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Hampstead Heath: the high loop
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Hampstead Heath: the high loop

Parliament Hill, the ponds, Kenwood, and the view that ruins all other views.

Distance

5.5 km

Time

~ 100 min

Difficulty

Strenuous

Start

Hampstead Heath Overground

End

Hampstead Heath Overground

Best at

evening

Right now
16°C· Clear

12 nearby transit lines disrupted — Circle, District.

Open in Maps for turn-by-turn, or take it offline as GPX.

The Heath is the reason London has a soul and Paris has a skyline. Five and a half kilometres up and around and back, covering the four things that matter: Parliament Hill for the view, the ponds for the sound, Kenwood for the art, and the Pergola for the oh-my-god.

Start at South End Green — coffee from Ginger & White, then straight up Parliament Hill. There's no trick to it; just walk, and London lifts itself up to meet you. From the top, drop down to the ponds and follow the chain north to the men's pond fence, which I find more atmospheric than the swimmers', though the women's is genuinely wonderful too.

Kenwood is the middle of the walk and the middle of the afternoon. You don't have to go into the house, but you should; it's free and the Rembrandt self-portrait is the quietest, best thing. Tea on the terrace after.

Then west to the Pergola, which is a secret that seems to stay secret despite appearing in every guidebook. Walk it slowly. End with the descent through the Vale of Health and the one-stop Overground back.

The route

On the map.

Elevation

↑ 226 m·↓ 226 m·43–136 m ASL

Stops along the way

Things to notice.

  1. 01
    1

    South End Green

    Start with a coffee from Ginger & White. The walk's a proper hill; a caffeine runway helps.

  2. Parliament Hill summit2

    Parliament Hill summit

    Twenty minutes up and the whole city is laid out for you. Bring binoculars if you're serious; bring a friend if you're not.

  3. 03
    3

    Highgate Men's Pond

    You don't have to swim. Just walk along the wooden fence; the trees feel ancient and the swimmers are reliably cheerful.

  4. Kenwood House4

    Kenwood House

    Free entry, Rembrandt in the drawing room, tea on the terrace. A heath walk that skips Kenwood is a lesser heath walk.

  5. 05
    5

    The Pergola & Hill Garden

    An overgrown Edwardian folly on the Heath's western edge. Somehow almost always empty. Go even if you have to double back.

  6. Hampstead Heath station6

    Hampstead Heath station

    You'll come down through the Vale of Health, past the fair ground if it's running. The Overground takes you back in one stop.

Good to know

Before you go.

How long is the Hampstead Heath: the high loop walk?
About 5.5 km — roughly 100 minutes at an unhurried pace, plus however long you linger.
Where does it start and end?
It starts at Hampstead Heath Overground and ends at Hampstead Heath Overground.
Is it free?
Yes. It's a self-guided route — free to follow, with no guide to book and nothing to pay.
When is it best?
It's best in the evening.

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