The Stream

The stream that runs through the park is called Yeading Brook and is a tributary of the River Crane. It rises in major part from the Headstone Manor moat, and in minor part from a small stream flowing from Pinner Park . It follows a meandering course through North Harrow, Rayners Lane, Ruislip, South Ruislip , and onwards to Southall, before its confluence with the Crane at Hayes which is a tributary of the River Thames. It is 16 miles long and walkable along most of its length, passing through a number of parks, nature reserves and open spaces, including Yeading Walk, Roxbourne Park, Ruislip Gardens open space, Ickenham Marsh , Gutteridge Wood and Meadows, Ten Acre Wood, and Yeading Brook Meadows, where it joins the Grand Union canal walk and shortly thereafter becomes the river Crane.

The Crane Valley Partnership (CVP) has operated since 2005, bringing together many organisations with an interest in the Crane Valley.  It aims to restore one of London’s most natural river systems, conserve surrounding habitats and improve public access so that nearby communities can enjoy contact with the natural world.

Riverfly Monitoring

The Friends hold monthly Riverfly Monitoring sessions to check the health of the river. The official Riverfly monitoring survey of Yeading Brook began at Yeading Walk in December 2021. This UK-wide ‘Citizen Science’ project led by The Riverfly Partnership involves taking samples from the river in a net and recording the presence and abundance of eight pollution-sensitive invertebrate groups. The focus of the sampling is on ‘riverflies’ – mayflies, stoneflies and caddisflies. These tiny creatures and other tiny gammarus (fresh water shrimps) are eaten by birds and fish and are a sign of a healthy river. Sampling can also indicate the presence of pollutants. Fish have also been caught during Riverfly monitoring including Sticklebacks and Stone Loach.

Check the website and social media for the next monitoring session and come along to see what lives in Yeading Brook.