The River Brent and (some of) its tributaries.

The river Brent flows along the southern edge of Perivale Park, on its way to joining the river Thames at Brentford. I thought here I would trace its route from (some) of its sources. The main route of the river starts in the London Borough of Barnet at Moat Mount, where it is called Dollis Brook. Much but not all of this route is walkable as the Dollis Valley Greenwalk.

The official source starts at a pond in Moat mount and flows east, where it combines with another source running across Totteridge fields to the south of the first source. Apparently, the first source is often dry during the summers, whilst the second one less so.

Below is shown the confluence of the two Dollis Brook streams.

If you are walking the area, the Gate pub is highly recommended!

After flowing east, Dollis Brook turns south where it is soon joined by West-East running Folly Brook, shortly after that brook flows from Darland’s Nature reserve (also well worth a visit!).

The route of Folly Brook is shown below, more or less parallel with that of the Dollis brook.

A bit further along, Dollis brook passes over a series of weirs (we think 5-6) on its way down from the heights of Barnet.

It then soon meets a second tributary, Mutton brook, an entirely canalised stream flowing west from Cherry Wood.

At the point where Mutton Brook joins it, the Dollis Brook changes its name to the River Brent, presumably having grown large enough to justify its promotion from a brook to a river!

From now on – as the river Brent – it flows towards Perivale Park (circled below), but not before entering the Welsh Harp (the Brent reservoir) at its northern end. Here the Silkstream (itself a merging of three or more streams) also flows into reservoir from the west and then becomes subsumed into the Brent.

In Perivale Park, the Brent joins with yet another tributary, Coston’s Brook, by which time it has acquired quite a substantial flow. In the photo below, Coston’s Brook joins from the right of the view.

Overall, this river has quite a history arising from the conflation of numerous streams flowing in North London.