The walk starts and finishes at Northolt Underground Station, which is on the Central Line.
This walk of 10.20 miles / 16.42 kilometres explores the area to the south and west of Northolt and is mainly level ground with good surfaces, although sections are over grass which can be wet after rain. It is based on an exploration of the Northolt and Greenford Countryside Park, then follows elements of the Dog Rose Ramble, the Hillingdon Trail and the Paddington Canal.
1. Cross Mandeville Road immediately after leaving Northolt Underground Station and turn right down the opposite pavement, soon forking left by the shops on Ealing Road. Continue gently downhill. This is a conservation area with pleasant buildings interspersed with sections of village green and bounded by a small stream. Go past The Crown pub, passing a path with a view of the church on the left. Keep straight ahead alongside the grass of Belvue Park; at its end, cross over Rowdell Road.
2. Continue forward into Kensington Road, taking the left-hand pavement. Once safely past the slip roads linking to the main A40 road, use the pedestrian refuge to cross over, soon to arrive at the Northala Fields carpark, and enter it. At the top end of this, follow the low caged wall, then almost immediately turn right on a rising path, with the carpark now on your right. The path curves left behind the first of the Northala Hills. Continue on, with a thick hedgerow masking the A40, until nearly at a second carpark, then fork left by another caged wall on the spiral path up the second of the Northala Hills.
Northala Hills are a recent addition to the Northolt and Greenford Countryside Park. The four hills were formed using rubble from the demolition of the original Wembley Stadium. The summit of the second hill has wide views all the way into central London and there are photographic panels which identify elements in the view. Northolt was recorded in the Domesday Book as Northala.
3. Walk up the surprisingly gentle slope which winds around and around the hill. After enjoying the view from the top, retrace your steps part-way, looking for a left fork dropping on a slope towards the lakes and an adventure playground. Cross the main path, go through the tall stakes, then take the next path left between the lakes. Go straight on between a further two lakes, then turn right at their head. Continue on a curving path with the lakes now on the right. On reaching a cross-path, turn left on the straight path (tarmac surface) until a barrier by housing is reached.
4. Take the rightmost path along the park's edge, keeping by housing. Maintain the same direction as the path continues through a pleasant stretch of woodland adjacent to Medlar Fields and, onwards still, runs along the right edge of Rectory Park to arrive at the main Ruislip Road.
Drop-out point: Buses 120 and 282 along here can take you to Ealing, Southall and Northolt Underground Stations.
5. There now follows a short section of busy road. Turn right along Ruislip Road towards the White Hart Roundabout, forking right down the slope. Turn left into the subway and immediately right through the next one, going up either steps or a slope at its end. This leads to a continuation of Ruislip Road. Almost immediately, turn up the short crescent of Old Ruislip Road and right again into Hawtrey Avenue. Cross over Lynne Way and turn left into Thorndike Avenue.
6. Turn right before the Children's Centre into Lime Tree Park. Go past a play area, then turn left over grass, veering to the top left corner of the park, circumnavigating the mounds and hollows at the far end of Thorndike Avenue. The edge of the field here has been planted by a fetching display of wild flowers. Turn left at the corner along Vanbrough Crescent, passing several cul-de-sacs on the right to reach Ruislip Road again. Turn right along the road until just before the entrance to the West London Golf Centre, marked by a couple of prehistoric reptiles! and use the pedestrian refuge to safely reach the other side.
7. Almost immediately turn left into Sharvel Lane, where we join the route of the Dog Rose Ramble, although the waymarking for this recreational route has largely disappeared. We follow this somewhat scruffy lane for just over a kilometre, the route gradually improving as we continue. Don't be deterred by signs announcing the West London Shooting School; all the action takes place behind protective earthen banks. After 200 metres, just past Downe Barn Farm, we pass the site of a medieval 13th century manor-house, although only the moat survives. After another 530 metres, a barrier blocks off traffic and we find we are in deep countryside. After a further barrier, the broad track becomes rougher and narrower, but is still obvious to follow. Eventually the lane swings away to the left, and we now continue through metal posts along a bridleway into woodland, which becomes semi-open and passes the corrugated-iron sheds of Westways Farm. Shortly after, we are joined by the Yeading Brook. Once across the bridge, we have joined the Hillingdon Trail on Charville Lane opposite Ten Acre Wood.
8. Now turn left on the lane for 140 metres around the bend to find a green metal gate on the left. Go through this and take the left-hand path to pass through a clearing and then into woodland. Continue over a cross-path; we are close to the Yeading Brook, which can be glimpsed occasionally. Bear left when houses come into view, the path still following the woodland edge until it comes to an end, after 800 metres, by an entrance to Michael Frost Park.
9. Turn left across a narrow track leading to the AFC Hayes training pitch. With this on your left, take a path across grass, soon following a metal fence up to Kingshill Avenue. Turn left here to cross the bridge, then the main road, and enter the main part of Yeading Brook Meadows.
Drop-out point: Bus Route 90 along here connects with Northolt Underground or Hayes and Harlington National Rail Station.
10. Keep to the right-hand edge of this large meadow, but without straying into the rough bushy ground which obscures the Brook along this stretch. You should aim to keep parallel to the line of houses in Greenway, clearly seen across the meadow. After 850 metres, go past a carved wooden bench. Ignore the bridge here and carry on. After another 370 metres, this section comes to a junction by a bridge. Cross this and turn left on the other side of the Brook, then follow it as far as Yeading Lane, which cross with care.
11. Once over, ignore the recreation ground ahead, but turn left to find the Brook again by yet another meadow. Keep along the right-hand edge of this, bending left at its top end, and look for an underpass on the right below the busy Parkway. This emerges onto playing fields. Go straight on here, keeping to the left-hand side on an orange-coloured tamped path all the way for 700 metres.
12. On coming to a hedgerow gap, go through and keep straight on, with hedgerows now on either side. Ignore a Hillingdon Trail diversion on the left and continue on the same path to find Spikes Bridge over the Paddington Canal. Cross this and join the towpath, keeping the canal on your left. We will stay with the canal for just over two miles (3.38 kilometres to be precise), so automatic pilot can be engaged for a while.
Paddington Canal was opened in 1801 and connects the Grand Union Main Line Canal near Hayes with the Regent's Canal at Paddington. It is thirteen and a half miles long and has no locks or tunnels.
13. If in need of refreshments, 800 metres further on, cross the canal by a concrete bridge into Willow Tree Open Space. Turn left at the cross-path, soon swinging right over grass towards houses by a flagpole. Go through the gate here and continue with houses on the right. Go forward across a bridge into the Willow Tree Nature Reserve and find a gate on the right which leads into Willowtree Marina, where there is a café. It is a pleasant spot to take a break. To return to the canal, just retrace your steps. Please note this diversion will add 900 metres to the walk.
14. The towpath swings left then right to pass Engineer's Wharf Moorings, a new canalside development. 300 metres further on, the canal arrives at Bridge 18 (Ruislip Road). The firm of Taylor Woodrow had substantial premises along this stretch of canal, including two bridges. All have now disappeared, but a brick mosaic just before the bridge commemorates the connection.
15. Another 310 metres brings us to Bridge 17 (Kensington Road), enlivened by a colourful mosaic artwork entitled "Through the Porthole". A right bend is followed by a long curving left, after which a wooden footbridge gives access to more portions of the country park, Smith's Farm and Marnham Fields, but we stay with the canal. The noise of the A40 trunk road can now be clearly heard. Onwards after this, and passing a small mooring, we reach Bridge 16A, our turn-off point.
16. Once over the canal, walk up a broad alleyway to cross Rowdell Road and up the right side of Belvue Park, Northala Hills visible again over to the left. Go past a set of display boards explaining Northolt's history (we pass more later). Go up a short rise to find a ditch in front of you - the remains of Northolt's medieval manor-house's moat. To explore further, walk forward to see the plan of the building marked on the ground, together with a display board, before returning. Otherwise, turn left to reach St Mary's Church.
Along this ridge stood the original Saxon settlement of Northolt. Excavation has found pagan graves, proving an early settlement. The church dates from c1300 and was extended with a Tudor chancel in 1521. It still looks and feels like a small medieval country church. The manor-house seems to have disappeared in the late 17th or early 18th century. One of its owners had the misfortune to be executed for treason in 1388.
17. Turn left through the churchyard to descend to Ealing Road, where you were earlier, then turn right to retrace your steps back to the Underground Station.
© Mike Biggs, Ramblers (Inner London Area), 2019.
If you have any comments about this walk, or notice that it needs updating to take account of changes on the route, then please contact Mike at