Bushar two

Verified Slow Way

Verified by 100.00% of reviewers

I walked this route on a sunny November day from Harrow to Bushey. I have walked parts of it many times before in the past.

Comments from south to north:

The southern half is through suburban Harrow (pavement) and the northern half is mainly through greenspace (varying surfaces but predominantly un-made paths).

In terms of Access for All parts of the northern section of this route would be challenging for wheelchair / limited mobility users and in some places impossible.

That said, the northern half is very attractive, varied and quiet.

North of the A410 the reasonably good surfaced path rises towards the Grim's Dyke woods and Old Redding viewpoint that provides excellent views to the south over London. This path is narrow and slightly overgrown in the upper section before opening out onto a rough surfaced road.

The Grim's Dyke woods have many reasonably good, generally dry paths, small lakes, rhododendron, giant pine trees; WS Gilbert's House (now Grim's Dyke Hotel) and link to the east to Harrow Weald Common and Bentley Priory open space - both worth a diversion.

Beyond the woods to the north there is a brief section of designated footpath that skirts a golf course before it enters woods ('Mutton Woods' on OS Maps).
Here the path becomes undulating and difficult in places. I would note that whilst I and other locals have been using this route between Mutton Woods and the Woodland Trust Merry Hill Fields for over 20 years it is not actually designated as a footpath....

Once you get to the point where you can see a field ahead and to the west the Slow Way follows an informal path continuing through a narrow strip of woods and a small 'ravine' (mentioned by others) needs to be crossed and then later a shallow (just about jumpable) perennial stream - although both of these can be avoided by going into the field to the west and following an informal footpath which eventually joins a designated footpath which you can follow eastwards into Merry Hill Fields.

Merry Hill Fields are well worth a visit and are varied with many paths and different aspects. In the winter months some of these paths end up being very muddy but apart from this, most are reasonably accessible.

The Slow Ways route eventually crosses a minor road Merry Hill Road and then onto a narrow footpath that comes out at St James Church graveyard and Bushey Village.

An alternative (recently permitted) route could be across the former Municipal Bushey Golf Course (now disused apart from the driving range).

Photos 1 - Suburban Harrow; 2 steps in Grim's Dyke Woods; 3 Steepish section entering the woods; 4 'Ravine'; 5 'jumpable shallow stream'; 6,7,8 Merry Hill Fields.

I walked this from Bushey to Harrow on a overcast Saturday morning, with the first 15 minutes being in the rain (this is relevant, I promise).

I started at the station, so I had a slightly different beginning of the route, going directly up Attenborough fields in what can only be described as a flood plain (photo #1). The *actual* path was a fast flowing stream, so I wandered along the other side of the hitch up the hill, where then cows blocked my path and I had to divert and jump a fence (sorry) to join the route just before it crosses Merry Hill Lane. From there the paths where mostly different grades of mud, with some standing water (photo #3). The route follows a straight line along Merry Hill circular footpath, and then it is showing to cross a stream before turning West. You can't get through the woods and across the stream there, so I had to back track one path North, and then go West again.

The route (at least with the OpenStreetMap background) shows to cross the stream on the North West corner of the golf course with a ford. Due to the rain, the stream was more of a fast flowing 8 inches deep river (photo #4). I checked around for 15 minutes if there was another route across (there wasn't), or if I could find big enough sticks to make a make shift bridge (there weren't), but ultimately decided to walk through it. I should have worn my hiking boots instead of hiking shoes, as they were certainly not up to the task.

I then continued along the path through the woods between the sections of the golf course, and across another mini ravine, to end up *on* the golf course, where this route joins the London LOOP (photo #5). I followed the well sign posted route all the way to the view point, after deciding I didn't walk along the road with traffic. The route as mapped here isn't that accurate, and following the LOOP is definitely recommended, although there is some work being done near Gilberts Lake due to some invasive species (photo #6).

After the view point there was a minimally muddy path which ended up at Uxbridge Road, which was a little tricky to cross due to a lot of traffic, and no official crossing point. From this point, the route follows residential streets with dedicated footpaths (photo #8), and then a long stretch along Harrow View with loads of new flats and other housing (photo #9), before weaving through buses to end up at Harrow-on-the-Hill station.

Quite a good route, but very muddy after the rain. It was about half mud, and half streets. Somebody needs to convince "people" to put up a bridge at that stream though!.

I was determined to walk all the way out of London, and this route definitely delivers the transition from urban to rural. I imagine coming the other way there would be a marvellous 'Dick Whittington' moment when the view over London at Harrow Weald is revealed, with a long downhill into the big city.

But I was walking away from Harrow, heading uphill towards the wooded hills; the first section is a long straight busy road and I would have liked it quieter, but at least it is direct (last photo). Then some residential estates until - at last - a footpath turns up the hill into fields .... and breathe! (first photo)

The view at the top is splendid and there is a pub, although I didn't stop off.

Now come the tricky parts: first I got lost in the woods at Harrow Weald Common, in the Grim's Dyke area (second photo). At this point the route follows the London Loop path, which is signposted, although maybe not well enough. I got back on track eventually by dropping onto the 'Old Redding' road for 100 metres (plentiful fast traffic, but there is a verge), then turning off again up Ass House Lane, which leads to a golf course (photo) and - hooray - the London Loop signs miraculously reappear.

A brief celebration - the route officially leaves London and enters Hertfordshire while crossing the golf course!

Almost immediately, as if to underline its new status as a rural Slow Way, comes the second tricky bit - the path that links the golf course to Merry Hill. Now this is a brilliant piece of local knowledge routing, since this path isn't marked on the maps, but it certainly exists - and as warned by the route maker, and in the other review and survey, there is a tricky ditch/ravine to cross (photo). I got across, carefully - this is a good reminder that what starts as an urban pavement walk can quickly turn into a walking boots and poles affair when the city is left behind.

And then there's a bit of a paddle across the border of Merry Hill (photo). So make that waterproof walking boots and poles!
Merry Hill is so well named, acres of grasses and trees and scrub which has so far survived being turned into a golf course. Some very entertaining dogs in this area too.
Fields and paths all the way to Bushey, one country lane to cross, with fast traffic so take care (penultimate photo).

A memorable walk, very contrasting, and I had a wonderful sense of achievement when I arrived in Bushey.

There are the usual suburban streets close to Harrow town center but once beyond this it is a beautiful and varied hike. There is The Case is Altered pub about half way with a wonderful view point, worth a pause to look at Harrow-on-the-Hill from a hill in harrow. Along the Grimms Dike, across a golf course to a tricky section through Mutton Wood . Merry Hill is a lovely area with lots of wildlife. Then through the graveyard to Bushy Church. Generally uphill from Harrow, downhill from Bushy.

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