Car Hire Stansted Airport

Stansted Airport is a pivotal European aviation hub situated just 30 miles north-east of central London, providing essential global connectivity. The airport is conveniently linked to the M11 corridor and features direct, rapid rail services via the Stansted Express to London Liverpool Street (under 50 minutes), Cambridge, and further connections across the region. Its functional, single-terminal layout, designed by the celebrated architect Sir Norman Foster, is globally recognised for its distinctive “floating roof” structure, facilitating a smooth passenger flow.

Near Stansted Mountfitchet boasts remarkable historical attractions including the impressive Norman Church of St Mary with its beautiful medieval features and picturesque village streets lined with period cottages. The village maintains its authentic character whilst benefiting from proximity to major transport links and modern conveniences.

Attractions At The Stansted Airport

As a major operating base for low-cost carriers, Stansted is defined by its role as a crucial gateway for millions of international travellers. Its identity is forged by this powerful, modern functionalism, providing a stark yet necessary contrast to the surrounding tranquil rural landscape of Hertfordshire and Essex.

Stansted Airport Viewing Area

The Stansted Airport Viewing Area provides a superb and accessible vantage point for observing the daily operations of this major international hub. This dedicated spot is a haven for aviation enthusiasts, offering close-up, clear views of aircraft taking off and landing on the runway. Equipped with seating and informative boards, it allows visitors to appreciate the scale and impressive logistics of the airport’s movements.

Escape Lounges

The Escape Lounges offer discerning passengers a premium and tranquil retreat within the busy Stansted Airport terminal. These paid-access facilities provide a sophisticated environment with comfortable seating, complimentary refreshments, and reliable high-speed Wi-Fi. They represent a significant enhancement to the travel experience, allowing guests to relax and work in quiet comfort before their departure.

National Trust – Hatfield Forest

Escape the airport buzz at this exceptional ancient woodland, located on Bush End Road. Offering over 1,000 acres of pristine countryside, the forest is open daily except on Mondays and Tuesdays. With more than 2,500 visitors awarding it 4.6 stars, the site seamlessly blends dense woodlands with open plains, creating diverse habitats perfect for wildlife watching and peaceful walks. Facilities include rowing boat hire, well-maintained paths, accessible facilities, and a popular café. Autumn visits are particularly spectacular when vibrant foliage transforms the landscape into a golden wonderland.

Turners Spring Nature Reserve

Turners Spring Nature Reserve is a secluded and valued patch of local woodland, situated surprisingly close to the busy Stansted Airport perimeter. This small reserve offers a tranquil and essential contrast to the adjacent commercial activity, featuring quiet trails and a natural spring. Managed for conservation, it ensures a valuable habitat for local wildlife and provides a vital, peaceful retreat for nearby residents.

Audley End House And Gardens

This magnificent Jacobean mansion stands as one of England’s finest country houses, earning its stellar reputation through centuries of careful preservation. The grand estate welcomes visitors Wednesday through Sunday from 10 AM to 4 PM, consistently receiving praise from over 6,000 reviewers who’ve awarded it an impressive 4.6-star rating. Beyond the architectural splendour, families particularly appreciate the interactive elements, including horse demonstrations, children’s play areas and opportunities to feed the resident ducks scattered around the beautifully maintained grounds.

Mountfitchet Castle & Norman Village

Step back nearly a thousand years at this remarkable reconstruction of a Norman wooden motte and bailey castle. The attraction operates as both a living museum and a hands-on experience, where you’ll encounter medieval village life through interactive displays and friendly farm animals. With over 1,600 visitors rating it 4.6 stars, the site offers an eclectic mix, including a dinosaur park, a toy museum and even a haunted house, ensuring that something captivates every member of your family during your visit. Its proximity to the airport makes it a worthwhile stop on your way there.

House On The Hill Museum

Hidden within the castle grounds, this nostalgic treasure trove spans generations of childhood memories, dating back to the 1960s and beyond. You’ll discover vast collections of Star Wars memorabilia, vintage model cars, dolls and toy soldiers that transport you back through decades of popular culture. The museum’s carefully curated displays include interactive fortune-telling machines and atmospheric sections that create an engaging experience. For those brave enough, the haunted section adds an extra thrill to your museum exploration adventure.

Stansted Mountfitchet Windmill

This historic Grade II listed windmill on Mill Side represents centuries of local agricultural heritage and community spirit. Built in the 19th century, the working windmill opens primarily on bank holiday weekends and selected monthly dates, offering guided tours that reveal the fascinating mechanics behind traditional grain production. Visitors typically spend 30 to 45 minutes exploring multiple levels, gaining insights into rural life. If you’re flying above Stansted Mountfitchet you might be able to see the windmill from your plane window on the clear day.

Your adventures can easily extend throughout the region:

• Bishops Stortford
• Broxbourne
• Sawbridgeworth
• Buntingford
• Ware
• Stapleford
• Hoddesdon
• Royston

St Mary The Virgin’s Church

Dating back to the early 12th century, this beautiful Norman church replaced an earlier Saxon structure on the same site. Open daily from 11 in the morning until 3 in the afternoon, the building showcases remarkable Romanesque doorways and contains stunning stained glass windows throughout its interior. Notable monuments include the 1614 memorial to Hester Salusburye, featuring intricate lace details and Thomas Middleton’s elaborate tribute. The Churches Conservation Trust now maintains this architectural gem, ensuring its preservation for future generations.

Old Takeley Station

Situated on Sycamore Close in Takeley, right across the airport, this former railway station represents the era when this rural area enjoyed comprehensive rail connections. The Victorian station building has been beautifully converted into residential accommodation, preserving the architectural character that defined Britain’s railway age. The surrounding area still reflects the layout of the original station yard and platforms. This transformation demonstrates how historical infrastructure can find new life in modern communities, maintaining links to the past through thoughtful preservation.

Former RAF Sawbridgeworth

High Wych hosts the remnants of this important World War-era airfield that served Britain’s defence efforts from 1916 to 1956. The former RAF base played crucial roles during both world wars, initially as a training facility and later as part of the comprehensive air defence network protecting London and the Home Counties. Today, peaceful farmland covers much of the original airfield, though careful observers can still identify the outlines of former runways and building foundations scattered across the landscape.

Turners Spring Nature Reserve

This reserve has a plethora of wood species like Sycamore, Oak, Ash and Beech, with patches of Hazel, cherry and Hornbeam coppice. In summer you’ll experience Ringlet butterflies among others floating around the flowering meadow while the 60 species of birds fly above (including numerous metallic ones coming to and from the airport).

The Spinney

The Spinney is a valued and picturesque Local Nature Reserve situated in the parish of Stansted Mountfitchet, near the Hertfordshire border. This small but significant area of mixed woodland and grassland is actively managed by a local conservation trust. It provides an essential, tranquil retreat for local residents, being highly popular for dog walking and casual strolls, ensuring a rich environment for wildflowers and various small woodland birds.