Walks close to Ruislip

Hillingdon Trail

Hillingdon Trail
If you fancy a walk then why not take in part of this "official" signed path. Get yourself to West Ruislip station and walk towards Ickenham passing The Soldiers Return pub. There is a good place to pick up the trail just after the pub turning right. (at the point where it crosses The Greenway (road) turn right then left). The route is long and rural along most of its length and can be left at various points to pick up public transport back to Ruislip (some NOT very regular), where, if you want to get back to the heart of Ruislip itself then you can leave and get a H13 bus from Ruislip Lido (or the 331 from Ducks Hill Road) or in Harefield pick up the 331.

(Please note HS2 works may have curtailed this walk)

There is a web site here with more information on.




Northala Fields

Northala Fields
So, what do you do with all the rubble left over from demolishing the old Wembley Stadium? Well the answer is you make several large "Hills" alongside the A40 at Northolt and turn it in to a "Country Park". 

Now it has to be said that these are not the easiest place to get to from Ruislip by public transport but the best option is probably to take the 114 bus from Ruislip Station to South Harrow. At the South Harrow station stop alight and cross the road at the lights by the station and return to the bus stops opposite where you alighted (and NOT the stops in the little station depot) and from there get on a 140 bus, alighting just AFTER it crosses the main A40 at the large "Target" roundabout . After alighting from the bus walk in the same direction as it was heading until you reach Makepeace Road and then turn off there in to Huxley Close. There is an entrance to the park just up the close. 

Northala Fields

Northala Fields view
You can read more abut this park here and there is an excellent BBC article here

The Celandine Route

The Celandine Route
This path is not so well known and basically follows the route of the River Pinn through the area. It runs from West Drayton Station to Pinner Station but the best place to pick it up, if you are in Ruislip when you set out, is near Hillingdon Station.

Get the train to the station and then exit to the right and walk down to the traffic lights. Take care crossing here and head out following signs towards the A40 in the direction of Oxford. You should be on the left hand side of the road where you will find a footpath (shared with the occasional cyclist). Proceed out up the gentle hill and ahead you will soon see a large footbridge over the main road. Cross back over the A40 on the bridge and you are now on the Celandine Route. Follow the path through woods and alongside the River Pinn, where a decent place to leave the path is at the mini roundabout in Old Eastcote where, nearby, you will find The Black Horse Pub, The Case Is Altered Pub and Eastcote House Gardens. From here you can also get an H13 bus back to Ruislip Station. 




(Please note HS2 works may have curtailed this walk)

You can read more here

Harrow Hill

The top of Harrow (on the ) Hill is a delight. This is the old part of Harrow itself and here you will find the famous Harrow School, some places to eat and drink and a brilliant view from the viewing area near the church. Obviously with the view at its heart it is best enjoyed on a clear day. 

To get there take the train to Harrow on the Hill station or take 114 bus there. From the platforms at the station exit up the stairs and turn LEFT and exit through the lesser used south exit. (If arriving by bus enter the station itself and walk straight through the concourse). On exiting the station walk straight ahead until you reach the main road and then turn right, cross the road at the crossing then turn left. Stay on this road until you see a footpath on the right and take the steep path straight up the hill. You then simply head up hill at any paths you meet if there is a choice.

There is more information on this excellent "Blog "here .

(As an aside here, one for the streets leading down from the top of the hill is Grove Road. Along here, set in to a wall, is a plaque commemorating it as the site of the first ever fatal car accident in England - more can be read here)

Harefield Village and Walk

Ruislip is, of course, a suburb of London and the urban sprawl can be traced further from the capital through the adjacent places such as Ickenham, Hayes, Uxbridge etc. One place however "escaped" and that is the village of Harefield, mainly because the railway never made it there because it is up a fairly large hill.

So Harefield remains, technically, a village and whilst no definitive list exists was reckoned by some to be the largest in England, but this is hotly disputed!

However, it does allow a visitor to Ruislip with time on their hands the opportunity to see "Country Life" very close at hand, and enjoy a spectacular walk.

From Ruislip Station take the 331 bus towards Uxbridge. This bus takes a winding route but will, eventually, arrive at Harefield and you should get off at the stop in the High Street and wander back in the direction you have come from towards the roundabout, then, at it, turn left down Park Lane. 

After passing the final building to your left, a distance of some 500 yards, turn left at the "Pub" sign for The Old Orchard and head towards it, some 250 yards down the lane. From the terrace at the pub there is a spectacular view over the valley, what better place to enjoy a pint?

From here you have two choices. If you fancy a slightly longer walk return up to Park Lane and turn left, head down the hill until you reach The Coy Carp pub, then turn left on to the canal towpath until you reach Black Jack's Lock. Alternatively exit The Old Orchard pub to the left and go straight down the lane to Black Jack's Lock. The longer way adds around 1.25 miles to the walk, but does add another pub to enjoy and some nice scenery.

From Black Jack's Lock continue DOWN the canal (so to the left off the bridge) and walk as far as Widewater Lock and then go up to the road at the bridge where you will see The Bear On The Barge pub. 

From here you can either carry on walking along the canal to Uxbridge or pick up the 331 bus back to Ruislip, where a slightly quicker route might be to get the bus towards Uxbridge and from there the Underground.