Colne Valley Circular Walk
The Colne Valley Circular Walk is a 36 km circular route through the Colne Valley Regional Park west of London — linking the reservoirs, canals and green spaces between Uxbridge and Rickmansworth in one of Greater London's most accessible green corridors.
This route has no official waymarking. Serious navigation experience is required — do not rely on GPS alone. Carry OS 1:25,000 maps and study the line before you go.
About Colne Valley Circular Walk
The Colne Valley Regional Park stretches along the River Colne between the M25 and Greater London — a chain of reservoirs, gravel pits, canals and woodland that provides a valuable green lung for west London. The circular walk links these habitats in a route that is surprisingly rural given its proximity to Heathrow and the M25.
For runners it is a good training route accessible by public transport from London — the Grand Union Canal towpath sections are fast and flat, the reservoir circuits add variety, and the Chiltern fringe at the northern end gives some gentle elevation.
The route
The circuit links Uxbridge, the Grand Union Canal, the Colne Valley reservoirs (Startop, Marsworth, Wilstone), the Chiltern fringe near Rickmansworth, and the Lee Valley Park connections.
Getting there & logistics
Base: Uxbridge. Metropolitan and Piccadilly lines from central London.
Best time: Year-round. Good drainage throughout.
Safety
Low-hazard route with excellent mobile signal and good urban infrastructure throughout. In an emergency: call 999 or 112.
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