Dollis Brook

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Dollis Brook
Dollis brook windsor open space.JPG
A footbridge over Dollis Brook in Windsor Open Space, Finchley
Physical characteristics
Mouth River Brent
  location
Hendon

Dollis Brook is a waterway which runs through Barnet in north London. It is a tributary of the River Brent, which is itself a tributary of the River Thames.

Contents

The Dollis Valley Greenwalk follows almost all of Dollis Brook, apart from a short section at the beginning which passes through private land, and the London Loop follows it as far as Barnet Lane. The name Dollis is probably derived from the Middle English word 'dole', meaning the shares of land in the common field.

Course

Dollis Brook
Course of the Dollis Brook

Dollis Brook rises at two points, one on Mote End Farm and the other on the London Loop and Dollis Valley Greenwalk at TQ 21714 94551 – the latter only has water after heavy rain. The brook then flows through private land under Hendon Wood Lane. Its course is eastwards through Totteridge Fields, a Site of Metropolitan Importance, and then through fields and open spaces to King George V Playing Fields in Totteridge.

Dollis Brook, looking south from Totteridge Lane Dollis Brook.jpg
Dollis Brook, looking south from Totteridge Lane

The brook then turns southwards and forms the eastern boundary of Totteridge. [1] It passes through Wyatts Farm Open Space and Brook Farm Open Space to Totteridge Lane near Totteridge and Whetstone Underground station, and then continues south through Woodside Park (where it merges with Folly Brook) and West Finchley, before passing under the Dollis Brook Viaduct which carries the Northern line between Finchley Central and Mill Hill East Underground stations. Until 1965 Dollis Brook formed the boundary between the municipal boroughs of Finchley and Hendon.

Dollis Brook then passes under Dollis Road and through Windsor Open Space to the Great North Way (A1). Near Bridge Lane in Hendon it merges with Mutton Brook to form the River Brent.

Nature

Upper Dollis Brook between Mill Hill and Woodside Park, including neighbouring open spaces, is a Site of Borough Importance for Nature Conservation, Grade I. [2] It is too shaded for aquatic plants, but plants such as yellow iris and water-pepper grow along its banks and kingfishers, grey wagtails, and moorhens can be seen along the stream. [3]

Lower Dollis Brook is a Site of Borough Importance for Nature Conservation, Grade II. It starts at Woodside Park and includes Brent Park and the River Brent until it passes under the Northern line near Brent Cross Flyover. [2] It is less ecologically rich than Upper Dollis Brook, but nevertheless forms a valuable green corridor through suburban areas. [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

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Totteridge is a residential area and former village in the London Borough of Barnet, England. It is a mixture of suburban development and open land situated 8 miles (13 km) north north-west of Charing Cross. It is part of the Whetstone postal district (N20).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Borough of Barnet</span> Borough in the United Kingdom

The London Borough of Barnet 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), the fourth highest of the 32 London boroughs, and has a population density of 45.8 people per hectare, which ranks it 25th.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whetstone, London</span> Human settlement in England

Whetstone is a suburb of north London, in the London Borough of Barnet, bearing the postcode N20. It is served by an Underground station called Totteridge and Whetstone. Whetstone is around 7.8 miles North of Charing Cross and is a settlement in the London Borough of Barnet, previously part of the Borough of Finchley prior to the 1960s. The combined areas of Totteridge and Whetstone was, at the outset of the 21st century, found to be the 63rd-richest of the more than 9,000 wards of the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Brent</span> River in London, England

The River Brent is a river in west and northwest London, England, and a tributary of the River Thames. 17.9 miles (28.8 km) in length, it rises in the Borough of Barnet and flows in a generally south-west direction before joining the Tideway stretch of the Thames at Brentford.

The London Borough of Barnet, located on the northern periphery of London and having much of the area within its boundaries in the Metropolitan Green Belt, has many parks and open spaces. In addition there are large areas taken over by cemeteries and golf courses, and part of Hampstead Heath.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Folly Brook</span>

Folly Brook is a 2+14-mile (3.6 km) long brook in the London Borough of Barnet. It is a tributary of Dollis Brook, which is a tributary of the River Brent, which is a tributary of the River Thames. Folly Brook is lined for most of its length by narrow strips of woodland and scrub, with a good variety of trees and shrubs. It is one of the best streams in Barnet for small aquatic invertebrates, including several species of caddis fly and a stonefly, which are only found in unpolluted waters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moat Mount Open Space</span> Park and nature reserve in London

Moat Mount Open Space is a 110-hectare park and nature reserve in Mill Hill in the London Borough of Barnet. It is part of Moat Mount Open Space and Mote End Farm Site of Borough Importance for Nature Conservation, Grade II, which includes Barnet Gate Wood and Scratchwood Countryside Park, but is separate from Scratchwood itself, which is a neighbouring park and nature reserve. Most of the site is open to the public, but Mote End Farm and some other areas are private. Scratchwood and Moat Mount are a Local Nature Reserve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cherry Tree Wood</span> Park in London, England

Cherry Tree Wood is a 5.3-hectare park in East Finchley in the London Borough of Barnet. It is a Site of Local Importance for Nature Conservation. Located opposite East Finchley Underground station, it contains woodland and grassland, a playground, tennis courts, a cafe and toilets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dollis Brook Viaduct</span> Railway viaduct in Finchley, London

The Dollis Brook Viaduct, also known as the Dollis Road Viaduct, Dollis Viaduct or Mill Hill Viaduct, is a railway viaduct to the west of Finchley, North London, United Kingdom. It carries the London Underground's Northern line from Mill Hill East station to Finchley Central station. It is the highest point on the London Underground above ground level, reaching nearly 60 feet (18 m). It is located on a branch that was formerly part of the Edgware, Highgate and London Railway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dollis Valley Greenwalk</span> Ten-mile-long footpath in North London

The Dollis Valley Greenwalk 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 the Dollis Brook and is one of the many parks and open spaces in Barnet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Totteridge Fields</span>

Totteridge Fields is a 97-hectare Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) in Totteridge in the London Borough of Barnet. The SINC includes the privately owned Highwood Hill, and at the western end is a seven-hectare Local Nature Reserve owned by Barnet Council and managed by the London Wildlife Trust.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darland's Lake Nature Reserve</span>

Darland's Lake Nature Reserve is a nature reserve south of Totteridge Village in Barnet, England. It is owned by the London Borough of Barnet and was managed from 1971 by the Hertfordshire and Middlesex Wildlife Trust, and more recently by the borough council. In 2007 the council spent £215,000 on repairing the dam and other works, and then proposed leasing the reserve to the Wildlife Trust. The transfer did not take place and in September 2017 a trust was set up by the London Wildlife Trust and local residents associations which took over the management of Darland's Lake. In 2020, the Darlands Conservation Trust launched an appeal to raise £450,000 for excavation to prevent the lake drying up.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barnet Gate Wood</span>

Barnet Gate Wood is a public open space in Barnet Gate, Barnet, London. It is owned and managed by the London Borough of Barnet, and is part of the Watling Chase Community Forest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woodridge Nature Reserve</span>

Woodridge Nature Reserve or Woodridge School Nature Reserve is a 0.7-hectare (1.7-acre) Site of Local Importance for Nature Conservation in Woodside Park, London, owned and managed by the London Borough of Barnet. It was designed as a nature trail for local primary schools, but is now very neglected.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burtonhole Lane and Pasture</span>

Burtonhole Lane and Pasture is a 6.5-hectare (16-acre) Site of Borough Importance for Nature Conservation, Grade II, between Mill Hill and Totteridge in the London Borough of Barnet. It consists of Burtonhole Lane between Partingdale Lane and Burtonhole Close, a footpath east from Burtonhole Lane towards Folly Brook, two fields south of the footpath, and a narrow belt of privately owned woodland north of the footpath. Burtonhole Brook, a tributary of Folly Brook, crosses Burtonhole Lane and the fields.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Totteridge Green</span> Nature reserve in Totteridge, London, England

Totteridge Green is a five hectare Site of Borough Importance for Nature Conservation, Grade II, in Totteridge in the London Borough of Barnet. It is also registered common land.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mutton Brook</span>

Mutton Brook is a stream which runs between East Finchley and Hendon in the London Borough of Barnet. It is a tributary of the River Brent, which is itself a tributary of the River Thames.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clitterhouse Recreation Ground</span>

Clitterhouse Recreation Ground or Clitterhouse Playing Fields is a park and Site of Local Importance for Nature Conservation in Brent Cross in the London Borough of Barnet. It is a large area of mown grass with a children's playground, bordered by thick hedges. Clitterhouse Stream, a tributary of the River Brent, runs along its eastern border.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brent Park, Hendon</span>

Brent Park is a small public park of 2.24 hectares in Hendon in the London Borough of Barnet. It is part of the 'Lower Dollis Brook' Site of Borough Importance for Nature Conservation, Grade II.

References

  1. "Totteridge". British History Online.
  2. 1 2 "iGiGL – helping you find London's parks and wildlife sites". Greenspace Information for Greater London. 2006. Archived from the original on 15 October 2012.
  3. "Upper Dollis Brook". Greenspace Information for Greater London. 2006. Archived from the original on 23 December 2012.
  4. "Lower Dollis Brook". Greenspace Information for Greater London. 2006. Archived from the original on 24 December 2012.

Further reading

51°34′18″N0°14′10″W / 51.5717°N 0.2361°W / 51.5717; -0.2361