Let’s go for a walk in Colne Valley Regional Park! Wait. Where? If you don’t know about the Colne Valley Regional Park, then you are not alone. This gem of countryside mixing forested areas, fields, a canal and lakes might be in London but is nowhere near the top of the list of the best walks in the capital city. And if you have never been there to enjoy a day out with friends or family, then it is time to make it right. Follow me through this haven of nature in London!
When a train strike hits and ruins your hiking plans, you quickly need to find an alternative within the TFL network. And that’s when the Colne Valley Regional Park becomes handy. Disconnect from city life without leaving the city and jump into the heart of undulating canal paths and woodlands.
Disclaimer: Hiking groups may offer the same or similar walks through the Colne Valley Regional Park. Check here for more information.
Logistics of the Colne Valley Regional Park Walk
- Distance: 10.3 miles (16.57 km)
- Total Ascent: 331 ft (100.8 m)
- Walking Estimate: 3 hours and 30 minutes at an average speed of 2.9 mph (4.7 kph)
- Difficulty: Easy / Intermediate due to the distance
- How to get there:
- Tube: Metropolitan Line to Moor Park Station
- Buses: 331, R1, R2. Get off at Batchworth Heath
- What to bring with you: Comfortable footwear and clothing. You are walking on easy terrain so you could wear trainers as long as you are sure they can handle the distance. Sunscreen, head cover and sunglasses if the sun is out and rain gear and gaiters if it is not the case. Take a backpack to carry water (2L recommended), snacks and a packed lunch – unless you plan to stop for food in a pub on the way.
- Food stops:
- Coy Carp Inn
- Jack’s Mill Pub
- Swan & Bottle
- Additional Information: There are no public toilets on this walk
Highlights of the Colne Valley Regional Park Walk
- Moor Park
- The sitcom The Good Life’s house
- Colne Valley Regional Park
- The Grand Union Canal
- Colne River
- Broad Water Lake
- Denham Deep Lock
- Uxbridge
- Uxbridge Lock
The Colne Valley Regional Park Walk
Moor Park
We start our walk at Moor Park Station, on the Metropolitan Line, fare zone 6. Whilst still within the TFL network, Moor Park is in the Three Rivers District in Hertfordshire. The district takes its name from the fact that it is located at the confluent of three rivers: The Chess, the Gade and the Colne.
Moor Park is known to be a wealthy residential area. The name comes from a country house built in 1678 called Moor Park. The house is now the Club House of the Moor Park Golf Club.
When you come out of Moor Park Station, take the footpath on the left and you are instantly immersed in the countryside feeling. Continue walking through the forested area and turn left when you reach Westbury Road.
You then are walking in the residential part of Moor Park, with stunning houses and gardens.
As you get to Kewferry Road, you come face to face with the house from the 1970’s sitcom The Good Life. A quick snap at the house and take the footpath on the opposite side of the road.
The Colne Valley Regional Park
At the end of the footpath, you arrive at Batchworth Heath, a designed common land of 10 acres (4 hectares). Then you walk into the forested area of Bishop’s Wood, where you can see horses.
The 38 hectares of woodlands are managed by the Three River District Council to provide a haven for wildlife. As you walk through the woods you may encounter birds such as woodpeckers.
Come out of the woods and step into the Colne Valley Regional Park fields. The 43 square miles (111 square km) of the regional park stretches from Rickmansworth in the North, Heathrow in the East, Staines in the South and Slough in the West. It is composed of villages, farmland, woodland and 200 km of river and canal as well as 60 lakes. The mission of the park is to safeguard nature from urban developments, preserve biodiversity and develop the rural economy in the region.
Whilst a lot of people know about some of the spots in the regional park such as the Grand Union Canal or Denham Country Park, most don’t realise it all form part of a Regional Park within the Greater London perimeter.
As you walk through the regional park towards the Grand Union Canal, there is a clearing just before Park Wood which is a perfect spot for a lunch break.
The Grand Union Canal
After lunch, walk through Park Wood and you arrive at the Grand Union Canal.
The 137 miles (220.5 km) long Grand Union Canal was originally called the Grand Junction Canal it was built with the purpose to facilitate trade between Birmingham, the Midlands and London. It was fully operational in 1805, however, due to some narrow parts of the canal around Tring and Oxford, only small boats could navigate through the whole canal.
To compete with the increasing popularity of the railway and remain attractive to traders, there was a reduction of tolls along the canal, then from 1894 underwent a series of amalgamations and was renamed the Grand Union Canal. It went through major modernisation work but still remained too shallow for large boats to navigate.
Nowadays, the Grand Union Canal is an important British landmark, loved by walkers, cyclists and pleasure boaters. Passing through rolling countryside, small villages and busy towns, the Grand Union Canal offers a variety of landscapes and walks for everyone.
Related Content: Best Canal Walks in London
Coppermill Down
We start our walk down the Grand Union Canal at Coppermill Lane.
Cross over to the opposite bank where you find the towpath just down the Coy Carp Inn. As you walk on this path you can see the rear of blocks of flats and houses with gardens overlooking the canal.
After the residential area ends, you find the junction with the River Colne feeding Troy Lake, hidden behind the vegetation. Continue a little bit further down and you arrive at a lock by a lovely stone bridge and the Jack’s Mill Pub.
After the bridge, houses leave the place to golden fields. On the right, you can take a glimpse at the 19 hectares of Broadwater lake, the largest one in the Regional Park.
After Broadwater Lake, you reach Harefield village. Whilst the name may suggest that you could encounter hares, it is actually a wrong interpretation. The word hare in the name comes from the old English here which means army. It is believed that Harefield used to be a Viking settlement during the Danish invasion. The village is known for its world-famous hospital where the first heart transplant was performed in 1983.
Denham Country Park
A little bit further down Harefield village, you find the railway bridge of the Chiltern Main Line. On the other side, you arrive at Denham Country Park.
This 170 acres (69 hectares) public park attracts many walkers and families. It is located where the River Misbourne and the River Colne meet. There is a lot to see around the park from the picturesque village of Denham, the wildlife and the beach. You also find a playground and a cafe, ideal for a family day out.
Continue your walk down the Grand Union Canal, with houseboats along the towpath ducks and swans swimming along. You then arrive at Denham Deep Lock, the deepest lock on the canal with an 11 feet drop.
A little bit further down, the path stops and you need to cross over the Bridge 183 of the Grand Union Canal to continue the walk.
You then walk under the A40.
You are in Uxbridge.
Uxbridge
As you walk alongside the canal towards Uxbridge town centre, you can see people in their gardens on the opposite bank. They are in Buckinghamshire and you are in London, the canal being the natural border between the two counties.
Uxbridge is a suburban town in West London. The town played an important role during the English Civil War. King Charles I held unsuccessful negotiations with the Parliamentary Army in a public house in Uxbridge, now renamed the Crown & Treaty. The town fell into decline and in the nineteenth century was described as unsafe.
The Grand Union Canal helped the town to develop, however, the opening of the railway in nearby West Drayton in 1838 slowed down the economy. When the Metropolitan Line Station in Uxbridge became operational in 1904, it gave the town a new revival. Uxbridge is nowadays a retail and commercial centre as well as the home of Brunel University.
When you reach Uxbridge Lock, the path stops. Walk over the bridge to get to the opposite bank. You know that you are near the end as the vegetation alongside the canal has been replaced by blocks of flats.
At the end of the towpath, you find a pub called the Swan & Bottle, with an outdoor space overlooking the canal. It is the perfect spot to end the walk with a refreshing drink and a meal before going back to the reality of a busy Picadilly (or Metropolitan Line) to go home.
Bon appetit!
Map of the Colne Valley Regional Park Walk
Do you want to do the same walk? Simply download the map by clicking on the button below. To upload it onto your navigation app, follow my step-by-step guide here.
Final thoughts on the Colne Valley Regional Park Walk
Walks within the Greater London vicinity that make you feel in the countryside are much more common than you think. And if you want to stay in the same area (aka near Uxbridge), jump on the Chilterns with these walks on the Metropolitan Line.
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