Osterley Park, London

andBeautiful parkland stroll…1½ miles

ThisI serene and stunning landscape, totalling 357 acres of parkland and gardens, is perfect for a relaxing stroll. In the 1760s Osterley Park House and The Garden Lake, so called the surrounding estate was re-modelled for the Child family; the ponds and because it stretches west streams were redesigned to form the three long lakes, trees were planted and into the formal gardens, is a new formal gardens created. good vantage point for

watching the waterfowl, such

Start: Main car park Map: OS Landranger 176 Grid ref: TQ146780 as mute swans, Canada

Geese, Egyptian Geese and Bike: Near 101 and 102 on-road London Cycle Network www.sustrans.org a variety of ducks. If you are Trains: Isleworth 1½ miles, Osterley underground ½ mile lucky, you may even see our Buses: H28 Hayes–Hounslow–Osterley, H91 Hounslow–Hammersmith heron!

Road: A4 between Hammersmith and Hounslow, follow brown tourist signs © NTPL / David Levenson

Facilities: Car park, WCs, tea-room, baby changing facilities

Osterley House, gardens, Please note, there is a charge for the car park and the park is closed in the park and farmland is one of evening. For more information please visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/osterley the last surviving country estates in London. Owing to Look out for… the flatness of the land, the house is never far from sight t Middle Lake and the design of the lakes Middle Lake is the largest of the three lakes created in the late 18th century; the and the trees were planned aim was to make it seem as if the house was partially surrounded by a curving around the house with all the possible viewpoints in mind. river. Today, two of the lakes are within Osterley Park, the third is in private

ownership. © NTPL / Rupert Trueman t The Stableyard These beautiful views th Built in the 16 century by Sir Thomas Gresham, these are the oldest buildings across Middle Lake are at Osterley and were originally much more extensive. Today, you can see the among the most impressive stables (the film location and tea-room) and carriage houses (now the shop and on the estate. A print from information point). Above are haylofts and rooms where the servants, grooms 1795 shows a figure lying in and coachmen would have slept. a grove, suggesting it had long been a favourite picnic t The Cedars of Lebanon spot. The island, with its You can find these on Cedar Lawn by the house. They are believed to have ancient heronry, appears to been planted by Robert Child’s widow in 1785 to commemorate the birth of her have always been wooded.

granddaughter, Sarah Sophia. Only one or two date back to the original © NTPL / David Watson planting; the rest were planted later on as replacements.

© Reproduced by Route and directions permission of Ordnance Survey. 1. Take ‘Nine-Acre Path’ in the north east corner of the car park, All rights reserved. following it through farmland, which has been cultivated for many years; in 1782 the fields around the house were used to grow wheat, beans, barley, peas and rye. Eventually you will come to the end of the grass-path and out onto Osterley Lane. (Note: If you wish to extend your walk by an extra mile leave the car park via the main drive and take the footpath on your left, just past the farm shop. Follow the path across the fields until you join Osterley Lane, near the Wyke Green Lodges.)

2. Bear left along Osterley Lane; this was the original approach to the house and to your right is a pair of white lodge cottages at Wyke Green, which mark the original entrance to the park. This drive offers tantalising views of the House.

3. Walking past the rifle range on your right, continue along Osterley Lane with Middle Lake on your left and follow the lane as it curves left. The rifle range was set up during the Second World War when Lord Jersey offered the parkland as a base for training the Home Guard.

4. Continue along Osterley Lane and past Jubilee Lodge on your left. This lodge was built to mark Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887, which is also when the avenue which leads from it was planted. This avenue provides a short cut back to the car park if you wish to shorten your walk.

5. Once you reach the end of the lane turn left onto Elm Avenue, which is framed by two lodges. These lodges mark the turn at which the entrance drive from Wyke Green finally heads to the house.

6. Follow the drive down towards the house, where you can look out over the meadows towards the lakes and explore the area, visiting the house and tea-rooms if you wish.

7. From here, follow the drive around Garden Lake and make your way back towards the car park.

Walk distance, terrain and accessibility 1½ miles (2½ km), some uneven, grassy paths and tracks which get muddy in wet weather. The route is flat with no steep gradients. You may encounter cars on the main drive if you walk the extended route. Please keep dogs on leads in the park and take any mess home with you.

As a charity, independent of government, the National Trust relies on the generosity of its supporters to continue caring for our countryside and wildlife, so that everyone can enjoy the beauty of the outdoors for generations to come.

Find out more at www.nationaltrust.org.uk