turn right on a narrow pathway between houses. Cross Walton Drive and go ahead along a similar pathway. Turn left onto Harley Crescent. At the next junction, turn right onto Harrow View and immediately left on Hide Road. Follow this until it reaches Pinner Vale with a church on your left. Turn right and walk downhill to a main road.
2. Cross the main road at a pedestrian crossing and go ahead along the continuation of Pinner Vale to reach Harrow Museum and Heritage Center. On the left there is The Moat Visitor Center where you can obtain refreshments. Go ahead past the visitor center and arrive at a park. Swing right to follow the main pathway out to a main road. Turn left, cross the road and take the third on the right which is Elmcroft Crescent. Follow this as it turns left and arrives at the A404 George V Avenue. Cross with care and enter a
signposted footpath to “Pinner Village”. Follow it for 250m to meet Wakehams Hill and go ahead for another 250m to find a path on your right signposted “Footpath 53”
3. As you join this footpath there is a sweeping view of your route ahead across the valley towards Stanmore Hill. The path descends between fields for 550m to meet a main road. Continue ahead on a signposted bridleway to pass Pinner Park Farm. Walk for another 500m between fields to reach a narrow lane. Follow a small footpath opposite, between a gated drive and a metal fence. After 100m, cross a footbridge over a railway line. On the other side, take the second road on the left, Letchford Terrace and emerge on a main road. Cross and turn left. Take the first road on the right, Tillotson Road and walk to the end to meet another main road, Courtenay Avenue. Do not cross. Turn left and walk to a roundabout.
4. Take care. Your onward footpath starts from the opposite face of the roundabout and getting to it involves crossing two busy roads. Start by using the pedestrian lights to cross the busy A410. And then cross the A4008 Oxhey Lane. The path entrance is now to your right. Turn left uphill and after 550 m come to a wooden fence at right angles to the path. Ignore a footpath going right. Instead go slightly left. Enter a field and continue in the same direction as before to emerge between houses on an unsurfaced lane.
5. Turn left for 20 meters and then turn right. Follow the lane out to a road beside a pub with the unusual name “The Case is Altered”. Turn right and after 50m, cross the road to follow a “London Loop” signpost into woods. Arrive at a junction of paths with houses ahead. At this point, do not turn right. Instead, continue ahead to a lane beside the houses. Turn right on the lane and where it finishes at the last house go ahead on a footpath with a series of yellow arrows to “Bentley Priory”. The edge of the woods is immediately to your left.
6. Go over several footbridges and a three board-walks but look out for a post indicating where your route turns right. Follow this for 200m and go up some steps to reach a road. Cross to a gate directly opposite and enter the grounds of Bentley Priory. Go ahead for 300m to another gate and turn left as indicated by a London Loop sign. Walk along this paved footpath for 750m to reach a T junction of paths with a large signpost indicating “Stanmore Hill” to the left and “Stanmore Church” to the right. (Point A. From this point there is the possibility of shortening the walk – see directions at the end of this description.)
7. Turn left and leave the grounds of Bentley Priory through a gate. Follow a track out to a road with large houses. Turn right and after 100m turn left along another residential road. Cross a main road to enter Warren Lane. Walk until you see a car park on the left. Enter the car park and go to the far right hand corner. Follow “London Loop” signs into the woods along an often muddy path. which twists and turns and finally emerges back on Warren Lane. Take a signposted path on the opposite side of Warren lane. Follow green “London Loop” signs between several ponds and then turn left behind houses with a wooden fence on your right. Reach a green area in front of some cottages. At this point, the helpful signs disappear. Walk to the bottom left hand corner of the green and turn left into the woods to reach a large pond with a low fence. Walk with the pond on your right and reach a road.
8. Turn right, cross the road, walk for 100m and turn left into Dennis Lane. Walk downhill for 350m and then turn left through a gate (signposted London Loop) into Stanmore Country Park, Go ahead through the woods for 100m to reach a grassy clearing. At this point leave the London Loop. Turn left as indicated by a “Nature Trail” signpost and pass “Post 9” to follow a clear path downhill through trees. Pass “Post 10” and continue downhill. When you reach “Post 11 ignore its instruction to turn right. Instead go ahead, cross a bridge, emerge from the woods and climb some steps up a grassy bank. At a fork, take the broad left-hand path and climb Stanmore Hill. When you reach the summit with its benches and viewpoint board, take time to admire the wonderful views across North London.
9. As you face the view (looking south), the path by which you arrived is on your right. To continue, take the path downhill on your left. At a fork take the righthand path. This swings right and begins to contour along the hillside. Look out for a wire fence with wooden posts down the hill on your left. As you get nearer to this there is a narrow path which leads down to corner of the fence. Take this small path and follow it around the fence corner to reach a large indicator post. From here your route is simply due south downhill. Pass a bench and go through a gate. Continue in this direction for about 300m and leave Stanmore Country Park. Go ahead down Kerry Avenue to reach Stanmore tube station.
To shorten the walk from Point A. Turn right towards “Stanmore Church” Follow this well-surfaced path for a kilometer passing a deer park. Upon reaching some open land, continue ahead and leave the park to enter a residential road directly ahead. Follow this to emerge on the main A410. Turn left and walk (roughly 1 kilometer) to Stanmore Tube Station via Stanmore High Street which provides the opportunity to visit at least one cafe.
