We are back once again on the walk for the next section, this is the last section we walked before ending for the winter, because it was getting too dark too quickly and too cold also. But on the last Section of 2022, this is what we found.
Well first off we found ourselves once more back at Southall Station, after a long journey we weren’t holding out much hope for coffee, given the lack the week before, but leaving the station and heading north towards the high street, we spotted a little van called ‘The Green Quarter’ serving out the back, it was put there by the housing contractors who are building the new homes on the site and the coffee van is all part of the ‘Berkeley Experience’ and wow, it was a great coffee, made all the better by a lovely, happy barista. Unfortunately it’s probably no longer there now – but if it is, get coffee here!
With Caffeine in hand we set off along the main roads, having every person jump, run and scream away from the dog, not just our pooch it seems but all canine companions, even the tiny, tiiiiiiny ones get the same reaction around Southall.
Turning onto Southall’s Broadway is a sight and clearly one if not the highlight of this walk, this is where you go for a Sari or wedding outfit. The shops selling material and pre-made dresses and suits are amazing, glorious and alive with colour and gold, they are awe-inspiring.
We had to leave and walk down the side road (Northcote Ave) a basic residential road, but one that eventually leads – via a S-Bend – to Spike’s Bridge Road and an alleyway to and over the Canal. This path is a bit rundown and we counted at least 4 shopping trolleys along it. But after crossing the Grand Union Canal we turned off the path to take up the Hillingdon Trail and this is why we recommend walking the CMHoL in drier weather, the HT is a bog here, the path is not so pleasant, more a mass of muddy puddles and swamps, between trees and a scattering of dead bushes and more trolleys.
But eventually it opens out into a large patch of common land, less park and more a place for stupid people to loose control of their dogs! We crossed Brookside all the while trying to avoid a large overly eager Retriever trying to hump our dog and the owner not understanding ‘Please control your dog!’ In the end the idiot man followed us across the field, trying to look imposing and threatening. Thankfully we left him behind when we crossed the A13 and then found Yeading Brook.
We crossed more large open fields and grass and a bit of confusing pathways – in total about 7 fields, see the PDF for the route and don’t get lost like us!
When we walked it the heavens opened and it rained so hard we couldn’t see anything and the crossing at Shakespeare Avenue was completely flooded. We just waded through shin-deep water and ploughed on, because we were so wet by then it made no difference – The dog however was loving it!
Eventually we made it to Kingshill Avenue Pocket Park and the rain stopped. The ‘Pocket Park’ is just that a tiny bit of ground with some swings in, you go around the park to find a path north. This is a lovely secret footpath, a long track alongside the Yeading Brook, with a huge School Field to one side and ponds to the other.
The oddly named Michael Frost Park is all overhanging and the one good thing about walking at the end of October/November, it was all golden and the floor covered in fallen leaves. We travelled the length of the footpath to emerge on Charville Lane, a real country lane at that, a single track in the middle of the woods. We followed this to Golden Bridge a known landmark, a rather odd semi-circular bridge that has been worn with time. We didn’t cross but instead went the other way onto the raised track path and the warning to stay on said path because of exposed electrical cables.
We could have gone into 10 Acre Woods (not the real one – no Winnie or Piglet here). But due to the conditions we stayed on the wooden road and found another bridge and one of the few signs for the HT, it indicated that you must cross the stream after the bridge.
But with no aids to cross. Ash jumped, slipped and almost ended up in the stream, his phone missing the water by an inch (no exaggeration) and Bob being wiser tried to climb over a metal fence and discovered that electric cable we were warned about and got electrocuted on the rail.
So across the stream, the path ran out and crossed back over the stream 50m later. Stupid, stupid, stupid!
Then we carried on along into Gutteridge Woods and heard a lot of deep barking. After more track we rounded a corner and then the feral dogs attacked! There is a Traveller’s site here and the dogs here are vicious and unfriendly, one bounded at Solo and tried to bite her throat, she jumped into Ash’s arms and the Rottweiler/Lab crossbreed caught her neck and ripped his jacket. The owner didn’t care and vanished back along the path and we hurried on.
After this as it got darker and it rained more and got cold, we walked through the woods and emerged at a playground where a woman really wanted to talk.
Elephant Park is a huge play field, but we weren’t in the mood to play by then so we followed the path and turned onto the main road (A40).
This is where we figured out the right way to do the CMHoL so that you don’t have to!
On a brighter/nicer day we would suggest you could carry on north along the HT and up to Ickenham Station. But the route is just the same boggy, wet, brushed ground and then a long walk along the roads, to Ickenham Station. (You can stop at Hillingdon Station if you just can’t be bothered, trust us you won’t miss anything in the last mile! (We won’t tell or count it against you!)
But by the time we emerged on the side of the A road it was pitch black and we could not have navigated the trail, so we took a less pleasant and far noisier route to Hillingdon Junction and then followed the B466 north until we got to Ickenham Station.
Having done the section and subsequently the start of section 16, we now recommend you do this route and then start that section at Ruislip station as the first mile is just loud and drafty (from the busy roads all around it) and not very nice. But more of that on the next section!
So there you go Section 15 of the CMHoL for a full map and detailed PDF go to the top of the page and click the tag, to download this and all other sections and then follow along. Remember to tag us on any and all social Media using #cmhol and we look forward to seeing your photos and posts on your walks.
Climbing Moss 