Croxley Hall Wood

The AquadromeBatchworth Lake

Supermarket

Grand Union Canal

Grand Union CanalGrand Union Canal

River Colne

River Colne

Rive

r Col

ne

River Colne

River Colne

Long Valley Wood

old railway line

Croxley Common MoorNature Reserve

Site of Special Scientific Interest

River Gade

Rive

r Ch

ess

Brightwells Spring

Vicarage Road Stadium

Neale & Son Cycles

Halfords

Watford GrammarSchool for Girls

Harwoods Recreation Ground

Laurance Haines Primary School

Allotments

Allotments

King George V Playing Fields

St Anthony’s RC Primary & Nursery School

Holywell Primary School & Nursey

to A412Rickmansworth

& Watford

Rickmansworth2 miles

to Cassiobury Parkand canal towpath 1 mile

Westfield Community Technical College

Merchant Taylors’ School

Field Junior School

Field Infant School & Nursery

Lammas

Road

Watford Museum

Local Brd. Rd

Pump House Arts Centre

Watford Arches Retail Park

Supermarket

HarlequinShopping Centre

Watford High Street Station

Lairage LandLocal Nature Reserve

Rickmansworth Station Rail and Metropolitan Line, London Underground

Three RiversMuseum

The CanalCentre

The White Bear

The Feathers

The Bury

St Mary’sChurch

Halfords

Three Rivers DistrictCouncil Offices St Joan of Arc

School

Rickmansworth ParkJMI School

Library /Information

WatersmeetTheatre

Vicarage Road Cemetery

Watford GeneralHospital

Oxhey Playing Fields

Oxhey Park

Colne Valley Linear Park

take care on this short road section

Bromet Primary School

OxheyEarly Years Centre

The Dell

The Withey Beds

Moor Lane Crossing

Common MoorLock

HampermillLake

Ebury Wayrises over

removed rail bridge

Cycleopedia

Waterm

an C

lose

A412 A412

A412

PARK ROAD

HIGH

RIVERSIDE DRIVE

LON

DO

N

LON

DO

N

ROAD

ROA

D

A404

LANE MOOR

MO

OR

LANE

MOOR LANE

TOLPITS LANE

TOLPITS LANE

TOLPITS LANE

TOLPITS LANE

HAGDEN

Belgrave Avenue

Willow

Lane

Chester Road

Euston Avenue

Hagden Road

HAGD

EN LAN

E

Harw

oods Road

Holywell RoadBrightwell Road

Benskin Road

VICARAGE ROAD

VICARAGE ROAD

WIG

GEN

HA

LL ROA

D

EXCHANGE

WIG

GEN

HAL

L RO

AD

DEACO

NS H

ILL

EASTBURY ROAD

EASTBURY

LOW

ER HIG

H STREET

DALTON

WAY

ROAD

A4125

A4125

A41

78

A4145

A4145

A4145

A4145

A4145

A4145

A404

HIG

H S

TREE

T

Ebury Way

Ebury Way

Ebury Way

Ebury Way

Ebury Way

Ch

urch

Ch

urc

h

Skidmore

Norfolk Road

Bury Lane

Wat

ers

Driv

e

Ebury Road

Talbot Road

Harefield Road

Wharf

No

rth

way

Northway

Stat

ion

Ro

ad

Lane

Way

Street

Stre

et

A404 to M25 Junc 18 to Watford

Lot Mead Lock

ramp

BatchworthLock

to Moor Park & Northwood

to Northwoodto South Oxhey /

London

to Watford Heath& Carpenders Park

to Bushey

to Northwood

to Maple Cross M25 Junc 17

to Harefield

NCNRoute 6to Uxbridge

Riverside Road

Cardiff

Road

Cardiff Road

St James Road

Water

Liverpool Road

High Street

Riverside Road

Jellicoe Road

Striplin

g Way

Blac

kwel

l

Blackwell

Oxhey Road Silk M

ill Road

Longcroft

Rd

Vicara

ge

Gre

enh

ill C

resc

ent

Gre

enh

ill C

resc

ent

Caxton Way

Caxton Way

Greenhill Crescent

Croxley View

Croxley View

Crox

ley

View

Dwight Road

Dw

igh

t Ro

ad

Moo

r

Old’s Approach

Sandy Lodge Road

Lavrock Lane

Lane

C

ross

ing

Vicarage

Road

Road

Colne Avenue

Colne A

venue

Drive

Drive

Riverside Park

Electricity Transmission

Station steps

ramp

Charlock Way

Charlock Way

Hatters Lane

Scammel Way

Moor View High View

LANE

Colne Valley Cycle Route

NCN Route 6/61to St Albans

8 miles

STREET

Lane

Silk

Mill

ROAD

proposedlink Watford Cycle Hub

(Holywell Community Centre)

Rickmansworth

Croxley Green

WatfordBusiness Park

CroxleyBusiness Park

Business Park

Business Park

Industrial Park

Holywell

Batchworth

Watford

The Rookery

West Watford

The Ordnance Survey mapping included within this publication is provided by Hertfordshire County Council under licence from the Ordnance Survey in order to fulfil its public function to provide information relating to its activities, services and plans. Persons viewing this mapping should contact Ordnance Survey copyright for advice should they wish to licence Ordnance Survey mapping for their own use. © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey 100019606 You are not permitted to copy, sub-licence, distribute or sell any of this data to third parties in any form.

Cartography, photography, leaflet design and cycling by Stephen & Esther Wragg - Wragg Art House: www.wah.co.uk

3rd edition September 2013 – © WAH 2013

3 . 5 m i l e t r a f f i c f r e e r o u t e b e t w e e n R i c k m a n s w o r t h & W a t f o r d

The Ebury Wayw a l k i n g & cycling

Cycling to work & school

This group of meadows and reedbeds provide a wonderful haven for wildlife. ‘Lairage’ means ‘grazing land’ cattle used to be herded here prior to being taken to the local abattoir.

Lairage Land

A community park that provides excellent facilities for all ages, including a skateboarding park, ball games area, seating and gardens in an informal park.

Riverside Park

The best route to Watford centre is via this cycle path that passes under Watford Arches Viaduct.

Way to go

The stadium is home to the famous Watford Football Club.

Vicarage RoadThe Museum displays artifacts from prehistory to the modern day.

Watford Museum

Since the first shop opened in 1270, shopping has

become one of Watford’s main attractions.

Shopping

Watford has been an ideal crossing point of the River Colne from ancient times, and was already a thriving town when described in the Doomsday Book.

In the middle ages it was an agricultural market town, and in the 20th century became a centre of the printing industry.

Watford

There can be no better way to go to work or school than cycling along The Ebury Way. You will arrive in better shape and will be fitter, healthier and less stressed.You will also enjoy reduced pollution levels than your colleagues in their cars and be contributing to a reduction in carbon monoxide pollution.

The Ebury WayTake care along the trail. Walkers remember cycles are very quiet and you may not hear them coming. Cyclists please be considerate to other users and allow plenty of room when passing.

Developed by Groundwork Hertfordshire, Hertfordshire County Council, Three Rivers District Council, Watford Borough Council and the Countryside Management Service.Ebury Way forms part of the Sustrans National Cycle Network: www.sustrans.org.uk

Walking and CyclingWatford Cycle Hub is a non-profit community bike centre situated in the Pavilion at the Holywell Community Centre. It offers bike repair services, maintenance courses and cycle training, and accepts your old rusty old bikes for recycling, and sells affordable reconditioned bikes and bike parts. watfordcyclehub.org.uk

Spokes campaign for better conditions for local cyclists and organise regular rides. www.spokesgroup.org.uk

Travel InformationBuses: Traveline 0870 608 2608 / www.traveline.org.uk Trains: National Rail Enq. 08457 484950 / www.nationalrail.co.uk

Rickmansworthwww.threerivers.gov.uk Email: enquiries@threerivers.gov.uk Rickmansworth Information Point: Tel. 01923 776611

Watfordwww.watfordforyou.org Watford Information: Tel. 01923 226400 Cycling matters in Watford: cycling@watford.gov.uk Watford Museum: Tel. 01923 232297

Grand Union CanalBatchworth Lock Canal Centre: Tel. 01923 778382 www.rwt.org.uk

The Grand Union Canal - The canal and towpath is looked after by the Canal & River Trust: www.canalrivertrust.org.uk.

FishingWatford Piscators: www.watfordpiscators.co.uk

Take Care!

Track

Residential

Car Park

Cycle RouteProposed

Pub /Restaurant

National RegionalCycle Route

Minor Road / Street

Lake, River/CanalLock

20mph Road

Commercial

SchoolSigned route onMinor Road

Signed route onMain Road

Supermarket

Cycle Shop

Footpath

Park

Rail Station

Cycle Routeoff road

Children’sPlay Area

Hospital

Sports Ground

Bridge

Museum

Sustrans Milepost Main Road

Railway

Rail (proposedCroxley Rail Link)

Building

Seating

Theatre/Arts Centre

Leisure Centre

Watersports

Toilet

TouristInformation

Cycle Stands

Ebury Way

Field

LT Station

Fishing LakePrivate / Public

Cycle / PedestrianCrossing

scale 1:6,850

100 metres

1/4 mile Key

N

Croxley Hall Wood

The AquadromeBatchworth Lake

Supermarket

Grand Union Canal

Grand Union CanalGrand Union Canal

River Colne

River Colne

Rive

r Col

ne

River Colne

River Colne

Long Valley Wood

old railway line

Croxley Common MoorNature Reserve

Site of Special Scientific Interest

River Gade

Rive

r Ch

ess

Brightwells Spring

Vicarage Road Stadium

Neale & Son Cycles

Halfords

Watford GrammarSchool for Girls

Harwoods Recreation Ground

Laurance Haines Primary School

Allotments

Allotments

King George V Playing Fields

St Anthony’s RC Primary & Nursery School

Holywell Primary School & Nursey

to A412Rickmansworth

& Watford

Rickmansworth2 miles

to Cassiobury Parkand canal towpath 1 mile

Westfield Community Technical College

Merchant Taylors’ School

Field Junior School

Field Infant School & Nursery

Lammas

Road

Watford Museum

Local Brd. Rd

Pump House Arts Centre

Watford Arches Retail Park

Supermarket

HarlequinShopping Centre

Watford High Street Station

Lairage LandLocal Nature Reserve

Rickmansworth Station Rail and Metropolitan Line, London Underground

Three RiversMuseum

The CanalCentre

The White Bear

The Feathers

The Bury

St Mary’sChurch

Halfords

Three Rivers DistrictCouncil Offices St Joan of Arc

School

Rickmansworth ParkJMI School

Library /Information

WatersmeetTheatre

Vicarage Road Cemetery

Watford GeneralHospital

Oxhey Playing Fields

Oxhey Park

Colne Valley Linear Park

take care on this short road section

Bromet Primary School

OxheyEarly Years Centre

The Dell

The Withey Beds

Moor Lane Crossing

Common MoorLock

HampermillLake

Ebury Wayrises over

removed rail bridge

Cycleopedia

Waterm

an C

lose

A412 A412

A412

PARK ROAD

HIGH

RIVERSIDE DRIVE

LON

DO

N

LON

DO

N

ROAD

ROA

D

A404

LANE MOOR

MO

OR

LANE

MOOR LANE

TOLPITS LANE

TOLPITS LANE

TOLPITS LANE

TOLPITS LANE

HAGDEN

Belgrave Avenue

Willow

Lane

Chester Road

Euston Avenue

Hagden Road

HAGD

EN LAN

E

Harw

oods Road

Holywell RoadBrightwell Road

Benskin Road

VICARAGE ROAD

VICARAGE ROAD

WIG

GEN

HA

LL ROA

D

EXCHANGE

WIG

GEN

HAL

L RO

AD

DEACO

NS H

ILL

EASTBURY ROAD

EASTBURY

LOW

ER HIG

H STREET

DALTON

WAY

ROAD

A4125

A4125

A41

78

A4145

A4145

A4145

A4145

A4145

A4145

A404

HIG

H S

TREE

T

Ebury Way

Ebury Way

Ebury Way

Ebury Way

Ebury Way

Ch

urch

Ch

urc

h

Skidmore

Norfolk Road

Bury Lane

Wat

ers

Driv

e

Ebury Road

Talbot Road

Harefield Road

Wharf

No

rth

way

Northway

Stat

ion

Ro

ad

Lane

Way

Street

Stre

et

A404 to M25 Junc 18 to Watford

Lot Mead Lock

ramp

BatchworthLock

to Moor Park & Northwood

to Northwoodto South Oxhey /

London

to Watford Heath& Carpenders Park

to Bushey

to Northwood

to Maple Cross M25 Junc 17

to Harefield

NCNRoute 6to Uxbridge

Riverside Road

Cardiff

Road

Cardiff Road

St James Road

Water

Liverpool Road

High Street

Riverside Road

Jellicoe Road

Striplin

g Way

Blac

kwel

l

Blackwell

Oxhey Road Silk M

ill Road

Longcroft

Rd

Vicara

ge

Gre

enh

ill C

resc

ent

Gre

enh

ill C

resc

ent

Caxton Way

Caxton Way

Greenhill Crescent

Croxley View

Croxley View

Crox

ley

View

Dwight Road

Dw

igh

t Ro

ad

Moo

r

Old’s Approach

Sandy Lodge Road

Lavrock Lane

Lane

C

ross

ing

Vicarage

Road

Road

Colne Avenue

Colne A

venue

Drive

Drive

Riverside Park

Electricity Transmission

Station steps

ramp

Charlock Way

Charlock Way

Hatters Lane

Scammel Way

Moor View High View

LANE

Colne Valley Cycle Route

NCN Route 6/61to St Albans

8 miles

STREET

Lane

Silk

Mill

ROAD

proposedlink Watford Cycle Hub

(Holywell Community Centre)

Rickmansworth

Croxley Green

WatfordBusiness Park

CroxleyBusiness Park

Business Park

Business Park

Industrial Park

Holywell

Batchworth

Watford

The Rookery

West Watford

The Ebury WayThe Ebury Way is a 3.5 mile traffic-free path for walkers and cyclists along the route of a former railway line linking Watford and Rickmansworth.

By bike it is a 30 minute easy ride, for the more adventurous it forms part of route 61 of the National Cycle Network which runs west to Uxbridge, Windsor and beyond. From Watford Route 6 goes from London to the Lake District!

The surface has been designed to be easy going for all users including wheelchairs, with many accessible entry points along the way.

Acting as a ‘green corridor’ for wildlife and well away from the bustle of nearby towns and traffic the route passes through a variety of habitats, including open moor, scrubby wood, wetlands and across waterways.

Crossing the 3 rivers - Colne, Chess & Gade and the Grand Union Canal, there is plenty to see along the way.

Rickmansworth dates back to Saxon times and with its prominent position at the confluence of the 3 rivers Chess, Gade & Colne grew to sizeable town gaining its royal charter in 1542.

The canal was built in 1797, and many businesses sprang up in the vicinity including 5 paper mills & a brewery. Later came the railway to Watford built by Lord Ebury in 1862 becoming the Ebury Way after the line finally closed in 1981.

The state of Pennsylvania USA is named after a famous former resident William Penn who lived in Basing House - now Three Rivers Museum (see right).

Today Rickmansworth is an attractive thriving place to live work and shop, surrounded by delightful countryside that provides a host of leisure activities.

Rickmansworth

The Aquadrome south west of Rickmansworth is an extensive area of lakes formed by

gravel extraction, most notably used in the construction of Wembley Stadium in the early

1920’s and is a popular open space for walking, fishing, watersports and observing wildlife.

AquadromeThe Canal Centre at Batchworth Lock provides a unique insight into the past when the lock was an important stopping point on the Grand Union Canal between London and the Midlands, providing overnight stabling and several pubs. Canal barges were made at nearby Walker’s boatyard.

The Canal Centre

Narrow boats line the canal here and provide floating homes in the most tranquil of settings

Living Afloat

Angling is a popular sport on many of the lakes on either side of the Ebury Way. Club membership is required - see back cover for information.

Fishing Lakes

The railway across Croxley Moor was made particularly expensive by the number of bridges that had to be built across water, for instance here where it crosses the canal, photograph looking towards Lot Mead Lock.

Canal Bridge

This area of wetlands is almost unique in west Hertfordshire because of improved drainage & flood relief schemes elsewhere, supporting a wide range of habitats and wildlife.

The Withey Beds

Excellent view across the wide valley, with the lakes and Moor Park beyond.

Hampermill Lake

You can see the Metropolitan Line crossing the River Gade & Canal in the centre. The Ebury Way is visible as a line of trees running from bottom left, alongside the fishing lake, under the railway, and beside the industrial area at top right.

From the Air

geos

hots

.com

- ph

oto:

A B

ritto

n

This 100 acre nature reserve and SSSI provides a wonderful habitat for wildflowers and many bird species including the Green Woodpecker.

A stroll across the moor, which commonly provides grazing for cattle, brings you to the banks of the tranquil River Gade where kingfishers are a common sight. Look out for ant hills in the grass - a sign that most of the moor has never been ploughed or fertilized.

Croxley Common Moor