Hatton Cross is the last station on the Piccadilly line Heathrow branch that can be accessed by public footpaths. I’ve heard that Heathrow Terminal 4 can be reached via the covered walkway from the Hilton Hotel but this involves going over private property.
In the Heathrow compound are two tube stations – ‘Heathrow Terminal 4’ and ‘Heathrow Terminals 1,2,3’. When Terminal 5 opens later in 2008 then there will be a third tube station – ‘Heathrow Terminal 5’.
As I can’t walk directly through the airport to these stations I’m going to walk around the airport in a circle. This is appropriate as the Piccadilly tube line loops at the Heathrow end.
Here is my London Heathrow Airport loop walk.
Hatton Cross to Stanwell Road (near Heathrow Terminal 4)
After leaving Hatton Cross tube station I head along the Great Southwest Road. A short distance down the road are the landing lights for the south runway.
It is from here that you can see the planes going directly overhead on their way into the airport. The planes are large and noisy is you are near here, especially if a large aircraft such as a 747 flies overhead.
The road itself is busy with traffic. A cycle lane / footpath runs along its length. Terminal 4 is just beyond the Hilton Hotel. As the road starts to head south it goes over the Longford River.
Stanwell Road to Stanwell Moor (near Heathrow Terminal 5)
I head west along Stanwell Road and pass into Bedfont. Along Riverside Road I saw plenty of planes taking off.
I walked through Stanwell Moor and went as far as the foot bridge that goes over the M25.
As the Sun was starting to set I headed back into Stanwell Moor and got the 441 bus from outside the Post Office to Heathrow Airport Bus Station so I could get home.
This is day two of doing the Heathrow circular walk. To get back to my starting point I took the Piccadilly tube line to Heathrow Terminals 1,2,3 and then the 441 bus to Stanwell Moor Post Office.
Stanwell Moor to Longford and Harlington
I walk along Horton Road and then up Poyle Road past a large Trading Estate.
On the Bath Road bridge Terminal 5 is visible in the distance, and from here is a good vantage point of planes which are taking off.
At the Longford roundabout you can get an even better view of Terminal 5.
In the village of Longford are many picturesque houses. Many ‘No Third Runway’ signs are positioned around the village. If the third runway is built then all areas to the north of the airport are at risk.
On Bath Road are many large hotels and conference centres, clearly aimed at people passing through Heathrow airport.
Harlington to Hatton Cross
I walk further along Bath Road into a more residential area.
Heading south along The Parkway and south west along Great South West Road gets me back to Hatton Cross tube station, my final stop on this branch of the Piccadilly line.
Piccadilly Line Walk – Day 7 & 8 Summary
The complete walk around Heathrow Airport took around four hours to complete. I split it over two days as I started the first day’s walk in the afternoon, and had to finish due to the setting sun. If you need to split this walk then you can easily get back to Heathrow bus station by using the local buses. I got the 441 from the Stanwell Moor Post Office.
If you are trying to walk around Heathrow then remember that the airport is private property. There are signs at every entrance reminding you that there is no right of way through the airport in case you forget.
This is the first tube walk where my route left my A-Z map. For walking around the west side of Heathrow I found to be useful.