Walking the canal: Elthorne Park to Brentford

It was a weekend of walks.So as a follow up to walking the Boat Race course on the Thames on Saturday it was canal walking on Sunday.

Around mid-morning I headed off down the Grand Union from Elthorne Park in Ealing to down to Brentford.

Here is a link to walking in the Brentford and Syon Park area http://www.waterscape.com/media/documents/20507.pdf

There were many highlights to the walking.

First was seeing the jams on the M4 motorway as it heads out of London above empty Grand Union 

Next was walking autocross one of my favourite canal bridges.

This is  the ominously named Gallows Bridge.

Certainly built in 1820 and probably by Thomas Telford.

In recent years this brdge has been restored to its former splendour.

Its key purpose in days gone by was to enable horses pulling boats to cross from the tow path which continued on the other side.

Brentford has changed totally in recent years with masses of new waterside lifestyle dwellings built where there were once thriving storage sheds and repair yards

Despite all this change the heart of the canal is there as this picture shows.

This is Lock 100 A and B otherwise known as the Brentford Gauging lock below which the Brent rejoins the canal.

The end of the walk led to a pub and lunch.What a treasure was found. It was The Weir.

Click its web site here http://www.theweirbar.co.uk/

Although it is actually right on the water edge it is only accessible from Brnetford High Street via Market

Place. This was once known as the White horse and is one of the oldest pubs in Brentford and was first licensed in 1603. A bar with plenty of good dining room areas overlooking the water.
A great place for summer drinking too with large outside garden 

Great well cooked food too