Walk No 12 - From Ealing Broadway (at the Western End of the Central and District Lines) to Boston Manor
Walk Distance 13 Kilometres (8 miles)
Underfoot Roads or good footpaths
Journey Time (from Central London to Ealing Broadway) 30 minutes
Getting Back to Central London Return by Piccadilly Line from Boston Manor
Points of Interest Brent Park River Walk, Capital Ring, Pitshanger Park, Perivale Park, Hanwell Flight of Locks and Grand Union Canal,
Refreshments - Cafe in Pitshanger Park and at Perivale Park Golf Club. Also the Viaduct Pub at Hanwell Bridge.
1. Turn right out of Ealing Broadway Tube Station and walk to a major junction. Cross the road using the pedestrian crossing and enter Mountfield Road which is the middle of three roads going north. Walk to the end of Mountfield road. Cross Woodville Road and enter Hillcroft Crescent. After about 100m, where the road turns left, go straight ahead and enter the pleasant West Walk which is restricted to pedestrians and cyclists. This starts to climb gently.
2. At the end of West Walk, go ahead for another 150m. You will find yourself looking at a hedge with a sports ground visible through a gap. Turn right and, after 100m, turn left into Fox Lane which is restricted to walkers and bikes. Go past some houses and a pitch-and-putt course your right. Walk to the end of Fox Lane and turn left. (This is Sandall Road) In 100m reach the junction with Lynwood Road. Turn right and walk towards the busy A40 Western Avenue.
3. Cross the junction with Brunswick Road. 15 metres before reaching the A40, turn left into an unmarked drive between houses and garages. Walk to the end of the drive and continue on a path with allotments on your right. The path eventually swings left and emerges in a road where there is green sign “Brent River Park Walk.” Turn right and right again into Neville Road.
4. After 100m turn left into Meadvale Road as indicated by another "Brent River Walk" sign. Walk for 550m to reach the entrance to Pitshanger Park on your right. Enter the park and turn left to reach some tennis courts. At the far end of the tennis courts turn right and pass the “Tennis Courts Reception Café” which is recommended as a refreshment stop.
5. After the café continue in the same direction and then turn left along the edge of the park. After 70m reach a crossing path which is signposted “Perivale”. Turn right and follow the path between fences and over a bridge. This is your first sight of the River Brent. Go ahead and pass a clapperboard church. Go through a lych gate, and turn left into Perivale Lane. Walk for 400m to the junction with Argyle Road and cross with care at the traffic lights which have no pedestrian phase.
6. Continue ahead into the road opposite (Stockdove Way) and continue for 300m to pass under a railway bridge. Ahead, to your left, there is Perivale Park Golf Club shop and cafe which is another possible refreshment stop. To your right is a sports stadium. Pass between the cafe and the stadium to reach a car barrier.
7. After the barrier do not continue ahead on the surfaced path which follows the perimeter of the sports stadium. Instead look diagonally left along the line of a hedge to see a wooden post and a gravel track. Follow the hedge and track and continue in the same direction down the line of bushes and rough grass which marks the boundary between the park on your right and the golf course on your left.
8. After 250m reach a path which comes in from the right and turns to continue your direction of travel. This is the London Ring and you follow it for almost the rest of the walk. Continue ahead and cross a bridge. Emerge on a small road and turn left to reach a larger road. This is Greenford. Turn left across a bridge, cross the road and turn right onto a clear path signposted as the Capital Ring which follows the river south.
9. The River Brent is often hidden from the path by undergrowth. After 700m look out for a marker post on the right which takes you down some steps to the riverbank and turns left along it. Later, rejoin the main path and within 100m come to a wooden bridge with a rubbish bin. Turn right across the bridge to the other bank of the river. Go ahead and then turn left on a path across Brent Valley Golf Course. Follow this path for about 1km to a metal footbridge. Cross back to the left bank and turn right to follow the river. The path is mostly a grass strip beside the riverside undergrowth.
10. After a series of meanders the path arrives at some signs. Follllow those which point to "Osterley Locks and Brentford". Join a larger track which, later, passes under a very large railway viaduct. Another footbridge takes you back to the right hand bank and soon you reach Hanwell Bridge. You have now walked 10 kilometers. If you feel this is enough you can catch an E8 bus back to Ealing Broadway. If you go left over Hanwell Bridge, you come immediately to a pub, The Viaduct, with a pleasant, spacious garden and decent food.
11. Continue under the bridge and follow the wide footpath beside the river for another 700m to the point where it joins the Grand Union Canal. Emerge on the towpath at the Hanwell flight of locks. If you want to see the full extent of the locks turn right for a short distance on the towpath. Otherwise turn left and walk down the canal towpath for 1.3Km and reach an imposing concrete walkway which is the Osterley Weir.
12. Continue ahead on this walkway and pass a lock. Within 100m there is a major bridge which carries the M4 Motorway over the canal. Just before reaching the bridge there is a signpost pointing to “Boston Manor Stn”. Turn left and leave the towpath Take the left hand of two paths. Climb gently and go ahead at the top to emerge on a residential road. Turn right and walk to the first junction. Turn left and then right to reach Boston Manor Tube Station.
