Bentley Priory Circular Walk

, Stanmore , ay W Lodge Old 5. arren Lane arren W on park car Common Stanmore 4. 3. Priory Drive stop on 142 bus 142 on stop Drive Priory 3. details. 2. Priory Close stop on 258 bus 258 on stop Close Priory 2. deer - see text for for text see - deer pub missing the tame tame the missing August 2016 August Forum Conservation Nature Altered Altered is Case The of west just park, car Redding Old 1. licence way means means way , Creative Commons Commons Creative , Geezer Diamond by Image Leaflet revised and redesigned by Harrow Harrow by redesigned and revised Leaflet but going this this going but Altered. is Case The at the corresponding pink circle pink corresponding the at Stanmore Hill, Hill, Stanmore by pink circles on the maps. For each, start reading the text text the reading start each, For maps. the on circles pink by newsagents on on newsagents There are five good starting points for the walk, indicated indicated walk, the for points starting good five are There available at a a at available confectionery are are confectionery (LOOP), a 150 mile route encircling London. encircling route mile 150 a (LOOP), and and Parts of the route follow the London Outer Orbital Path Path Orbital Outer London the follow route the of Parts Canned drinks drinks Canned on the maps. maps. the on . badly stomachs their upset close to point 1 1 point to close The deer must not be fed bread which will will which bread fed be not must deer The along. suitable on the route, route, the on , take something something take , party the in children have you if especially Altered pub lies lies pub Altered love vegetables (especially carrots) and apples - so so - apples and carrots) (especially vegetables love The Case is is Case The ou will pass a private deer park with tame fallow deer that that deer fallow tame with park deer private a pass will ou Y eshments Refr wildflowers that make this area so attractive. so area this make that wildflowers Nitrates from dog waste are a major threat to the the to threat major a are waste dog from Nitrates waste must be bagged and disposed of in a rubbish bin. bin. rubbish a in of disposed and bagged be must waste , Stanmore , ay W Lodge Old 5. are ground nesting birds in the grassland and scrub. Dog Dog scrub. and grassland the in birds nesting ground are arren Lane arren W on park car Common Stanmore 4. particularly in the nesting season (April-June) when there there when (April-June) season nesting the in particularly 3. Priory Drive stop on 142 bus 142 on stop Drive Priory 3. Dog walkers should keep their dogs under control control under dogs their keep should walkers Dog 2. Priory Close stop on 258 bus 258 on stop Close Priory 2. pub muddy so stout foootwear or boots are recommended. are boots or foootwear stout so muddy Altered Altered is Case The of west just park, car Redding Old 1. The going underfoot is very varied, and some parts can be be can parts some and varied, very is underfoot going The at the corresponding pink circle. pink corresponding the at western loop of 3.2 miles or an eastern loop of 1.7 miles. 1.7 of loop eastern an or miles 3.2 of loop western starting points for the walk. For each, start reading the text text the reading start each, For walk. the for points starting path shown dashed on the map to create a a create to map the on dashed shown path cut’ ‘short the The numbered pink circles on the maps show five good good five show maps the on circles pink numbered The discover that you are not as fit as you thought, you can use use can you thought, you as fit as not are you that discover or at a very leisurely pace. If the weather changes or you you or changes weather the If pace. leisurely very a at or How to find the walk the find to How should take about 2½ hours, possibly longer in poor weather weather poor in longer possibly hours, 2½ about take should The complete circuit is 4.3 miles (7 km) and and km) (7 miles 4.3 is circuit complete The Distance: , gives spectacular views over London. over views spectacular gives , day fine a on and past streams, ponds and historic settlements, settlements, historic and ponds streams, past walk will take you through woods and parks, parks, and woods through you take will walk 5 The The . way of rights other and footpaths public roundels as shown on the left and follows follows and left the on shown as roundels 1 The route is clearly marked by by marked clearly is route The countryside. experienced ramblers the chance to enjoy the the enjoy to chance the ramblers experienced The route gives both Sunday strollers and and strollers Sunday both gives route The Common. Little 2 eald Common, Stanmore Common and Stanmore Stanmore and Common Stanmore Common, eald W Harrow Bentley Priory Nature Reserve but also passes through through passes also but Reserve Nature Priory Bentley 3 4 attractive parts of the Harrow green belt. It is centred on on centred is It belt. green Harrow the of parts attractive takes you through some of the most most the of some through you takes walk cular cir This After a slight bend to the right, the ground under the hornbeam trees becomes noticeably hummocky. This is the Car parking is not Stanmore result of 19th century gravel extraction. Enormous amounts allowed at the Priory Common car of Stanmore Gravel were removed for road surfacing and other usages. Looking to your right, you see a bank leading Drive or Aylmer Drive Stanmore park up to the garden centre complex: this reveals that the entrances to Bentley Priory Common original ground level was over a metre above the present Nature Reserve surface. Until 1899, gravel extraction was a common right The of Harrow Parishioners. d C 4 a om o mo R n 3 n When the track ends at Grimsdyke Cottage bear right and 1 km o A continue past the three houses on your left then follow the m 41 m 40 Stanmore clear path over a number of boardwalks. You will pass Len's N o C Little Avenue on the right, named in memory of a ranger who Common worked on the Common. Watch out for the roundel that Harrow Weald 2 guides you to the right. Follow the arrows to steps leading S Common t a up to Common Road, A409. Cross the road watching out for n m traffic as this is a fast road and enter Bentley Priory Nature o r e Reserve through the wooden field gate situated between 9 Bentley Priory H Glenthorne Cottage and Glenthorne Lodge. 0 il 4 Nature Reserve l A Starting from the Priory Close stop on the 2 258 bus: walk a short way north, away from C 1 la Harrow, until you see London LOOP m Old Lodge Way p waymarker sign on a lamppost. This points to a Old Redding car wooden field gate on the right hand side of the B 5 r road. The wooden field gate leads into Bentley park o o Priory Nature Reserve. k s H A410 h il i l l l Bentley Priory Nature Reserve is Harrow's only biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Its biological importance derives from the mix of Harrow Weald Common is designated a site of ancient woodland, flower-rich grassland, streams special scientific interest (SSSI) because of its and open water. A nature trail leads visitors around geology. All along the Harrow Weald ridge London the site and describes the natural history in more 1 Starting from Old Redding car park Clay is topped by first a clay/sand mixture called detail. Trail leaflets are available in metal Leave the car park by the eastern vehicle access and the Claygate Beds, and then by a layer of rounded dispensers. Alternatively, a more detailed turn right to pass The Case Is Altered public house. pebbles called the Stanmore Gravel. The Stanmore description can be accessed by using a This popular pub name may be a corruption of "Casa Alta” Gravel is very recent in geological terms, being laid smartphone with the QR tags on the numbered or “High House”; appropriate here since from the garden down about two million years ago (in contrast, the bollards. Bentley Priory Nature Reserve is you can look down over six counties. Cross the road at the dinosaurs died out sixty million years ago). The managed by a committee comprising council traffic island and enter Harrow Weald Common by the Stanmore Gravel is thought to have originated as officers, councillors and volunteers and is five bar gate. Continue along the track following the way the pebbly shores of a tributary of the maintained by an enthusiastic group of Harrow mark signs. “protoThames”. Of course the pebbles of the Nature Conservation Forum volunteers: see at the Stanmore Gravel are formed of stone that is itself end of the text for how you can help. much older, cut upstream by the river and carried down to this point. walk description continues inside... text continues... After a second gate the land opens out Retrace your steps along the path and continue with the with wide views over London. Bear left and continue along houses on your right to emerge on a grassy lawn.

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