The Wealdstone Brook is one of the lost rivers of Middlesex. It's a short urban walk, one of my 'lost landscapes' routes around the Harrow area. Ironically, there is no trace of the river left in Wealdstone itself, where it has all been culverted. However, it meanders very prettily through Woodcock Park in Kenton, surrounded by grassy banks and willow trees. This is the best bit! There are further glimpses of it along the route of this walk.
Calculated time: 0h50[?] 
Distance : 2.81km
Vertical gain : 0m
Vertical drop : 29m
Highest point : 68m
Lowest point : 39m 
Difficulty : Easy
Back to starting point : No
Walking
Location : Harrow
Starting point : N 51.580611° / W 0.325334° 
Arrival : N 51.584217° / W 0.299279° (D) Start at Gayton Road in Harrow, turn left at Gerard Road and follow this road to the end. At the junction with Elmwood Road, go left. Go through the pedestrian access at the end of Elmwood Road and cross the railway via the footbridge to your right.
(1) Keeping to the right perimeter of Kenton Park, follow the path past the tennis courts and exit on Becmead Avenue, where you will get your first sighting of the Wealdstone Brook gushing out of its culvert just across the road from the park exit. Go left along Becmead Avenue and then right along Alicia Avenue. There are glimpses of the river snaking behind the houses to your right, and it appears again when you get to Kenton Lane.
(2) Join Kenton Road to your right and cross the main road to reach Woodcock Hill, where you will find the entrance to Woodcock Park to your left. Here the Wealdstone Brook emerges in its full glory and you can follow it right across the park to the Shaftesbury Avenue exit. (A)
The walk ends here, although it's possible to trace the progress of the river, mostly culverted, all the way to Wembley Park where it is visible flowing under Bridge Street within a stone's throw of Wembley Park Station on its route to the north of the Stadium, where it finally empties itself into the River Brent. You can rejoin Kenton Road for buses back to Harrow. Alternatively, navigate your way back to Harrow on foot. You can use the railway crossing at Northwick Park underground station and follow the path ahead of you past Northwick Park Hospital, then the bridlle path across the Harrow School Estate. Alternatively, cross the Met Line at Windermere Avenue and then the West Coast main line at Conway Gardens, which will take you round the southern perimeter path roound Northwick Park Hospital and back on to the Watford Road.
Waypoints :
D : km 0 - alt. 68m - Junction of Gayton Rd and Gerard Rd
1 : km 0.77 - alt. 50m - Kenton Park
2 : km 1.86 - alt. 42m - Kenton Road
A : km 2.81 - alt. 39m - Woodcock Park
Shops and cafes on Kenton Road.
If planning to walk back to Harrow you might want to take a map as there are a number of different optional routes.
Visorando and this author cannot be held responsible in the case of accidents or problems occuring on this walk.
You pass through some affluent suburban streets and two very pleasant parks, with the option of returning to Harrow via a third park, Northwick Park. These open spaces have earned Harrow the title of 'the leafy borough'.
6.24km
+58m
-58m
1h55
Average
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+12m
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1h35
Easy
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+4m
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0h40
Easy
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+78m
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4h15
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14.4km
+60m
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4h15
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+8m
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2h50
Easy
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6.24km
+4m
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1h50
Easy
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18.93km
+229m
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6h05
Average
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The GPS track and description are the property of the author.
