About us

BTYC was started in 1945 as the British Transport Yacht Club, for employees of the newly created British Transport Commission - a nationalised agglomeration of road, rail, canal and maritime transport businesses.

Since the Welsh Harp belonged to the waterways (it's the header-tank for London's canals), it was an obvious place to put the company sailing club.

Though some members still work in transport, we've been an open club since the 1980s, welcoming all who wish to sail or learn with us.

We are a traditional club, with no paid staff.   We operate on the basis of mutual effort for mutual satisfaction.

Contact us

For all general email requests, please This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Please note that all incoming emails are virus checked by our service provider and ourselves.   We do not reply to emails containing viruses.   If you have not had a reply to an email within a few days, please try again or telephone.

Postal address:
BTYC SAILSPORTS
Birchen Grove
London NW9 8SA

Windsurfing information: please contact:
David Woodcock on 020 8346 1982 or Jeremy Allen on 020 8450 1422 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Dinghy sailing information: 020 8205 0017 (club house - with answer machine)

Membership Secretary:
Louise Hinshelwood
47 Ellesmere Road
London, NW10 1LJ

020 8830 5726 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Find Us

BTYC sails at the Welsh Harp, only 6 miles from Marble Arch, just by the junction of the M1 and North Circular roads.

We sail on 70 acres of water set in open parkland; this is an important nature reserve.

Access is from the top end of Birchen Grove, through the car park.   There is plenty of free car-parking space in the car park and nearby roads.

There is a combination lock on the gate from the car park so please arrange with someone in advance to let you in.

Using Public Transport

Wembley Park and Neasdon (Jubilee Line) and Hendon Station (Thameslink) are all within about 15-20 minutes walk.
Buses: 83, 182, 245, 297 and 302.

From Wembley Park (Metropolitan or Jubilee tube lines)

• Turn left out of the side exit of the station, not the main entrance which faces Wembley Stadium.
• Walk along the road to the bus stop (still on the same side as the tube station).
• Get on the 297 or the 182 bus.
• Watch for a small roundabout with a petrol station to the right just after it (and a Lidl) get off the bus here.   There is also a pub called "The Blarney Stone" opposite the petrol station.
• Turn right off the bus (down the hill) and take the next left which should be Birchen Grove.
• Walk all the way to the end and you should see the club on the right (large double black gates say Wembley Sailing Club).

or from Hendon Central (Northern Line - Edgware Branch)

• Turn left out of the station, cross the road and walk a short distance up the road.
• Take the 83 towards Ealing Hospital and get off at Deanscroft Avenue.
• Walk through the church yard and out of the back of it, turn left along the road and after passing an electricity substation on your left turn left again onto Birchen Grove, the lake is on your right 50m up the road.

Directions by Car

BTYC is situated on a reservoir that lies set back from the North Circular Road half a mile west of the junction with the A5 at Staples Corner.

Approaching along the A406 westbound from Staples Corner, look for the Neasden turnoff.   There is a green traffic sign (shortly followed by a brown one) showing two turnoffs close together.   Take the second one, signposted Kingsbury, which goes down sharply round to the left to join the road which crosses underneath the North Circular, called Neasden Lane.

Follow this along a few hundred yards up a slight hill, through 2 sets of traffic lights and turn right at the next traffic lights when you've passed Macdonalds and a self storage depot, opposite Killarney Motors.   The road is a cul-de-sac, called Birchen Grove and there are signs to Greenhouse Nursery.

Go to the end, don’t go through the gates into the Nursery, but follow the road sharply to the right, through the width restriction.   Turn into the car park on the right, between the barrier - the gap is wider than it looks!   The sailing area is accessed through the locked gate at the bottom.   You’ll see BTYC Sailsports situated on the dam, overlooking the water.

If you are coming eastbound from the Hanger Lane direction, follow the A406 until you've passed IKEA and gone through some sharp bends.   Again, there is a slip road down onto Neasden Lane, signposted Wembley/Kingsbury.   Then follow the directions as above.