The source of the Dollis Brook is in Moat Mount Open Space near the A1 and it flows past Barnet and then south to form the river Brent where it merges with Mutton Brook at Hendon. The Dollis Valley Greenwalk follows the route of the brook and continues to Hampstead Garden Suburb on a waymarked path.
After a week of almost non stop rain we finally had a dry day so I ventured out on the second leg of the Dollis Brook. After a good trip up on the train I retraced my path down from High Barnet tube, across Barnet playing fields, busy on a Saturday morning, to the point where the Dollis Brook Greenwalk separates from the London Loop, where I had stopped on the first section.
The first section is through Brook Farm Open Space followed by Whetstone Stray, pleasant areas of woodland and open parkland. Plenty of other walkers enjoying the dry weather.
There follows a short section away from the brook through residential roads with two options. I chose the eastern route and down Holden Road saw this nice church building which it seems has now been converted to flats. The brook is rejoined along Riverside Walk.
More open parkland in Oakdene Park and the growing brook flowing through pleasant woodland.
I went a bit stray here as the guide leaflet was a bit confusing but soon got on my way again. The Mill Hill viaduct was built in the early 1860s for the Great Northern Railway and is now used for the tube line to Mill Hill East. It was hard to get a good photograph of it on what was a very busy road with pavement on one side only.
Windsor Open Space is another pleasant area, nowhere Windsor in Berkshire. Hendon Lane is crossed followed by a subway under the A1.
The final sections of the brook as it merges into the River Brent (right photo). The Dollis Brook Greenwalk now turns east and follows Mutton Brook and then down to Hampstead Heath Extension. I decided to finish my walk here and followed the route of the Capital Ring along the Brent and then up to Hendon Central station where I had a pleasant lunch before taking the tube back to Waterloo.
On the way back I had hoped to make a short diversion to Buckingham Palace to show my respects for Queen Elizabeth. However when I got on a packed Victoria Line train at Euston it was announced that Green Park station was closed due to congestion. Putting two and two together I abandoned that idea, got off at Oxford Circus and continued the journey back to Waterloo and home. Another pleasant walk along a bit of London totally unknown to many.