Ealold two

Verified Slow Way

Verified by 80.00% of reviewers

So, I didn't read other reviews about this route. That's my fault. Hence, I was a little confused when arriving at a transport hub that isn't exactly open!!

I used the Slow Ways app out of Ealing Broadway which was a little tricky but only because of amount of roads in a small area. But it was then plain sailing. Nothing spectacular but decent pavements/paths, interesting buildings and a number of opportunities to take in some park space along the way.

The last third of the walk is all about HS2, there is construction work everywhere (literally) but the route was pretty direct and I would do it again and would recommend it to others. If you are relying on public transport to get you back to Ealing, worth checking the bus times before you go. Or add some extra time to walk to one of the few tube/railways stations that aren't too far away.

Walked Ealing to Old Oak Common in late Winter.
There’s some interesting well designed suburban estates along much of this route. Approaching Old Oak Common the high rise blocks start. Eventually this will be a large busy hub with a high rise mix of residential, retail, and of course a transport interchange - it’s all quite visionary, and in keeping with the vision Slow Ways has guesstimated where to place the meeting point (at the entrance to the station) while in reality it’s a gigantic building site.

The guidance for now is to treat the junction of Victoria Road and Old Oak Common Lane as the end point.

For Old Oak Common please begin or end your walk at the junction of Victoria Road (A4000) and Old Oak Common Lane. The Slow Ways network is future proofed and this Slow Ways node will be ready when Old Oak Common station opens, date tba.

In his autobiographical poem, John Betjeman wrote of travelling on the London underground westward 'among the Actons and the Ealings'. So he'd be familiar with parts of this route, and would no doubt comment on the architecture - the late Victorian mansions of Madeley Road, the mock Tudor blocks of Queen's Drive, and the relaxed Art Deco of West Acton Tube station. (And he might even recognise the old-fashioned pharmacy shopfront on Ealing Broadway itself). I'm not too sure what he'd say about the towers (mostly student accommodation, as far as I could tell from the signage). But as a railway enthusiast, he'd presumably approve of the Elizabeth Line depot and HS2 construction which currently make the access to the exact Old Oak Common Slow Ways terminus impractical. But another reviewer has noted that access to this will be restored once the works are complete.

I walked this as part of my tube walking project, as part of the Central Line walk. It is quite pleasant, although very residential. Easy access and walking on pavement.

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