Totteridge Valley lies immediately south of the A5109 running between Highwood Hill and Totteridge Village. See map:
Habitat wise, the valley contains Darlands Lake, which is shallow and silted with willow/sallow carr at the northern end. The Folly Brook and Dollis Brook run through parts of the valley and there are additional ponds along Totteridge Lane (Long Pond) and in Mill Hill (Sheepwash Pond). There are small patches of deciduous/mixed woodland at Oakfields, Mill Hill; Holecombe Dale, Mill Hill; behind St Paul’s School in Mill Hill; and around Darlands Lake.
There are also plenty of ancient hedgerows remaining. Excluding residential areas and gardens, an estimated order of abundance of land use is sheep pasture; arable farmland; rough grassland; sports related (football/cricket pitches & racetrack); water features.
Highwood Hill is the highest point not only within the valley, but also one of the highest points in Middlesex, reaching 442 feet (almost the same height as Hampstead Heath).
Whilst the valley lies entirely within LB Barnet, for LNHS recording purposes the valley is split with roughly equal portions lying within the old Middlesex county and the old Hertfordshire county. Basically, the land that is both west of the Dollis Brook and north of the Folly Brook is in Herts. The land south of the Folly Brook, and the land east of the Dollis Brook, is all in Middlesex.
For the purpose of 'London Birders' local patch reporting, the definition of Totteridge Valley is the triangle of land whose boundaries are as follows: starting at Totteridge & Whetstone LU station, the Northern boundary is the A5109 heading West until you reach Highwood Hill; the Western boundary is the B552 down to Partingdale Lane and Lullington Garth; the Eastern boundary is the Northern Line between Lullington Garth and T&W station.
(Data from London Bird Wiki by Ian Ellis Feb-12 , Sash Tusa Dec-09.)
Habitat wise, the valley contains Darlands Lake, which is shallow and silted with willow/sallow carr at the northern end. The Folly Brook and Dollis Brook run through parts of the valley and there are additional ponds along Totteridge Lane (Long Pond) and in Mill Hill (Sheepwash Pond). There are small patches of deciduous/mixed woodland at Oakfields, Mill Hill; Holecombe Dale, Mill Hill; behind St Paul’s School in Mill Hill; and around Darlands Lake.
There are also plenty of ancient hedgerows remaining. Excluding residential areas and gardens, an estimated order of abundance of land use is sheep pasture; arable farmland; rough grassland; sports related (football/cricket pitches & racetrack); water features.
Highwood Hill is the highest point not only within the valley, but also one of the highest points in Middlesex, reaching 442 feet (almost the same height as Hampstead Heath).
Whilst the valley lies entirely within LB Barnet, for LNHS recording purposes the valley is split with roughly equal portions lying within the old Middlesex county and the old Hertfordshire county. Basically, the land that is both west of the Dollis Brook and north of the Folly Brook is in Herts. The land south of the Folly Brook, and the land east of the Dollis Brook, is all in Middlesex.
For the purpose of 'London Birders' local patch reporting, the definition of Totteridge Valley is the triangle of land whose boundaries are as follows: starting at Totteridge & Whetstone LU station, the Northern boundary is the A5109 heading West until you reach Highwood Hill; the Western boundary is the B552 down to Partingdale Lane and Lullington Garth; the Eastern boundary is the Northern Line between Lullington Garth and T&W station.
(Data from London Bird Wiki by Ian Ellis Feb-12 , Sash Tusa Dec-09.)