The Brentford to Hanwell canal walk is a gentle stroll perfect for a quiet day out in London to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. Accessible by train on the TFL network, this Oyster Card-friendly ramble takes you to the Grand Union Canal towpath, from a seventeenth-century manor house to a viaduct. There is so much to discover on our doorsteps!
Whilst I was staying in Northfield for a month, I went on to discover the area. No map no plan. With a coffee in one hand, and music blasting through my headphones, I turned at a corner on Haslemere Road and was face to face with Elthorne Park. Not wasting any time, I crossed the road and enter the park, wandering around, trying to get lost (well, it is not big enough to get lost). Eventually, I found a path leading to the Grand Union Canal. This is how the Brentford to Hanwell canal walk came about. You can find the map of the walk at the end of this post. So follow me!
Logistics of the Brentford to Hanwell Canal Walk
- Distance:4.2 miles (6.8 km)
- Ascent: 59 ft (18 m)
- Highest Point: 98 ft (29.8 m)
- Lowest Point: 16 ft (4.9m)
- Walking Estimate: 1 hour and 45 minutes
- Difficulty: Easy
- How to get there:
- South Western Railway train from London Waterloo Station to Brentford Station. The journey takes approximately 30 minutes.
- For the return, take a Great Western Railway or an Elizabeth Line train from Hanwell Station to Paddington Station. The journey takes 20 minutes
- The outbound and inbound journeys are not operated by the same train line so you cannot book a day return ticket. However, both stations are on the TFL network, so you can use your Oyster Card or contactless payment instead of booking a train ticket.
- What to pack:
- Comfortable clothing and footwear
- Backpack
- Snacks
- Rain gear if you are going on a rainy day. Please note that the banks of the Grand Union Canal are pretty much exposed with few options to find cover.
- Headcover, sunscreen and sunglasses if you are going on a bright day for the same reason as above
- Additional Information
- There are toilets in Boston Manor Park, but you need to check if they are open before going due to the improvement works taking place in the park
- This is a stile-free walk
- Dog-friendly walk
- Where to eat and drink:
- There is a Cafe in Boston Manor Park, but please check before going if it is open due to the ongoing improvement works taking place in the park
Highlights of the Brentford to Hanwell Canal Walk
- Boston Manor Park
- Grand Union Canal
- Hanwell Flight of Locks
- Wharncliffe Viaduct
- River Brent
The Brentford to Hanwell Canal Walk
Now we covered the basics, let’s get to the walk!
Brentford
At first sight, Brentford is a suburban town in Greater London, with newly built blocks of flats and shops, a refurbished dock and office buildings emerging from the ground up like mushrooms. But in fact, Brentford has a rich history.
Did you know that Brentford is where Caesar crossed the River Thames during his invasion of Britain? Also, did you know that many artefacts dating from the Bronze Age were uncovered in the area? And, did you know that the Brentford Knot pattern comes from an Irion Age chariot excavated in Brentford?
Brentford is a gold mine for archaeologists. The dredging of the river led to the discovery of many relics which had to be removed as they constituted a hazard for navigation.
Fun Fact: Pocahontas lived in Brentford with her husband John Rolfe.
Nowadays, Brentford is the home of many company headquarters, such as GSK and Sky, located on the Great West Road, leading straight to Heathrow airport. But today we are not going on holiday, and instead staying in the locality of Brentford.
Boston Manor Park
Our walk starts at Brentford train station. Walk up Station Road until you reach Great West Road and then turn left. Walk on the pavement until you find a pedestrian crossing a little bit further down. Cross over and continue walking in direction of the canal. After the bridge is the start of the Grand Union Canal Towpath.
Take the towpath and at the first bridge, cross over to enter Boston Manor Park. The park is nowadays on what used to be the magnificent Boston Estate, dating back to 1163. During the sixteenth century, the financier Thomas Gresham owned the estate. Comprised of walks, pounds, gardens and plantations the estate was sold in 1670 to the Clitherow family. In the eighteenth century, they sold part of the estate to allow the construction of the Grand Union Canal.
Due to the increasing maintenance costs, they sold the entire estate to the Brentford Council in 1923. Portions of the estate were used for housing development and the rest to create the public park you can see nowadays.
Have a little wander around the park, checking the pounds and taking a glimpse at the Manor, a Jacobean house built in 1622. Then, walk back to the Grand Union Canal Towpath to continue the journey towards Hanwell.
The Grand Union Canal
For the next 1.4 miles (2.25 km), you are walking on the Grand Union Canal towpath. The Grand Union Canal, formerly called Grand Junction Canal, starts in Brentford and then divides into two branches: one going towards Leicester and one towards Birmingham. The latter is the longest branch of the canal stretching across 137 miles (220 km) with 166 locks.
The construction of the Grand Union Canal began in 1793. The section to Berkhamstead was completed in 1798 and the one to Birmingham in 1805. The purpose of the canal was to create a commercial waterway linking London to Birmingham. However, the arrival of the railway impacted the traffic on the canal. Major works of modernisation and reduction of tolls took place to compete with the railroad. Its commercial activity plunged after WWII when coal ceased to be the main source of energy for factories alongside the canal.
Nowadays the Grand Union Canal is a place of leisure for cyclists, runners and walkers who can wander and enjoy nature and wildlife on their way.
The branch starting in Brentford follows the River Brent and they form one until you reach the Hanwell Flight of Locks. This is exactly where we are walking today. The towpath takes you through different landscapes, from industrial buildings (yes, sorry it is not all about nature on this walk), to tree tunnels that look stunning in the autumn and winter seasons with the ground covered in leaves, some bushy parts and large open sections with a perfect view on the canal.
Hanwell Flight of Locks
Continue on the towpath and you arrive at a fork. This is where the River Brent and the Grand Union part ways. You can choose to follow the River Brent to Hanwell or you can make a little detour to see the Hanwell Flight of Locks.
Take the left branch at the junction and you arrive at a series of 6 locks with an additional one after the Three Bridges junction. The locks are handbuilt in Green Oak by skilled carpenters. Their constructions can take months and they last for 25 years. Each lock has a side pound to provide them with sufficient water supply.
You notice on your right-hand side a long Victorian brick wall. It separates the towpath from the former St Bernards Hospital, now the headquarters of the West London Mental Health NHS Trust. Its construction started in 1829 with the purpose of becoming an asylum for people suffering from mental disorders. As you walk alongside the canal, try to look for a gate in the brick wall: this is where the coal was delivered to the hospital.
Continue a little further down and you arrive at the crossing of 2 bridges, one for the road and one for the railway. They both cross over the canal. The junction of the routes at three different levels gives the name Three Bridges to this location.
Turn back and retrace your steps. When you arrive at the section where the canal splits, take the other branch and continue your journey alongside the River Brent.
River Brent
The River Brent is a tributary of the River Thames, starting in Brentford and flowing to Hendon where the Dollis Brook and Mutton Brook merge. The River Brent is the longest river in London stretching across 17.9 miles (28.8 km) of parks and urbanised areas. It fills the Brent Reservoir, also called Welsh Harp, passes near the Wembley Stadium and across the Ealing Golf Course and Hanwell Zoo.
Sir John Betjeman, an English laureate poet, writer and broadcaster wrote:
Gentle Brent, I used to know you
Sir John Betjeman
Wandering Wembley-wards at will,
Now what change your waters show you
In the meadowlands you fill!
Recollect the elm-trees misty
And the footpaths climbing twisty
Under cedar-shaded palings,
Low laburnum-leaned-on railings
Out of Northolt on and upward to the heights of Harrow hill.
Related Content: Brent River Park Walk
The Viaduct
As you continue your walk by the river, you come face to face with the imposing structure of the Wharncliffe Viaduct. The viaduct is 66 feet tall (20 m) and 890 feet long (270 m) and was built around 1836 for the Great Western Main Line linking Hanwell to Southall.
It is composed of eight arches with a span of 70 feet (21 m). The columns supporting the rail tracks are designed in an Egyptian style.
It is the first viaduct construction using hollow piers, which means that the columns have empty cavities inside them. It was not intended for this purpose, but a colony of bats decided the cavities would make a perfect home. The “bat caves” are legally protected and you can see the bats flying in the area at night time, should you want to stay after sundown.
Just after walking under the viaduct, you can choose to continue your walk following the Capital Ring Route or take the footpath on the right to go home.
If you chose option two. Then continue until you exit the park. Then take left on Golden Manor and turn onto the first street on your right. Hanwell train station is a little bit further down this street.
Have a safe journey back!
Brentford to Hanwell Canal Walk Map
Do you want to do this walk? Simply download the map by clicking on the link below. You can find some tips on how to upload it onto your navigation app by checking my step-by-step guide here.
Final Thoughts on the Brentford to Hanwell Canal Walk
If you are looking for more walks alongside a canal, whether it is the Grand Union Canal or the Regent’s Canal, check the guides below.
Berkhamsted Circular Walk: Between Hills and Canal
Regent’s Canal Walk – Discover London (Guide & Free GPS Map)
Horsenden Hill Walk: The Countryside In London
Best Canal Walks In London With Map
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