Route Section

London Outer Orbital Path (LOOP)

Section 10 (Hatton Cross to Hayes & Harlington)

Description:

Despite passing through one of the most traffic-ridden areas of London (A30, A4, M4), and below the approach to Heathrow Airport, this section includes much pleasant and easy walking.

It lies mostly beside the River Crane, though access to the river is rather broken at present. The first stretch follows the east bank of the Crane through Cranebank Water Meadow. You must divert along roads for a short distance to reach Berkeley Meads and the lush meadows of Cranford Park, spreading west of the Crane.

The tower of St.Dunstan's Church guides you to a subway under the M4, and the route is now shared for a while with the Hillingdon Trail. Past the M4, the Crane is rejoined for a short distance through Dog Kennel Covert, then at North Hyde Road you divert on to the busy A312 dual carriageway (The Parkway), mercifully for just 200m.

An intriguing spiral ramp takes you down to a canal towpath (part of the Grand Union Canal Walk), which you follow through a commercial area to Station Road, Hayes.

Boroughs which the route passes through:

Hillingdon
Hounslow

Distance:

3.8 miles ( 6.1 km)

Start:

Hatton Cross (Great Southwest Road, GR 105-757)

Finish:

Hayes (Station Road, GR 098-796)

Recommended direction:

South to north

Terrain and surface:

Entirely level except for spiral ramp on to canal towpath. Narrow rough path (sometimes muddy) beside River Crane; firm on canal towpath. No stiles. 0.8km (0.5ml) beside roads