Horsta one

Verified Slow Way

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Horton to Stanwell Moor 1 (Horsta 1) review.

A short Slow Way that escapes some of its urban route for the Arthur Jacob Nature Reserve.

Horton has a convenience store off the village green. The route heads east along the Stanwell Road. Look out for the John Milton blue plaque on the left after Foundry Lane; the story of the abandoned Berkyn Manor is intriguing.

The road passes Colne Brook (Photo 1), a brook that proved an obstacle to me on Ascot to Wraysbury (AscWra 1) a month earlier. Soon after this is the entrance to the Arthur Jacob Nature Reserve.

The Slow Way keeps to the wooded footpath which parallels the road. The reserve itself is alongside the Colne Brook, and probably worth a detour for a longer walk (Photos 2 & 3).

The Slow Way returns to roads near the Golden Cross pub. It then takes an underpass below the M25. The walk into Stanwell Moor briefly visits the River Colne.

I walked from Stanwell Moor to Horton.
The first and last thirds are alongside a busy Stanwell Road and through fly-tipped motorway under passes. The middle part is a beautiful woodland nature reserve, but...

February 24 had been an exceptionally wet month and there had been heavy rain for a couple of days and the woods were flooded at TQ 0262 7581 to a depth of about 45cm. Two small rivulets meet here and I think there is regular flooding, the foot bridges don't help. This means avoiding the woods and continuing along Stanwell Road for the entire walk.
Previous reviewers had no problems, clearly this is a seasonal issue and I don't think it is worth failing the route when the woods are passable for the majority of the time, and there are few if any alternatives. Just be warned the woods could be impassable during very wet weather. The road alongside is an easy 4 season bypass.

This is a short direct easy to navigate route between two villages.
The road route is wheel friendly, the woods are not.

I walked Stanwell Moor to Horton to on a mild November day.
Walking along Hithermoor Road then Leylands Lane and cross the river at the silverbeck weir and follow the muddy paths and then follow bridal way signs that take you via underpasses and foot path across the M25.
Youth then follow the busy Horton Road at the next round about you see the Golden Cross pub. The entrance to the Arthur Jacob nature reserve is from the Golden Cross pub car park. Follow this wooded path re-joining the road as it enters Horton.
You will need to cross the busy road a couple of times as the foot path changes sides into the village of Horton.
Straightforward route.

For a route passing so close to Heathrow Airport this manages to find some very pleasant green spaces. There is some pavement pounding too, but not that much.

I walked from Stanwell Moor to Horton.

First, the route goes along the River Colne, there may be fishermen who will tell you about the enormous pike they caught there last week.

Then walk across the M25 at junction 14; the route drawing here is a bit abbreviated but its good enough. I did encounter some off road motorbikes in this area, which I think is used as an informal track, so keep aware.

The next bit is a pavement walk along a lively road with a fair amount of HGV and logistics activity.

At the Golden Cross pub there is a footpath into a nature reserve. The path through the woods is a real treat when so much walking in this area is along busy roads. At one point a tree has fallen across the path but it was easy to walk around.

Then its back on the busy Stanwell Road with just enough, but no more, pavement, and occasionally there may be a car parked over it. The route passes a blue plaque for John Milton, the 17th century poet who lived here.

Horton is a small attractive village, an anachronism. Meeting point is at the war memorial, it was Remembrance Sunday so it was well dressed with wreaths, but sadly no benches for resting weary legs.

This is a more-than-adequate route in a tricky area to negotiate, what with the airport, the motorway, river and reservoirs. 4 stars.

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