The Canal Feeder In 2013 Page Two

The Ruislip Golf Course has a number of streams and small lakes and deceptively simple flat fairways totalling 5753 yards. It was opened in 1922. A short distance across the fairway green an accommodation bridge can be seen. The feeder follows the line of trees in the background. The public footpath (not the Hillington Trail) follows the right hand side of the feeder and the course takes one round through a small woods to another section of the golf course where several accomdation bridges exist. At least one accomdation bridge can be seen in the undergrowth along this section. Basically the feeder traces a double inverted ‘s’ route through this part of the Ruilsip Golf Course and the numerous drains that criss cross the site only add to the confusion in determining the exact course.

This view shows the feeder where it crosses a large part of the golf course. Many people think the feeder heads straight across this field, but in fact only part of it does. The red line indicates the approximate course of the feeder in this view looking southwards

The route passes through another small copse before hitting the third golf course fairway. There is an accomodation bridge (foreground) and on the far side a gate leads to the ‘tunnel’ which is in fact a passageway under the Marylebone – High Wycombe railway embankment

Above: The Hillingdon Trail signs can be reliably followed from this point southwards. The gate and the ‘tunnel’ can be seen. 

Above: View of the pedestrian tunnel. The canal feeder has its own tunnel on the left behind the fencing

The pedestrian tunnel showing the curved alignment

The feeder tunnel looking northwards

View of the two tunnels on the southern side. Pedestrian on left and feeder on right

At The Greenway is a large concrete bridge of a rather interesting but austere design. Marked by Hillingdon trail signs, the route crosses the road where one can see the bridge more clearly on the south side.

The Hillingdon Trail goes north west along the Greenway, but there is an unmarked footpath that squeezes past the side of the bridge and along the Ruislip feeder. This leads eventually back to the Hillingdon Trail at what I call the ‘split bridge.’

Bridge on The Greenway

This ‘concrete channel’ is actually the rear of properties south of the Greenway that have built their gardens over part of the feeder’s channel

At least someone has recognised there is a water route here and have their own bridge across the feeder. The footpath actually passes on the right, but I found it so overgrown that I had to walk on the bed of the feeder itself, which at this point was fortunately dry enough!

Further south there is an excellent stretch of feeder channel, showing what must be the original width and profile. The channel can be seen easily from the unmarked footpath, but one must fight through brambles and branches in order to gain a splendid perspective of the feeder like in this picture

This view shows the ‘split bridge.’ Not a Southern Stratford affair but rather a large and slightly elaborate affair.
This must be without a doubt the largest structure on the entire route of the Ruislip feeder. which must have carried a lane of some importance at one time. It has subsided, creating a large split down the centre. Thats why I call it the ‘split bridge.’

Atop the bridge we can see it is substantially wide. The split in the abutment is obvious.

The ‘split bridge’ marks the spot the Ruilslip Feeder walk re-joins the Hillingdon Trail, which is now followed for a good distance to the junction of Austin’s Lane and Glebe Road.

This view shows ‘The Green.’ It parallels the feeder and if one is able to force their way through the brambles and undergrowth on the right, one is rewarded with views of the canal feeder in places, such as this rubbish strewn section, shown below, near High Road

This is an excellent piece written for London Canals UK but has been copied here because, much like the Canal Feeder, there is a danger that tomorrow it might not be there....indeed much of the canal feeder has gone and with HS2 much more will probably vanish soon.

I do not own copyright to it nor the images.