Boundary Ride #5: West Ruislip to Feltham Gravel Route London

Birdsong and aeroplanes.

There's something rather odd about feeling properly in the countryside while weaving between the M4, the Great Western Railway and Heathrow. This 35 km gravel ride makes good use of the gaps. Riverside trails and the Grand Union Canal link up with open airport country and Staines Moor, then Bedfont Lakes leads on towards Feltham. With around 130 m of climbing in total, it's effectively pan flat.

A medieval moat, a Charles Holden station, remarkably good gravel beside Heathrow and a skylark painted under a bridge. Sometimes you can hear birds and aeroplanes at once, which sums up this ride rather well.

As featured in Cyclist magazine and recommended by the London Cycling Campaign.

Ride Details

Ride Level: Easy (Green)
Distance: 35 km / 22 miles
Terrain: Gravel, narrow trails, canal towpath, moorland paths and urban links
Bike: Gravel or mountain bike. Gravel tyres are useful on the narrow trails and through Bedfont Lakes.
Includes: GPX route file and downloadable ride guide

The Route

From West Ruislip the ride heads for Pynchester Moat beside the River Pinn, an easily overlooked medieval moated site, then on to Uxbridge, where the station seems built on a rather grander scale than necessary. This is the sensible place for lunch before the quieter stretches. There was also a very large fruit stall opposite the station on the recce, which was arguably of more immediate use.

A bit of wiggling through town brings you onto the Grand Union Canal, then onto narrower singletrack. Further south, a corridor of remarkably well-made gravel runs alongside the airport. Overhead, airliners are either climbing out or lining up to land. Underneath, there are birds. Further on, sheep graze behind a fence beside King George VI Reservoir. Seen in passing, they looked as though they were in prison.

Staines Moor and a Skylark Under a Bridge

Staines Moor is a lovely stretch of open grazing land, with the River Colne running through it and a surprising amount of sky for somewhere so close to Heathrow. It's one of the surviving pastures of the medieval Manor of Staines, common land since 1065, and has been left largely undisturbed since the 11th century. Skylarks and other ground-nesting birds breed here, so stick to the route.

Under the bridge, look out for a 140 foot wildlife mural painted by Positive Arts in 2013. Birds, plants and other moorland wildlife are drawn in the style of Victorian natural-history illustrations, with a skylark singing from its fencepost at the centre. A concrete underpass is an unlikely place to find a field guide, but it's a very good use of one.

Hounslow Heath's highwayman stories include Claude Duval, who is said to have offered a coach a £300 discount in return for a dance. It's a good legend rather than an incident pinned to this patch of moor. The route also passes the BEA Flight 548 memorial in the recreation ground off Waters Drive, remembering the 118 people killed shortly after take off from Heathrow in 1972. After a ride with aircraft coming and going overhead, it's worth stopping for a moment.

Finish

Bedfont Lakes is a maze of gravel tracks and trails, with plenty of opportunities to convince yourself that the turning you wanted was definitely the last one. There's some really good riding here, including the odd short, steep section. If you lose the line, zoom out on your GPS and work towards the exit point. I got completely lost here on the recce, so this advice has been thoroughly earned.

Feltham is a practical rather than spectacular finish. What makes this ride interesting is the journey there, and the pleasing sense of having found a way through such a heavily developed part of London.

What are Boundary Rides

A series of easy-going adventures exploring the edge of London, one gravel path at a time. Each route covers 20 to 40 kilometres, starting and finishing at railway stations within TfL's Zone 6, and each one links together the hidden corners, green spaces, and unexpected stories that make London's outer limits so fascinating.

Start and End Points

Start: West Ruislip Station (Central line)

Finish: Feltham Station (South Western Railway)

Ride Details

• Distance: 35 km | 22 miles
• Climb: 130 m | 430 ft
• Percentage off-road: 55%
• Trail surface: Gravel | Canal Towpath | Single Track | Minor Roads
• Technical Grade: Green - Easy
• Mudometer: Mainly gravel tracks, rideable all year. Expect some mud after a lot of rain.

Is this ride for me?

Easy (20-40 km)

Expect a gentle ride ridden at an easy pace.

With few or no hills on well-maintained gravel paths, bike lanes and shared-use paths. These rides are suitable for riders who can pedal for about an hour without stopping.

At around 130 m of climbing this one is effectively pan flat, so it suits newer gravel riders as much as old hands. The only short steeper sections are at Bedfont Lakes.

Read more about our grades here

Is my bike OK for this ride?

In summer any bike fitted with all terrain tyres will work. After rain, when the moor and some trails can soften, a gravel, cyclocross or mountain bike is recommended. Gravel tyres are useful on the narrow trails and through Bedfont Lakes.