For the nature walk lovers and walkers staying in the Harrow Weald area, Grim’s Dyke is a perfect location. Not only do you have our own grounds to discover, but there’s also a few well-known nature walks around for you to explore the local flora and fauna.

No matter what your walking abilities and experience, you can enjoy a pleasant stroll in the countryside, whilst you keep an eye out for wildlife. Not only that, but a couple of nature walks also take you past some of our local places of interest.

Here are our top three local walks, suitable for amateur and keen walkers.

Lady Gilbert’s Orchard

Just to the north and west to the gardens of Grim’s Dyke house, you’ll find Lady Gilbert’s Orchard. Nestled in the woods of Grim’s Dyke Open Space, you’ll find a place that’s perfect for invertebrates. The Orchard itself is home to many of the original trees, now covered with lichen, but planted by Lady Gilbert and Sir William Gilbert, when they resided at Grim’s Dyke. The Orchard also had new trees added in 2013, to fill some of the gaps. Wildflowers also grow between the trees, making it perfect for some of our best-loved insects.

Bentley Priory

Bentley Priory has several entry points along its perimeter. Located north of Uxbridge Road and northwest of central Stanmore. Open all year round, Bentley Priory has two hard surfaced paths, as well as plenty of naturally created ones. Bentley Priory has something for everyone, with the Deer Park, nature walks, boat pond, Summerhouse Lake, open glades and wildflowers galore. Designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Bentley Priory is a haven for uncommon birds, rare wildflowers and plants.

Bentley Old Vicarage Nature Reserve

This small site is just north of All Saints Church, on the Uxbridge Road in Harrow Weald. On the site of the old vicarage, this quiet oasis still shows signs of the original vicarage garden. The Nature Reserve is home to various woodland bird species, including Great Spotted woodpeckers and Long-Tailed tits. Once you’ve taken a walk around the Nature Reserve, head over to All Saints Church and yard. The grounds are a haven for wildlife and wildflowers, whilst the church itself is the work of the Victorian architect, William Butterfield.

Many of our guests come to Grim’s Dyke for its proximity to London and the West End. However, for those keen on nature walks and wildlife, it’s also an ideal place to stay. The three walks mentioned above are just a small glimpse of what’s on offer in the location. And of course, who could forget our very own Great Crested Newts! Discovered in 2012 by our lake, these rare newts are loving their habitat – a joint conservation initiative run by Grim’s Dyke and Froglife wildlife charity.

If you’d like to learn more about nature walks in this location, so please check out the Harrow Nature Conservation Forum. Part of the Harrow Heritage Trust, the Nature Conservation Forum can give you a detailed overview of each walk, along with a downloadable nature map.

If you’d like to discover more about the wildlife found at Grim’s Dyke, you can do so in this blog post: The Wildlife of Grim’s Dyke.