Description
Although NorWem 1 is admirably direct, accessible, has been verified and achieved the "Enjoy Me" label, reviews and star ratings suggest it is not in fact particularly enjoyable. There is only 400m of off-road walking and about a mile of the rest is along very busy through roads.
This route is more off-road, enjoyable, beautiful and it goes past a mid-route tube station: all Slow Ways criteria. It is 1mi/1.7km longer but 2/3 overall is through peaceful green (and blue) spaces and it has just half the road walking, almost entirely on less busy residential roads.
Highlights include
Belvue Park: A medium sized park with sloping meadows, woodland paths and, near this route, a 13c church and the remnants of a moated manor.
Grand Union Canal: largely between warehousing and some new developments this is nonetheless a green corridor lined with trees and blackberries, populated by houseboats and coots.
Paradise Fields: ok this loop is superfluous but there is a chance you will see signs of the beaver colony such as dams, bitten tree stems or tracks at regular path crossing places, or even a beaver! (more likely after dark)
Horsenden Hill: extensive green space with wide wildflower meadows; ancient woodlands and hedgerows; long views east, south and west from the hilltop, frisbee golf and a kiosk.
As well as Sudbury Town station you can get to several bus stops from mid-route. Just south of Paradise Fields are both Westway retail park and Greenford tube (toilets in McDonald's - closest, other cafés, etc). There are steep slopes and long plank/earth steps and possible mud in Horsenden Hill
Although NorWem 1 is admirably direct, accessible, has been verified and achieved the "Enjoy Me" label, reviews and star ratings suggest it is not in fact particularly enjoyable. There is only 400m of off-road walking and about a mile of the rest is along very busy through roads.
This route is more off-road, enjoyable, beautiful and it goes past a mid-route tube station: all Slow Ways criteria. It is 1mi/1.7km longer but 2/3 overall is through peaceful green (and blue) spaces and it has just half the road walking, almost entirely on less busy residential roads.
Highlights include
Belvue Park: A medium sized park with sloping meadows, woodland paths and, near this route, a 13c church and the remnants of a moated manor.
Grand Union Canal: largely between warehousing and some new developments this is nonetheless a green corridor lined with trees and blackberries, populated by houseboats and coots.
Paradise Fields: ok this loop is superfluous but there is a chance you will see signs of the beaver colony such as dams, bitten tree stems or tracks at regular path crossing places, or even a beaver! (more likely after dark)
Horsenden Hill: extensive green space with wide wildflower meadows; ancient woodlands and hedgerows; long views east, south and west from the hilltop, frisbee golf and a kiosk.
As well as Sudbury Town station you can get to several bus stops from mid-route. Just south of Paradise Fields are both Westway retail park and Greenford tube (toilets in McDonald's - closest, other cafés, etc). There are steep slopes and long plank/earth steps and possible mud in Horsenden Hill
Status
This route has been reviewed by 3 people.
There are no issues flagged.
Photos for Norwem two
Photos of this route will appear when they are added to a review. You can review this route here.
Information
Route status - Live
Reviews - 3
Average rating -
Is this route good enough? - Yes (3)
There are currently no problems reported with this route.
Downloads - 3
Surveys
We are working to build-up a picture of what routes look like. To do that we are asking volunteers to survey routes so that we can communicate features, obstacles and challenges that may make a route desirable or not.
Slow Ways surveyors are asked to complete some basic online training, but they are not vetted. If you are dependent on the survey information being correct in order to complete a route, we recommend that you think critically about the information provided. You may also wish to wait until more than one survey has been completed.
Help people know more about this route by volunteering to submit a survey.
- Complete the survey training.
- Submit a survey for this route.
Geography information system (GIS) data
Total length
Maximum elevation
Minimum elevation
Start and end points
Northolt
Grid Ref
TQ1322484506
Lat / Lon
51.54810° / -0.36848°
Easting / Northing
513,224E / 184,506N
What3Words
follow.navy.glove
Wembley
Grid Ref
TQ1819185092
Lat / Lon
51.55235° / -0.29668°
Easting / Northing
518,191E / 185,092N
What3Words
marker.rental.rocket
| Northolt | |
|---|---|
| Grid Ref | TQ1322484506 |
| Lat / Lon | 51.54810° / -0.36848° |
| Easting / Northing | 513,224E / 184,506N |
| What3Words | follow.navy.glove |
| Wembley | |
|---|---|
| Grid Ref | TQ1819185092 |
| Lat / Lon | 51.55235° / -0.29668° |
| Easting / Northing | 518,191E / 185,092N |
| What3Words | marker.rental.rocket |
Sorry Land Cover data is not currently available for this route. Please check back later.
reviews
J M
25 Nov 2024I walked this route from Northolt to Wembley.
May I just start off by saying this route takes you through a wild beaver colony! Just think about that … outstanding!
I really appreciate the thought that went into planning this route. It really captures what Slow Ways all about.
I really enjoyed the variety of scenery from woodland to open fields, from peaceful Canal to sleepy residential streets.
So much of the way was quiet and pleasant. Happy to recommend it as a walk.
JohnMyerson
10 Oct 2024I started at Belvue Park having already walked from Southall. A lovely stretch of canal although I missed out the loop through the Beaver Colony and didn't climb to the top of Horsenden Hill. There's a fairly level path through a (disused) car park which meets the over-the-top path in 450 metres. Currently (October 2024) there's flooding at a loop in the path (roughly ///urgent.churn.homes) although it's possible to walk round it. The rest of the route is along fairly quiet roads. There are toilets at Wembley Central Station.
-
Share your thoughts
Daisy C
21 Aug 2024I created this route as an excuse to visit the Paradise Fields beaver reintroduction site near Greenford. But also because NorWem 1 looked very dull on the map, confirmed by underwhelmed reviews. The route description covers the best bits, possible break and refreshment points and a warning for possible muddy paths and steep slopes (especially west to east) and long flight of earthen steps.
I actually walked in the other direction, from Wembley to Northolt in late May. The blossom along the canal and flowers in the tall meadows in Belvue and Horsenden Hill were delightful.
I did see a beaver canal, a dam and freshly bitten tree stems in Paradise Fields but not the beavers or kits but that was a stretch, especially in daytime, so I'll take it as a successful mission!
After stopping at Northolt, for fresh pierogi, I then walked onto Southall via n the SouNor Slow Way. It's a short addition along an even nicer part of the Grand Union Canal. A lovely combination which would help get both NorWem 2 and SouNor 2 verified :).
-
Share your thoughts
Share your views about this route, give it a star rating, indicate whether it should be verified or not.
Include information that will be useful to others considering to walk or wheel it.
You can add up to 15 photos.
Other Routes for Northolt—Wembley See all Slow Ways
Review this better route and help establish a trusted network of walking routes.
Suggest a better route if it better meets our methodology.
Share your thoughts