Brefin two

Verified Slow Way

Verified by 100.00% of reviewers

I walked this route from Finchley Central to Brent Cross.

On a wet and windy winters morning, the route didn’t seem the most appealing, but I wanted to stay on roads and tarmac. There was enough lying water elsewhere, to make me stay away from a grassy walk which was my plan A.

Overall, the bad weather was fortuitous as I found this walk more green and appealing than I imagined.

Turning left out of Finchley Central Station onto Regents Park Road, you are immediately onto a rather busy main route into London.

The next stage was a crossing of the North Circular, which is very easy actually, with a pedestrian light controlled crossing.

Then you’re very quickly into the Dollis Valley walk which is a nice change and a nice surprise.

Whilst you are never far from the traffic, and can always hear it, the Dollis Valley walk is a little strip of green with enough grass and trees to give you a sense of separation from the A406.

After a short walk, you cross back under the North Circular road into a nice little green children’s play park area.

You then cut through Brent Park with its series of lakes, and abundance of water foul, including a grey heron which was obviously used to being photographed.

Once you cross back over the north circular, you walk quiet residential streets to Brent Cross Station.

Walked from Finchley Central to Brent Cross.
Turning left out of Finchley Central, you walk down the Regent’s Park Road to the North Circular. There is little of real interest here except a milestone saying “Barnet 4 1/4 miles”.
Pause to admire the beautiful La Deliverance statue from World War I, before you cross the North Circular and immediately right down into a linear park. A feature that looks like a meandering stream on the map is now a culvert hemmed in by concrete walls. However, Mother Nature has done her best to soften it with plenty of trees and shrubs.
Pop across the road into Brent Park and follow a much lovelier stretch of water with lots of birdlife. Ducks, geese and a grey heron or two are all busy doing waterfowl stuff on the Brent River.
Across the North Circular again by a footbridge, or a light-controlled pedestrian crossing, you turn into a quiet residential street to soon arrive at Brent Cross station.
A surprisingly green walk that lets you experience nature while still within earshot of one of London’s busiest roads.

This is a route of three parts. (I walked it from Finchley Central to Brent Cross so will describe it that direction).

It starts with an extended along Regent's Park Road. It's not the most pleasant walk, but the pavements are wide, and there are shops to break up the monotony, so I didn't find it all that bad.

The second part is a long bit through really lovely and linked up green spaces. I really enjoyed discovering these parks. They were quiet and very pretty.

The final bit is a short stretch through quiet residential streets to the Brent Cross Station. This was perfectly pleasant.

Overall, it's a good and safe route, with half of it quite lovely and the other half perfectly adequate.

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