Evening Walk - Visit Harmondsworth while you can: Heathrow Terminal 5 to West Drayton

Length: 10.8 km (6.7 mi) 

Ascent/Descent: 50m 

Net Walking Time: 2 hours 

 

Meet at 18.40 at the top of the escalators from the Elizabeth Line in the covered forecourt of T5, at street level. The escalators from the Piccadilly Line come up nearby. 

For that, take the Elizabeth Line train arriving at 18.37 (that’s the 18.07 from Paddington). 

Return trains from West Drayton are on: xx.00, xx.17, xx.30 and xx.47 (24 minutes to Paddington).

All stations are on the Elizabeth Line, with T5 and West Drayton being in Zone 6.

 

This is an interesting if noise-challenged and likely time-limited route from Heathrow Airport’s largest terminal through Longford Moor and Harmondsworth Moor, followed by a loop to and around the historic Harmondsworth village, with fine viewpoints and plenty of stretches along peaceful waterways.

The start of the route is about getting away from the busy and noisy airport while keeping distance from the M25 and M4 where possible, while the remainder of the route is dominated by a handful of waterways – the River Colne and two anabranches off it, the Wraysbury River and the Frays River; as well as two distributaries, both supplying some West London park estates with water – the Longford River (Hampton Court/Bushy Park) and the Duke of Northumberland’s River (Syon Park).

Harmondsworth Moor is a recultivated former gravel works and landfill site, with toxic waste having been removed and a Country Park-like environment then being created instead, and provides for fine viewpoints from modest heights to places including Wembley Stadium, Windsor Castle and the North Downs. Harmondsworth village delights with its Grade II*-listed St. Mary’s Church, a charming village green and the 13^th century Great Barn, England’s largest timber-framed building and Britain’s largest barn.

You continue past BA’s HQ back into Harmondsworth Moor, leaving it through a wet woodland (on a boardwalk) into West Drayton, now through meadows and past paddocks then through Frays Island, a narrow strip of woodland between the Rivers Colne and Frays, and follow roads to West Drayton Station.

The southern half of the route would be buried by a third airport runway and its associated buildings.

Note: The start out of 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 alternatives are frequent buses to the Moor Bridge stop, either from T5 (not TfL) or from Hounslow West Underground (TfL). From there, continue in the direction of travel and pick up the directions on page 4 at the asterisk *).

Walk Options:

The 2.8 km Harmondsworth Loop to and around the village from the River Colne bridge can be cut.  

Bus Line U3 connects Harmondsworth and the Alternative route to West Drayton and Heathrow Central.

An Alternative across the M4 is described as the path under it beside the River Colne can be impassable.  

A Shortcut in West Drayton cuts 700m and a fine stretch between the Rivers Colne and Frays.

 

Refreshments: Several options en route in Harmondsworth and at the end in West Drayton. Check the webpage or pdf for details.

 

For detailed route maps, gpx/kml files, photos and walk directions click here. T=short.73

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