Explore London – Inspiration

A rural ramble in north London –

Regent’s Park to Highgate Village –
4.5miles – 2-3hrs

By Richard Aylwin

Many a good route in London is surrounded by plenty of greenery and as a bonus gives us the opportunity to discover this great city’s rich history.

This walk from Central London to Highgate is an easy 4.5-miles, and incredibly only one quarter is on urban streets, with the rest in park or heathland.

The walk starts at Regent’s Park underground station. Once across the busy Marylebone Road, walk up the west side of Park Square Gardens, turning right into the Outer Circle. At once you are immersed in one of London’s great royal parks. 

Regent’s Park is Grade I listed and includes 410-acres of semi-formal gardens, including the rose garden. The vast acres of beautifully tended grassland are where the world and his dog can relax, play, or picnic.

The park came to the Crown on the dissolution of the monasteries in the 1500s and was used for hunting. In the 1810s, the Prince Regent proposed turning it into a pleasure garden designed by great Georgian designers John Nash, James and Decimus Burton. 

Our route takes you up the Broadwalk that runs as straight through the park for just over half a mile, crossing Chester Road. Towards the northern end you will come upon an ornate decommissioned water drinking fountain, called the Readymoney fountain. This was the nickname of Mr Cowasjee Jehangir, a wealthy Parsee from Bombay who presented it to the nation in 1869.

At this point don’t be alarmed by the roar of wild animals; you are in spitting distance of London Zoo. 

Head northwest, keeping the boundary of London Zoo on your right-hand side and cross over the park’s Outer Circle then a bridge over the Regent’s Canal to enter the south-west corner of Primrose Hill.

Like Regent’s Park, Primrose Hill was once part of a great chase appropriated by Henry VIII. An 1842 Act of Parliament secured the land as public open space.

Head north-east over Primrose Hill pausing at its highest point, 213ft, to look back over the views of Central London, even as far as Crystal Palace in the southern suburbs. 

Exit the park onto Primrose Hill Road and the short section of urban, but pleasant, residential streets, that will take you to Hampstead Heath. Heading north for a third of a mile turn right at England’s Lane. 

On Haverstock Hill, turn right, then at once left into Parkhill Road with its elegant Victorian Villas and look out for the Blue Plaques of Piet Mondrian, the Dutch painter, a famous 20th Century abstract artist who, fleeing fascism on the mainland of Europe, lived for two years from 1938-40, and one of Britain’s most famous sculptors, Henry Moore.  

Follow Parkhill Road to its end and turn right into Fleet Road, cross the traffic lights and immediately left into Roderick Road.

This brings you up to a bridge over the North London Line railway and straight onto Hampstead Heath. The 790-acre ancient heath is owned by the Corporation of London.

The heath is rambling and hilly, embracing ponds, recent and ancient woodlands, a lido, playgrounds, and a training track, and it adjoins the former stately home of Kenwood House and its estate. The south-east part of the heath is Parliament Hill, from which the view over London is protected by law.

Climbing up to Parliament Hill at 322 ft is a must and at weekends is often crowded with people simply coming to look out over London or to fly their kites. 

Head north-east to reach both the men’s and women’s’ swimming ponds and then onto Millfield Lane.

Where Millfield Lane meets Merton Lane, continue on half left up Fitzroy Park which is noted for its modernist houses and where the average price of a house in 2021 was said to be over £5m.

After a long climb up Fitzroy Park our walk ends at The Grove in the heart of Highgate. Here are numerous pubs to choose from to slake one’s thirst or tuck in to a well-earned meal including the historic Flask, Gatehouse or The Red Lion & Sun.