Discover Harefield: Walking Trails, Nature and Village History

Harefield offers a range of ways to plan a varied trip: the Harefield Locks section of the Hillingdon Trail combines a five-mile walking route with woodland and nature experiences, while the Church of St Mary and memorial sites provide insights into the village’s history. Anyone looking for a holiday apartment or holiday cottage in Harefield can choose their accommodation based on their personal interests and decide before travelling whether walking, nature observation or culture should be the main focus.

Walking along the Harefield Locks section

The Harefield Locks section of the Hillingdon Trail starts at Harefield Church and leads to Springwell Lock. The route is five miles long and passes through Old Park Wood. Points of interest along the way include Jacobean almshouses. In spring, bluebells, coralroot and goldilocks grow in large numbers between two sections of Old Park Wood. The exact route length is therefore important information for planning your day, especially if you want to allow enough time for nature observations and the historical points of interest along the way.

Dews Farm Sandpits offers another perspective on Harefield’s natural environment. The entrance is on Harvil Road. The site was once a mineral quarry and was subsequently reclaimed by nature. Today, it combines habitats of acidic grassland and young woodland. In summer, flowers and butterflies define the area. The nature trail through Dews Farm Sandpits includes some steps; you should take this specific information about the route into account when planning. Dews Farm Sandpits is designated as a Site of Borough Importance and lies within the Metropolitan Green Belt.

Broadwater Lake in Harefield also represents the area’s diverse wildlife. The lake is registered as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) because of its waterfowl, otters, reptiles, amphibians and numerous insect species. This creates different nature-focused options for planning your trip, without every outing having to follow the same pattern.

Village History and Memorial Sites

The Church of St Mary in Harefield is a Grade I listed building. Harefield Village Green lies within the Harefield Village Conservation Area, the village’s designated conservation area. Harefield War Memorial stands at the south-eastern corner of the Village Green. The ten-metre-high obelisk commemorates the village residents who died in the First World War.

The Australian War Memorial provides a particular connection to military history. It forms the centrepiece of the military cemetery for Australian soldiers who died of their wounds while patients at Harefield Place hospital during the First World War. The entrance arch to Harefield Australian Military Cemetery probably dates from around 1921 and is made of Portland stone. These sites are suitable for visitors who want to get to know a destination not only through its landscapes, but also through its tangible historical traces.

Further Activities for Different Days of Your Trip

For a guided version of the walk, there is the “Led Walk: Harefield”. It follows two or three different routes along the Grand Union Canal and past Black Jack's Lock. In Harefield, The Sharks offers beginner sessions; no previous experience is required, and the necessary equipment is provided. This allows you to include different types of activities in your trip planning: a five-mile route, a guided walk or an introduction requiring no prior experience.

Choosing Accommodation Based on Your Travel Plans

When looking for accommodation in Harefield, it is worth deciding first which experiences you want to enjoy. For the Hillingdon Trail, the five miles of the Harefield Locks section and the starting point at Harefield Church are important reference points. If you want to include Dews Farm Sandpits, you should incorporate the entrance on Harvil Road and the steps on the nature trail into your plans. Those interested in culture can instead focus on the Church of St Mary, the Village Green and the various memorial sites. A holiday apartment or holiday cottage is therefore chosen not only according to its location, but also according to the preferred pace of the trip.

For further orientation, you can also include Harlington, Harmondsworth, Uxbridge, West Drayton, Ruislip, Ickenham and Northwood in your wider search.

For the overarching travel overview: Hillingdon.