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Charville Lane, HAYES, UB4 8PA

Opened by Lord Bernard Miles on 28th March 1988, according to the plaque on the concrete bridge, which spans Yeading Brook. Bernard Miles was a renowned character actor who was born locally and attended nearby Bishopshalt School.

Opened by Lord Bernard Miles on 28th March 1988, according to the plaque on the bridge. Bernard Miles was a renowned character actor who was born locally and attended nearby Bishopshalt School Image

The bridge was built in 1986, but there has been a crossing of Yeading Brook here for many years prior to that. The site has some historical importance as it was the scene of an event in 1929 when the local population took action to protest against landowners in order to maintain their rights of way. The actor, director and writer, Bernard Miles, who was born in Uxbridge and who went to school in Hillingdon nearby, took part in the 1929 demonstration as a young man, and formally opened the new bridge 57 years later. Please see Ray's Image for an image on a slightly warmer day!

Quite how this rather dismal looking bridge came to be so-called is unclear. The Dog Rose Ramble route passes this way between Northolt and Yeading.

Yeading Brook Meadows Local Nature Reserve is one of the most important grassland sites in Greater London. It is cut for hay in late summer, with some areas being left uncut to provide overwintering sites for invertebrates and small mammals. Skylark breeds in the hay meadow and can be seen flying overhead in summer. Yeading Brook Meadows is managed by the London Wildlife Trust on behalf of the London Boroughs of Hillingdon and Ealing. This is the Hillingdon Trail and just to the right here is Ten Acre Wood. The woodland of Ten Acre Wood has largely developed from a plantation of oaks, dating from the late 19th century. It is owned by the London Borough of Hillingdon and is now managed by the London Wildlife Trust. Full details can be found at https://www.wildlondon.org.uk/reserves/ten-acre-wood The Hillingdon Trail is a 20 mile path through Hillingdon's countryside from Cranford in the south-east to Harefield in the north-west and it passes along the western side of Ten Acre Wood - see https://archive.hillingdon.gov.uk/article/8730/Yeading-Valley

This area actually looked a lot more dangerous 10 years ago in pre-golf days if this picture from 2004 is anything to go by. Image