The day before we left the UK for home, we headed to a hotel at the airport since we had an early departure in the morning.  We got there early in the afternoon and I figured I had a little time to make my way to Myrtle Avenue.  I have seen plenty of photos from this location but have never actually shot from there.  They swap runways at 3pm and I had about an hour before that time.  Not a lot but the conditions were great so time to try.

What I didn’t count on was the Piccadilly Line.  I stood at the station under Terminal 5 for 25 minutes before a train finally left.  I was only going to get to Hatton Cross with less than half an hour to go and I wondered whether it was worth it.  However, I didn’t have any other plans so why not.  Some rapid walking along the A30 to Myrtle Avenue with planes arriving over my head and I joined a large crowd of people hanging out enjoying the afternoon.  Plenty of photographers were there but there were also loads of families just out enjoying the sunny afternoon and the planes.

It was worth going with a few interesting arrivals before 3pm arrived and they switched runways.  At this point, I was tempted to head back to the hotel.  Not having ever explored the east end of the airport, I didn’t know what was possible.  However, as I mentioned above, I didn’t have any other plans so I wandered along the eastern perimeter road.  I bumped in to a couple of other photographers – one of whom was visiting from Vancouver.  There were a few spots where good shots were possible and the conditions were getting better and better.  It proved to be a well worthwhile exploration which will get its own post at some point.