Take the Airport Trail for a rural stroll – with extra aviation interest!
A year on from anniversary upgrades, the East Midlands Airport trail continues to offer a fantastic, free outdoor resource for dog walkers, plane spotters or anyone looking for an easy, flat walk.
It is a popular six-mile circular walking route that follows the outer boundary of the airport, with fantastic viewpoints for watching plane take-offs and landings.
The route mixes aviation views with quiet countryside, looping through local woodlands, open meadows and historic country lanes. In late 2025, the trail received a £60,000 upgrade to mark the airport's 60th anniversary, bringing improved paths, brand-new directional fingerposts and nine highly detailed educational information boards highlighting local wildlife and history.
A mix of grass, paved tracks, packed dirt and gravel, the trail takes roughly 2.5 to 3 hours to complete at a leisurely pace. Among the points of interest along the route are:
- "Art on the Trail": The path features five unique, locally designed sculptures scattered around the perimeter, including the Dog Tooth Violet Seed, Valentines Tree and Sky Ladder
- Plane spotting viewpoints: Multiple designated clearings sit directly alongside the airport fence. You can stand almost directly beneath the flight path on short final approaches, with Hemington Crest offering clear lines of sight to the 51-metre-high Air Traffic Control tower, airport wind turbines and active aprons
- The East Midlands Aeropark: Located right next to the trail, this aviation museum houses historic aircraft like the Vulcan and Nimrod. It serves as a great start or end point for walks, with raised airport viewing areas providing some of the best plane spotting spots
- Wildlife and Nature: The airport has planted thousands of native trees including oak and dogwood to create rich habitats for local kestrels, skylarks, and bats, along with a new hedgerow as part of last year’s upgrades.
- Parking: A small amount of free public parking can be found at the East Midlands Airport Picnic and Viewpoint Area close to the East Midlands Gateway entrance off the A453. Alternatively, you can park for a small fee at the East Midlands Aeropark
- Public Transport: The local Skylink bus services run frequently and drop off passengers directly at several joining points along the perimeter trail, including near the picnic area and the Aeropark.
- Food and drink: There are various options for a refreshment break. Take your own food and drink to the picnic site at the eastern end of the runway, or a newly-opened café at the Aeropark offers snacks and drinks. Alternatively, the Nag’s Head in Castle Donington is close to the trail, as is The Plough Inn in Diseworth on the other side of the airport.
