The North to South London Trail is a new walking route launched in May 2024 by Walking Post. A 34 mile walk from Cockfosters to Carshalton in five sections. I have walked quite a lot of this before but there is also a lot of new territory.
The walk starts at Cockfosters station that me and my friend Mike reached after a lengthy journey from central London. It was a pleasant sunny day after quite a chilly start.
Leaving the station we first walked a few quiet streets and alleyways passing two churches. First Christ Church and then Emmanuel Church incorporating Freston Hall.
We soon entered Oak Hill Wood Nature Reserve, an area of dense woodland and multiple paths. We soon found the written instructions a little inadequate and missed a couple of turnings such that we left the woodland further along than we should have.
But leaving where we did meant we joined Pymmes Brook a little higher up so enjoyed more of this lovely stream as it flowed through Oak Hill Park.
This is the point where we should have joined the Brook and we continued to follow it now through Brunswick Park.
The Brook in light woodland, then we reach the magnificent Arnos Park viaduct.
The viaduct was opened in 1933 and built as part of the extension of the Piccadilly line to Cockfosters. It has 32 arches and an interesting optical effect can be seen when standing underneath it.
We continue through Arnos Park and then approach Broomfield Park.
Broomfield Park was the gardens of Broomfield House and has been landscaped with large lakes. The house, a listed building, was destroyed by fire in the 1980s and has remained derelict ever since.
After a short stretch of road walking we reach the New River and follow this for a while.
The busy North Circular has to be crossed via a pedestrian crossing. The New River is picked up again.
The Riverside Community Church backs onto the river. Then we reach the end of the river as it flows underground for a while.
We now go through Finsbury Gardens then Nightingdale Gardens, pleasant park land.
Alexandra Palace station where the railway line is crossed via a footbridge and takes us into Alexandra Palace park, passing the rose garden. It was a steep climb up to the palace and we needed a rest at the top.
Two views of the palace, a magnificent building and seemed fairly busy with visitors.
The views of London from here are superb, the best I have ever seen on my various walks. Leaving the palace grounds we reached Muswell Hill where we stopped for lunch at the Mossy Well.
After lunch we continued along the northern section of Parkland Walk, the former Alexandra Palace to Finsbury Park railway line which closed in the 1950s. Then through Highgate Woods down to Highgate station where we finished for the day and caught the tube back to London. 9 miles of walking taking us around 4 hours, an enjoyable although quite tiring day. The authors of this new walk have done an excellent job in bringing it all together.