Length: 10.2 km (6.3 mi)
Ascent/Descent: 43m
Net Walking Time: 2 hours
Take the 17.48 Reading train from Waterloo (via Clapham J,
Richmond and Twickenham), arrives 18.22.
Returns: frequent (Elizabeth Line, Piccadilly Line
and the Heathrow Express to connect at Terminal 2&3).
Staines is outside the London Travel Zones! You will need an extension to any Travelcard you have!
This route covers in a meandering fashion the Lower
Colne Valley, from the Colne’s meeting with the Thames upstream through Staines
Moor and Stanwell Moor to Heathrow Airport, east of Longfordmoor.
From the station, you make your way to the Thames and turn upstream past the
mouth of the Colne and under Staines Bridge, site of the only Roman bridge
across the Thames outside of London, before turning through old Staines and
under one of many busy roads into Staines Moor. The moor is dominated by the
meandering Colne, many low-lying flooded areas, bulrushes and reeds, scattered trees,
imposing bramble bushes and myriads of very old anthills, as well as a varied
birdlife all year round.
Apart from the Thames and the Colne, several other rivers (the Wraybury River,
an anabranch of the Colne, and three distributaries of it: the Sweeps Ditch and
the Longford and Duke of Cumberland Rivers), plenty of drainage ditches and
some reservoirs and ponds make this a very ‘watery’ walk. Combined with a high
watertable, some areas can be water-soaked, muddy or even impassable after
heavy rain.
Note
1:
Outside of Staines, the route is affected by noise from the M25 and/or the
airport runways.
Note 2: Some parts of the route through Staines Moor can be impassable
after prolonged heavy rain.
Note 3: During ground nesting season (01/03-31/07), dogs must be kept on
a lead on Staines Moor.
Note 4: The final stretch into Heathrow Airport (which is private
ground) leads along road pavements that are signed as ‘Cyclists Only’. This is
not adhered to by locals, including some Heathrow employees, but – technically
– walking along them is trespassing. If you are uncomfortable with this, the
alternative are frequent buses from the Moor Bridge stop, either to T5 (not
TfL) or to Hounslow West Underground (TfL).
For detailed route maps, gpx/kml files,
photos and walk directions click here. T=short.72 #2026-06-11T17:48
1 comment:
n=4 walkers on a w=grey-but-dry evening in fine temperatures
No sign on the ground of any heavy rain any time of the day, contrary to the forecasts for the area, so the going was fine, even the grass wasn't proper wet.
We saw a lot of horses and even more cattle grazing on Staines Moor, some were quite unmovable off the riverside path. The Colne was reasonably full and fast flowing, and the info panels en route were studied.
Medium fine views we had from the hillock just west of T5, to the North Downs and Harrow-on-the-Hill respectively.
We got to the Globe at 20.45 (last food orders are at 21.00) where the World Cup opening game was shown, and took the 21.52 Elizabeth Line (the Oldies) or Piccadilly Line (the Young 'Uns) home respectively.
Post a Comment