Stanmore Country Park, Stanmore, London

In our quest to continue investigating all the various parks and in the area we live we gave Stanmore Country Park a walk-through. This park is not as well developed as Stanmore Commons, with young woods spotted with aged trees from era when the land was more grassy than now. That being said, it is an excellent pedestrian route between Stanmore Tube Station (Jubilee Line) and Dennis / Wood Lane.

The terrain is mostly gentle sloping and would seem suitable for those seeking a moderately difficult walk. It is possible there are other areas we did not cover, but having entered from the Kerry Avenue Entrance on the south and exited out an unmarked exit half-way up Dennis Lane this is certainly for the able bodied. While the terrain is certainly not challenging -- mainly gentle slopes; the pathways can sometimes be muddy, bumpy grassy knolls or bridges crossing streams.

The trails are not marked well. I had looked on a map prior to our start, however we meandered on some of the smaller trails and never fully regained our place. There were a few markers on post that identified the "London Loop ", but it didn't help since I didn't know what that was. A little investigation reveals this is a nearly complete pedestrian route around the outer edged of London. The signs we saw linked the London Loop with Stanmore Station. The maps available suggest that maybe signage and more clear maps would benefit this initiative

The sound of traffic from nearby roads was still audible in most parts of the park. Particularly as one walks further north in the park, the constant hum from the M1 became more distinct. That being said, the beautiful tunes being shared by a variety of birds is more the theme. The only other wildlife we saw on this family walk were a few bumblebees enjoying the just blossoming flowers. The colours were just beginning to erupt from the landscape with the first green shoots sprouting from the trees. Wildflowers spotted the grassy patches and a few trees had new flowers.

Overall, those who have made this park possible have done an appreciable job. However I can't help the feeling that I was in the woods behind someone's home rather than in a park. Thus far I would rather frequent Bentley Priory or Stanmore Commons as they seem to have stronger air about them as quality outdoor spaces, however there is still much too explore in the Stanmore Country Park before drawing a hasty conclusion.