Alexandra Palace Park Walk From Crouch End With Kids
There is a moment on every Alexandra Palace park walk when you reach the terrace, turn round, and the whole of London is laid out in front of you. You get your breath back. Then someone asks for an ice cream. That moment is worth the climb, and the climb is the bit I want to talk about, because a good hill walk is one of the best free workouts a busy parent can do.
I coach parents in Archway, and when people ask me for a weekend activity that feels like a day out but quietly builds fitness, Ally Pally is high on my list. Here is how to get there from Crouch End on foot, how to tackle the hill without anyone melting down, and where to stop on the way.
Planning your Alexandra Palace park walk from Crouch End
You have two broad options, depending on how far your family can walk.
Option 1: the long green route via Parkland Walk
This is for older kids and fitter legs. The Parkland Walk access guide describes the old railway path in two sections. The southern section runs from Finsbury Park to Holmesdale Road in Highgate, passing Crouch End Hill, where there are steps up and a café at the top. The northern section is a shorter stretch from Cranley Gardens to Muswell Hill, and it continues into Alexandra Palace Park.
Between the two you need to link up, and the guide suggests going through Highgate Wood (or Queen’s Wood and Highgate Wood for the quietest route), leaving at Cranley Gate and using the underpass to reach the Muswell Hill section. It is a proper adventure, mostly under trees, and you arrive at the park from the Muswell Hill side. My Parkland Walk guide covers the surface, the muddy bits and the safety questions in more detail.
Option 2: the shorter street route
With younger children, use a map app to plan the most direct pavement route from Crouch End Broadway towards Alexandra Park and enter from the south side. You lose the woodland, but you save legs for the hill itself, which is where the real work is. If anyone is flagging on the way back, Muswell Hill and Crouch End both have plenty of buses.
How to walk a hill well (and teach the kids)
Hills are where the fitness happens. Your heart rate rises, your glutes and calves work much harder than on the flat, and you get all of that without running. A few cues I give clients:
- Shorten your stride. Small steps uphill are easier on your knees and lungs than long lunging ones.
- Lean slightly from the ankles, not by folding at the waist. Chest proud, eyes ahead.
- Use your arms. Swing them as you walk. It genuinely helps you up the slope.
- Breathe to talk test. You should be able to talk in short sentences. If you cannot, slow down.
- Downhill, soften your knees and take shorter steps. Going down is where tired legs trip.
For kids, make the hill a game. “Count 50 steps, then we stop and look back.” “Spot three dogs before the next bench.” Breaking it into chunks stops the whole climb feeling endless.
A hill workout hidden in your walk
If you want to get a bit more from the day, try this on one of the slopes in the park while the kids rest or play nearby:
- Walk briskly up a slope for about 60 seconds.
- Turn and walk back down slowly for recovery.
- Repeat 4 to 6 times.
- Finish with 2 rounds of 10 bench step-ups each leg and 10 incline push-ups on a bench.
That is a solid 15-minute session. If you have any heart, blood pressure or joint problems, or you are recently postnatal, check with your GP or physio before adding hill repeats. The NHS walking for health page is a good reminder that brisk walking alone already counts as moderate activity, so there is no need to push past what feels right.
Family stops in Alexandra Park
According to Go Parks London’s Alexandra Park listing, the park includes:
- Playgrounds for younger and older children
- A boating lake with pedalos
- Pitch and putt and a skateboard area
- Park cafés, toilets and baby changing
- Woodland, a wildflower meadow and a nature trail
- A weekly parkrun
A plan that works for many families: climb to the terrace for the view first, while legs are fresh. Then head down to the playground or boating lake as the reward. Lunch, then a gentle walk home or a bus. Doing the hard part first means the day ends happy instead of with a child being carried up a hill on your shoulders.
What to pack
- Water for everyone. Hills make kids thirsty fast.
- A snack to use as “summit fuel” at the top.
- A light layer. The terrace is exposed and can be windy even on a mild day.
- Proper shoes, not sliders, especially if you take the Parkland Walk route after rain.
- A sling or carrier for under-3s rather than a buggy if you plan to use the woodland paths.
Looking for more ideas like this? My guide to family walks in North London and the post on Highgate Wood with kids both link nicely to this route.
Where a bootcamp class fits
A big family walk once a week is great for your heart and your mood. What it does not do much of is build strength in your upper body and core, and those are the bits that make carrying a tired five-year-old down a hill feel easy instead of brutal. That is where a structured class helps.
In my Archway classes we mix strength, conditioning and mobility. If your hips and lower back feel tight after a long walk, SYP Unlock, my hip and back mobility class, is a good place to start.
FAQs
How steep is the walk up to Alexandra Palace?
It is a real hill, and the final approach to the palace terrace is the steepest part. Most children aged 5 and up manage it with breaks. Take it slowly and stop to look at the view.
Can you take a buggy to Alexandra Palace?
Many of the main park paths are fine with a buggy, but the hill is hard work pushing one. Woodland sections and the Parkland Walk can be rough or muddy, so a carrier is easier there.
Are there toilets in Alexandra Park?
Yes. Go Parks London lists toilets and baby changing in the park, and the Parkland Walk guide mentions The Grove Café in the park, which has toilets.
How long does the walk take from Crouch End?
It depends a lot on your route and your kids. The long Parkland Walk route via the woods is a half-day outing with stops. A direct street route is much shorter. Plan a map route before you set off.
Book your first class
When you want to build the strength that makes days out easier, come and train with me. SYP Bootcamp runs 45-minute small-group classes in a weatherproof church hall in Archway N19, max 10 people, £15 a class, with easier and harder options for every exercise. Book your £15 class here or call or WhatsApp me on 07301 512215. If you and your partner would like to train together with more personal attention, have a look at partner personal training in Archway.
About the author
Artem Olekhnovych is a personal trainer in Archway and the founder of SYP Fitness and SYP Bootcamp. He has coached clients in Archway, Highgate and across North London for over 10 years, and runs small-group bootcamp classes for busy mums and dads. Read reviews from his 1-1 clients.
