Скачать или смотреть Hanworth Air Park in summer

This video showcases Hanworth Air Park in west London, and in particular focuses on the Longford River - an artifical watercourse which flows north west to south east through this large public open space.

The Longford River crosses the Crane Valley and was constructed in the 17th Century to carry water from the River Colne to Hampton Court Palace. During the First World War Hanworth Park became an aerodrome and an (approximately) 400 metre long section of the river was put into an underground culvert so that aircraft could taxy over it. The park ceased being an aerodrome in the mid 1950s but the culverted section remains. The culverted section approximately follows the line of the concrete/gravel path shown in the video.

It is an ambition of the Crane Valley Partnership (CVP) to 'daylight' the culverted river once again to deliver signficant wildlife habitat and public amenity benefits. This could be achieved by opening up the existing culvert or by diverting the river through a new, sinuous, open air channel.

The video was shot in July 2025 when the grassland was very dry and brown. As well as providing a ange of habitats for wildlife, recreational space and facilities for sport, the park also retains a connection with aviation, albeit in miniature form. Since 1970 It has been home to the Hanworth Air Park Model Flying Club and there is a designated model flying zone for enthusiasts to use. The video includes some footage of this activity.