56-716: The Dollis Valley Greenwalk (or Green Walk ) is a footpath route in the London Borough of Barnet in London , England , between Moat Mount Nature Reserve in Mill Hill and Hampstead Heath . The route is designed to act as a link between the Capital Ring and the London Loop , and between the many green spaces and wildlife corridors along the way. It is approximately 10 miles (16 km) long. It mainly follows
112-573: A Green Flag Award for 2008–2009: The borough has sixty-seven Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation , eight Local Nature Reserves , and it is jointly responsible with the London Borough of Brent for the Welsh Harp (Brent) Reservoir , which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest . These are listed in Nature reserves in Barnet . The A5 ( Edgware Road ) forms the border between Barnet and
168-529: A "laboratory experiment for some very ill-thought out policies". In 2004 cycle lanes were removed and cycle training funding cut by the controversial pro-motorist councillor Brian Coleman . The A5 is a major road in that forms much of the borough's western border. It is also the first Roman built road in England. It later took the Anglo-Saxon name Watling Street . The Great North Road passes through
224-482: A community sports stadium and is still used in this capacity thanks to Saracens using movable stands for their matches. As well as athletics facilities, the complex also has a swimming pool. In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough had a total population of 6,404; and the area was characterised by farming and woodland — with settlement principally around the Great North Road . By 1830,
280-490: A new turnpike , the Finchley Road was constructed and horse-drawn omnibuses introduced. The population rose dramatically with the arrival of the trams and railways in the middle of 19th century, and new estates were built to house commuters. As industry relocated away from London during the 1960s, the population entered a decline, that has begun to reverse with new housing developments on brownfield sites. According to
336-571: A path on the left, which skirts Barnet Gate Wood . At the end of the Wood the path bears left between hedges. A small pond on the right with a pipe under the path to a stream, which is often dry, is one of the sources of the Dollis Brook. The path then goes through fields to Moat Mount Local Nature Reserve . (When a route marker points half left off the main track, the path goes through the kissing gate opposite.) The route then goes through fields and
392-436: A path opposite Erskine Hill. It follows Mutton Brook across Finchley Road at Henlys Corner and under North Circular Road , and turns right where Mutton Brook meets Dollis Brook near Bridge Lane. From here it follows Dollis Brook under Hendon Lane to Windsor Open Space . It crosses Waverley Grove to leave Windsor Open Space at Thornfield Avenue. It then turns right along Dollis Road under Dollis Brook Viaduct, and left to follow
448-430: A quarter of people belonged to non-white ethnic groups, up from 18% in the 1991 census. 12.3% were Asian and 6.0% black. Barnet had the largest Chinese population of any London borough in 2001, at 6,379. As of 2011, 13.3% of the borough's population is over 65 - the sixth-highest of London's boroughs. The 65+ population is 47,400, the second-highest after Bromley . The Jewish population is 54,084 and represents 15.5% of
504-475: A wood to wooden steps, where it turns right, finishing at the nature reserve's closed car park on the east side of Barnet Way, part of the A1 , and a dual carriageway with no access from the northbound lane. 51°36′09″N 0°12′23″W / 51.6025°N 0.2065°W / 51.6025; -0.2065 London Borough of Barnet The London Borough of Barnet ( / ˈ b ɑːr n ɪ t / )
560-585: Is Barnet Council, which meets at Hendon Town Hall and has its main offices at 2 Bristol Avenue in the Colindale area of the borough. For elections to the Greater London Council , the borough formed the Barnet electoral division, electing four members. In 1973 it was divided into the single-member Chipping Barnet , Finchley , Hendon North and Hendon South . The Greater London Council
616-399: Is a local authority area on the northern outskirts of London . The borough was formed in 1965 from parts of the ceremonial counties of Middlesex and Hertfordshire . It is the second largest London borough by population with 389,344 inhabitants as of 2021, also making it the 17th largest district in England. The borough covers an area of 86.74 square kilometres (33 sq mi),
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#1732781080924672-589: Is a large multi-building museum built on part of the site of Hendon Aerodrome , dedicated to the history of aviation , and the British Royal Air Force in particular. Church Farmhouse Museum on Greyhound Hill in Hendon is a grade II* listed 17th-century farmhouse used by Barnet Council as an exhibition space and museum until the Council closed it to save money on 31 March 2011. Early in 2014 it
728-745: Is provided by the Metropolitan Police Service . There are two police stations in the borough at: Colindale and Barnet. Though only Colindale is open to the public. The Peel Centre at Hendon is the Metropolitan Police College. Statutory emergency fire service is provided by the London Fire Brigade . There are four fire stations that operate in the Borough of Barnet. These are mobilised to protect around 330,000 people. The main risks identified in
784-494: Is represented by Dan Tomlinson . Finchley and Golders Green is represented by Sarah Sackman . Hendon , in 2024 the most marginal Labour-held seat in the country with a majority of 15 votes, is represented by David Pinto-Duschinsky . The borough covers a group of hills on the northern edge of the London Basin . The bedrock is chalk which is covered with clay. Some of the hills are formed from glacial till deposited at
840-506: Is the last of these with a home ground in the Borough; Hendon and Edgware play in the Borough of Brent, and Barnet F.C. play in the Borough of Harrow. Barnet is also home to the Barnet Nightingales Girls Football Club and Barnet Judo Club. Since 2013 rugby union Premiership outfit Saracens F.C. have called the borough home, playing matches at StoneX Stadium at Barnet Copthall which was previously
896-509: Is thought to be suitable for wheelchair users and pushchairs, but some sections between Woodside Park and Mill Hill can get very muddy and walking shoes may be advisable. The southern end starts on the edge of Hampstead Heath Extension at the end of a short pathway from Meadway Close, Hampstead Garden Suburb. It goes along Meadway Close and Bigwood Road to Big Wood and Denman Drive South. It then goes through Little Wood Nature Reserve to Addison Way. It turns left along Addison Way and right into
952-731: The Countryside Commission (now Natural England ) and the Countryside Management Service. In March 2009, the Dollis Valley Greenwalk won a £400,000 grant from the Mayor of London 's Help a London park scheme by public vote. The grant was planned to be used to improve footpaths, cycle paths, lighting, entrances for safer walking, accessibility, which includes making it a safe route for walking between communities and play facilities. It
1008-774: The Dollis Brook and is one of the many parks and open spaces in Barnet . Dollis Valley Greenwalk is based on the Brookside Walk, built by Finchley Council (now part of Barnet) in the 1930s. It was the brainchild of leading Finchley Councillor, Alfred Pike, and followed Mutton Brook west from Falloden Way to its junction with Dollis Brook, and then the Dollis north to the Finchley boundary in Wyatts Farm Open Space, opposite Walfield Avenue. Mutton Brook
1064-609: The Green Belt . The local authority is Barnet London Borough Council , which meets at Hendon Town Hall and has its main offices in Colindale . The area covered by the modern borough has a long history. Evidence of first-century Roman pottery manufacturing has been found at Brockley Hill and Roman coins from the third and fourth centuries were found at Burnt Oak . Both sites are on the Roman road Watling Street from London ( Londinium ) to St Albans ( Verulamium ) which now forms
1120-683: The High Barnet branch of the Northern line , between High Barnet and Woodside Park stations, in Travelcard Zone 4 . It was first built in 1872. It is on the north side of Totteridge Lane ( A5109 ), to the east of the Dollis Brook , the traditional boundary between Totteridge and Whetstone , so narrowly in the latter. The Totteridge & Whetstone station was planned by the Edgware, Highgate and London Railway (EH&LR) and
1176-696: The Local Government Act 1894 . Barnet was enlarged in 1914 to take in Totteridge , and Hendon was enlarged in 1931 to take in Edgware . Hendon was made a municipal borough in 1932, as was Finchley in 1933. East Barnet Valley was renamed East Barnet in 1935. The modern borough was created in 1965 under the London Government Act 1963 , covering the combined area of the former boroughs of Finchley and Hendon and urban districts of Barnet, East Barnet and Friern Barnet. The area
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#17327810809241232-516: The M1 motorway are in the borough. London Gateway services is at the site of the abandoned third junction. The bus routes in the borough are managed by Transport for London . The borough is served by the northernmost sections of the London Underground 's Northern line , including all three of the line's northern termini (Edgware, High Barnet, and Mill Hill East). The surface sections of
1288-499: The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust , which runs Barnet Hospital , Chase Farm Hospital and some clinics at Edgware Community Hospital, and Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust , which runs Finchley Memorial Hospital and other services at Edgware Community Hospital. The London Ambulance Service responds to medical emergencies in the area. Home Office policing in the borough
1344-486: The 2001 census the borough then had a population of 314,564 though the most recent ONS projection for 2008 is 331,500. 67% of householders are owner-occupiers. 47.3% of people described themselves as Christian, with the second largest group being Jewish at 14.8%, the highest percentage in any local government area in the United Kingdom. The third largest was people who said they had no religion at 12.8%. Just over
1400-501: The High Barnet and Edgware branches are entirely in the borough. The High Barnet branch surfaces just before East Finchley station . At Finchley Central station there is a single-station spur to Mill Hill East station . The rest of the line continues north through West Finchley , Woodside Park and Totteridge and Whetstone stations to the terminus at High Barnet station . The Edgware branch emerges at Golders Green station ;
1456-472: The High Barnet branch north of East Finchley was incorporated into the London Underground network through the " Northern Heights " project which began in the late 1930s. Totteridge and Whetstone station was first served by Northern line trains on 14 April 1940 and, after a period where the station was serviced by both operators, LNER services ended in 1941. British Railways (the successor to
1512-453: The LNER) freight trains continued to serve the station's goods yard until 1 October 1962, when it was closed and converted into station’s car park. The station retains much of its original Victorian architectural character today. The station is not wheelchair accessible owing to flights of stairs to the two platforms. The station has in the 21st century undergone subtle changes to enable
1568-466: The Lane and then left just before Totteridge and Whetstone Underground station . This is the only place on the route with shops and toilets. The route continues through Brook Farm Open Space and Wyatts Farm Open Space to Western Way, and then through Barnet Playing Fields to Barnet Lane and Dollis Brook Walk. It then keeps to the right of the brook through Ducks Island until a narrow metal bridge. It crosses
1624-582: The Lord of the Manor of Barnet to hold a twice yearly horse fair . The first example of an American style out-of-town shopping centre was built at Brent Cross in the 1970s. McDonald's has its UK headquarters at East Finchley. Argonaut Games once had its head office in Edgware . Former mayor of London Ken Livingstone said once said that Barnet's transport agenda is "recklessly anti-public transport, anti-pedestrian and anti-cycling" and that Barnet has become
1680-484: The borough include Brent Cross Shopping Centre , Coppetts Wood Hospital and Barnet Hospital . Between the four stations; six pumping appliances, One Operational Support Unit and a High Volume Pump are operated. The London Borough of Barnet has 86 primary schools, 22 secondary schools and four special schools. Woodhouse College is a single site state sixth form college in North Finchley . The main college in
1736-456: The borough is Barnet College , with five sites. Middlesex University has its main campus at Hendon. University College London has its teaching observatory at Mill Hill. Totteridge and Whetstone tube station Totteridge & Whetstone ( / ˈ w ɛ t s t oʊ n / ) is a London Underground station in Whetstone in the London Borough of Barnet , North London . It is on
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1792-493: The borough starting at East Finchley and crossing into Hertfordshire at Monken Hadley . It was a coaching route used by mail coaches between London, York and Edinburgh. The many inns on the road provided accommodation, stabling for the horses and replacement mounts. A section of the A1 road was built to bypass this route through Mill Hill, eventually joining the Great North Road at Hatfield . The Finchley Road
1848-651: The boroughs of Brent and Harrow , with an exception being the West Hendon area and part of the Welsh Harp . Barnet has two Grade I listed buildings , both designed by Edwin Lutyens : the Church of St Jude , the parish church of Hampstead Garden Suburb with a Gothic spire and on the opposite side of Central Square, the Free Church , of similar design but with a concrete dome. The Royal Air Force Museum
1904-436: The bridge and turns right through fields for 1000 yards (leaving Dollis Brook, which now goes through private land) until it reaches a playing field, which is exited by a gap in the hedge on the left, It then goes through Totteridge Fields (a nature reserve which is a Site of Metropolitan Importance run by London Wildlife Trust ) to Hendon Wood Lane. It turns right along Hendon Wood Lane and after about 500 yards continues along
1960-483: The brook to Fursby Avenue and through Riverside Walk to Argyle Road. In the next section, the route turns right to a footbridge across the brook and then turns left along Holden Road, left again down Tillingham Way and then right to rejoin Dollis Brook in Laurel Way Open Space. It crosses Laurel Way and then goes through the meadowland and trees of Whetstone Stray to Totteridge Lane. It turns right along
2016-717: The eastern side grew around what is now the High Barnet Underground branch of the Northern line . The western side grew around the Midland Railway and what is now the Edgware branch of the Northern line. Further south, around the borough's centre, the development becomes steadily more intensive around the suburbs of Cricklewood , Colindale , Hendon and Finchley . Golders Green is renowned for its Jewish minority ethnic population and forms part of
2072-545: The end of Dollis Brook where it merges with Mutton Brook to become the River Brent . It then follows Mutton Brook and goes through Little Wood and Big Wood, ending at Hampstead Heath Extension in Hampstead Garden Suburb . The waymarks consist mostly of a simple green disc with a directional white arrow mounted on a wooden post. From Woodside Park south, the walk is mainly flat and partly surfaced, and
2128-468: The farthest extent of glaciers during the Anglian glaciation . The pattern of settlement is somewhat diverse. In the north of the borough on the eastern side is Barnet , also known as High Barnet or Chipping Barnet, Totteridge , and Whetstone . In the north on the western side is Edgware and Mill Hill . The central northern part of the borough is largely countryside. This division is largely because
2184-760: The fourth highest of the 32 London boroughs, and has a population density of 45.8 people per hectare, which ranks it 25th. Barnet borders the Hertfordshire district of Hertsmere to the north and five other London boroughs: Camden and Haringey to the southeast, Enfield to the east, as well as Harrow and Brent to the west of the ancient Watling Street (now the A5 road). The borough's major urban settlements are Hendon , Finchley , Golders Green , Friern Barnet , Chipping Barnet , Whetstone , and Edgware ; there are also village settlements notably Totteridge and Arkley along with rural areas and countryside part of
2240-432: The least populous of the five predecessor districts at the 1961 census; nearly half the new borough's population lived in the old borough of Hendon. When the present borough was created, it included part of Elstree . On 1 April 1993 Barnet's northern boundary was altered and some of its more rural northern parts, including Elstree, were transferred to Hertfordshire (and its district of Hertsmere ). The local authority
2296-529: The line continues on a series of viaducts through Brent Cross station to Hendon Central station . Here it goes through a tunnel before continuing above ground through Colindale and Burnt Oak stations to the terminus at Edgware station . The Piccadilly line , although in the Borough of Enfield, is very close to the border, with buses in Barnet connecting people to the stations. There are two National Rail routes in Barnet. The Midland Main Line passes through
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2352-500: The policy of no ticket offices, chiefly: The station is not often staffed but is during peak hours. The station has a passenger hall, four gates, two toilets (a female toilet on the southbound platform and a male toilet on the northbound platform), a car park and waiting rooms. The typical offpeak service at this station in trains per hour is as follows: London Bus routes 34 , 125 , 234 , 251 , 263 , 326 , 383 , 605 , 626 , 628 , 634 and 688 and night route N20 serve
2408-407: The population - the highest in the United Kingdom. 41.2% identify themselves as Christians, and 16.1% with no religion. The following table shows the ethnic group of respondents in the 2001 and 2011 census in Barnet. Faith in Barnet (2021) Chipping Barnet has been a market town since the thirteenth century, the rest of the area was agricultural. In 1588 Queen Elizabeth I granted a charter to
2464-505: The south of the borough, along with Hampstead Garden Suburb and Childs Hill . Much of the borough is within the Metropolitan Green Belt , and it has many parks and open spaces. In addition there are large areas taken over by cemeteries and golf courses , and part of Hampstead Heath , Hampstead Heath Extension and Golders Hill Park . Barnet describes its 16 main open spaces as 'premier parks', nine of which achieved
2520-586: The two sides of the borough, part of the Edgware, Highgate and London Railway which was going to be part of the Underground's Northern line "Northern Heights" expansion, but steam passenger services beyond Mill Hill East ended in 1939, and the completion of the electrification of this railway was eventually abandoned in the 1950s, primarily because the full extension would have breached the Town and Country Planning Act 1947 ( 10 & 11 Geo. 6 . c. 51). What track
2576-730: The western border of the borough. Hendon is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, but the districts of Barnet, Edgware and Finchley were not referred to, possibly because these areas were included in other manors. In 1471 the Battle of Barnet was fought in Monken Hadley , just within the present borough's boundary. It was here that Yorkist troops led by King Edward IV killed the "Kingmaker" Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick and his brother, John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu . A local government district called Barnet
2632-484: The western edge of the borough, and is served by Thameslink at (from north to south): Mill Hill Broadway , Hendon and Cricklewood . The East Coast Main Line crosses the north-eastern corner of the borough, and is served by the Great Northern Route at New Barnet , Oakleigh Park and New Southgate (which straddles the border with the London Borough of Enfield ). There was a railway line joining
2688-848: Was abolished in 1986. Since 2000, Barnet Council along with the 31 other London boroughs and the City of London Corporation share local government powers with Greater London Authority . The Barnet and Camden London Assembly constituency covers the London Borough of Barnet and the London Borough of Camden and is represented on the London Assembly by one constituency Assembly Member. The residents of London Borough of Barnet are represented at Westminster by Members of Parliament (MPs) for three parliamentary constituencies . All three MPs are represented by Labour since 2024, overturning three previous Conservative MPs. Chipping Barnet
2744-716: Was also used for the improvement of existing habitats and the creation of new ones such as wetland woodland and reedbed, enhancement of hay meadows, landscaping, and finally the addition of information boards, fingerposts and other features to increase enjoyability and awareness of points of interest. Starting at the northern end, the route commences in Moat Mount Open Space . It then skirts Barnet Gate Wood , and goes through Totteridge Fields nature reserve, and by fields and public open spaces through Totteridge , Whetstone and Woodside Park . It passes under Dollis Brook Viaduct and through Windsor Open Space, and on to
2800-590: Was built as a turnpike in the 1830s linking the West End to Finchley . The A41 splits off from the Finchley Road just before it crosses the borough boundary, briefly merges with the A1 through Mill Hill, leaving the borough at Edgware. The North Circular Road (or A406) is part of a north orbital route for London; it crosses the borough east–west linking all the other major routes. Junctions one, two and four of
2856-552: Was created in 1863 covering the town of Barnet, also known as Chipping Barnet . Such districts were subsequently also created for East Barnet Valley in 1874, Finchley in 1878, Hendon in 1879, and Friern Barnet in 1883. Barnet and East Barnet Valley both straddled Hertfordshire and Middlesex until 1889 when they were placed entirely in Hertfordshire; Hendon, Finchley and Friern Barnet were all in Middlesex. All five districts were converted into urban districts under
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#17327810809242912-576: Was given the classification of "vulnerable" by English Heritage after having stood abandoned for almost three years. It now houses units of Middlesex University . Friern Hospital was a large Victorian psychiatric hospital located in Friern Barnet , which has been converted into expensive apartments. The borough is traditionally home to a professional football club, Barnet F.C. and non-League football clubs Wingate & Finchley F.C. , Hendon F.C. , London Lions and Edgware Town . Wingate
2968-415: Was laid, was removed in the 1960s, with a small part of the trackbed used for the M1 motorway extension in the 1970s. In March 2011, the main forms of transport that residents aged 16–74 used to travel to work were (expressed as percentages of all residents aged 16–74): Barnet Clinical Commissioning Group commissions NHS services for Barnet residents. Health care providers active within Barnet include
3024-583: Was originally opened as Totteridge on 1 April 1872 by the Great Northern Railway (which had taken over the EH&;LR). The station was on a branch of a line whose main part ran from Finsbury Park to Edgware via Highgate . After the 1921 Railways Act created the Big Four railway companies the line was, from 1923, part of the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER). The section of
3080-415: Was the southern boundary of the borough and Dollis Brook the western one, and the walk was almost all built on the Finchley side. At Westbury Road, the gardens come down to the brook, so Pike persuaded Hendon Councillors to acquire the land on their side of the brook so that the walk could cross over to the Hendon side for this stretch. The Greenwalk itself was developed by the London Borough of Barnet with
3136-613: Was transferred from Middlesex and Hertfordshire to Greater London, to become one of the 32 London boroughs. The 1963 Act did not include a name for the new borough. A joint committee of the councils due to be amalgamated suggested "Northgate" or "Northern Heights". Keith Joseph , the Minister of Housing and Local Government, eventually chose Barnet. The place name Barnet is derived from the Old English bærnet meaning "land cleared by burning". The old Barnet Urban District had been
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