We were very lucky with the weather on our walk, with a lovely blue sky and no rain.  We started with 14 walkers at Uxbridge station.  Heading down the High street and having crossed a few roads, we were able to drop down though the car park of The Swan and Bottle pub, onto the canal towpath.  Soon we reached Fran’s Tea Garden (closed but a bit early for a stop anyhow!). 

When passing Denham Lock some of our group listed off notable residents of the village; Cilla Black, Paul Daniels, Brian Conolly (The band Sweet), Mike Oldfield,  Harry Saltzman (James Bond producer in the 1960s) and the founder of the British Union of Fascists, Oswald Mosley and his wife Diana. As we continued along the canal, to our right lay Uxbridge Alderglade Nature Reserve and later Fray Valley Nature Reserve. We were accompanied on our left by the River Colne and Broadwater lake, often used for sailing. 

About 6 miles in, we stopped for lunch at the lovely Coy Carp pub which was quite busy.  Three of our group decided that this was a good point for them to divert off and catch a bus for home.  

After walking a few miles more, the remaining 11 walkers made time for a cuppa at Cafe@lock81, Batchworth. 

Our final leg took us off the canal in a left turn uphill to Croxley where we found the station and a few metres further on, a very nice pub ‘The Red House’.  It still being bright, and dry, four of us enjoyed a drink before catching a tube back into London

Jackie McC

Photos by Joyanna, Nita and Gillian