A Walk On The Wild Side – Harrow & Hillingdon Open Spaces

With its thriving shopping centres, eclectic range of restaurants and new businesses, the Borough of Harrow is a buzzing and metropolitan part of London, however, within its boundaries, Harrow also has a lot to offer for the nature lover with a number of parks, woods and walks open to the public.

Within Harrow’s residential areas, we have several commons and parks for the public to enjoy. The beautiful Pinner Park, hidden away from the main roads, houses a vast pond, a bowling green, play areas and an aviary as well as the popular Daisy’s Cafe.  Once home to Lady Hamilton, the park features a beautiful and ornamental Peace Garden for quiet reflection away from the bustle of everyday life.

Pinner Park 

Central Harrow offers several relaxing walks for all ages and all abilities, most of which are signposted for easy reference.  The popular Harrow Home Round Walk at just 2.8 miles takes in the majestic Harrow School and Harrow Cemetery and is a relatively easy walk which can even be completed during a lunch break.

 
Harrow School

The Harrow Walkers Group runs informative weekly guided walks which anybody can join in free of charge – http://www.harrowhealthwalks.org/.  The five mile Willow Tree Wander which begins in North Harrow, takes in the exotic trees of Yeading Brook Open Space, The Ickenham Marsh and The Hillingdon Trail – https://www.hillingdon.gov.uk/article/8729/Willow-Tree-Wander.

Just a stroll away from the centre of Harrow Weald you’ll find Harrow Weald Common and Weald Wood.  With 18 hectares of woodland and heath to explore, you can follow the common to Gilberts Lake and Gilberts Orchard as well as the ancient three-mile earthwork of Grims Dyke.  From the highest points, visitors can enjoy views of Central London and the Chilterns whilst relaxing amongst the magnificent redwoods and unusual plant life.

 Harrow Weald Common and Weald Wood

A mere stone’s throw from Central Stanmore is the Bentley Priory Nature Reserve.  Set in 165 acres of glorious open space, the reserve which is just South of Bentley Priory House hailing from the 1700s, boasts a 2.9km nature trail, a deer path and many grassy spaces and open glades for sunbathing and picnics. A haven for nature lovers, the reserve is home to many uncommon animals and plants, and, at certain times of the year, eagle eyed bird watchers can spot buzzards, spotted flycatchers and bullfinches within its boundaries.


 Bentley Priory Nature Reserve

Less than half an hour away from Bentley Priory are the equally historic Ruislip Woods

 Ruislip Woods

The first national nature reserve in an urban area of England, the area covers four woods: Park Wood, Mad Bess Wood, Copse Wood and Bayhurst Wood.  Open to the public and very popular with dog walkers, the woods are alive with assorted flora and fauna including hornbeam, oaks, wild cherry, honeysuckle, and aspens which are home to cuckoos, woodpeckers, owls and many more species of bird.

Wild mammals within the area include mink, badgers, weasels, foxes, and squirrels.  

Ruislip Lido

The Ruislip Lido, created in 1933, offers cool respite to families on hot summer days.  Perched on the edge of Ruislip Woods, Ruislip Lido boasts a 60 acre lake and man-made sandy beaches set amongst peaceful paths and grassy picnic areas.  The Lido features Britain’s longest 12 inch narrow gauge railway open to the public and a cafe selling drinks and ice cream for the children………..and a handy pub for the adults.

Once described by John Betjeman as ‘A rocky island’, in his poem, ‘Harrow On The Hill’, the borough of Harrow is also a green and pleasant land with many areas of outstanding natural beauty and places to explore.

Details on locations;

Pinner Park 

Address - West End Lane, Pinner HA5 1AE 

020 8429 4320

Monday09:00 - 17:00

Tuesday09:00 - 17:00

Wednesday09:00 - 17:00

Thursday09:00 - 17:00

Friday09:00 - 17:00

SaturdayClosed

SundayClosed

The following transport lines have routes that pass near Pinner Park

• Bus: 182, H12, H14

• Train: OVERGROUND

• Tube: BAKERLOO, METROPOLITAN

Harrow Home Round Walk

Address - 1 Grimsdyke Cottage Old Redding, Harrow HA3 6SF

No hours or telephone number to advise

The following transport lines have routes that pass near Harrow

• Bus: 11, 17, 341, 40

• Train: OVERGROUND, SOUTH WESTERN RAILWAY, SOUTHEASTERN, THAMESLINK

• Tube: CENTRAL, DISTRICT

Harrow Weald Common and Weald Wood.

Address - Common Rd, Stanmore HA7 3JE 

Monday

Tuesday08.30 – 17:00

08:30 - 17:00

Wednesday08:30 - 17:00

Thursday08:30 - 17:00

Friday08:30 - 17:00

SaturdayClosed

SundayClosed

The following transport lines have routes that pass near Ha3 6qh

• Bus: 182, H12

• Train: OVERGROUND

• Tube: BAKERLOO, METROPOLITAN

Bentley Priory Nature Reserve 

Address: Bentley Priory Mansion House Drive, Stanmore HA7 3FB

Phone: 020 8950 5526

MondayClosed

TuesdayClosed

Wednesday10:00 - 16:30

ThursdayClosed

FridayClosed

Saturday10:00 - 16:30

SundayClosed

The following transport lines have routes that pass near Bentley Priory

• Bus: 142, 258

• Tube: JUBILEE

Ruislip Woods

Address: Woodside Ducks Hill Road, London, England HA4 7TP • 

Phone: 01895 556000

Open 24 hours

The following transport lines have routes that pass near Ruislip Woods

• Bus: 331, H13

• Train: CHILTERN RAILWAYS

• Tube: METROPOLITAN

Ruislip Lido

Phone: Address: Reservoir Road, Ruislip, England HA4 7TY • ~1.1 mi

01895 558257

Monday09:00 - 19:00

Tuesday09:00 - 19:00

Wednesday09:00 - 19:00

Thursday09:00 - 19:00

Friday09:00 - 19:00

Saturday09:00 - 19:00

Sunday09:00 - 19:00

Monday09:00 - 19:00

The following transport lines have routes that pass near Ruislip Lido

• Bus: 331, H13

• Train: CHILTERN RAILWAYS

• Tube: METROPOLITAN, PICCADILLY