Green Spaces Holloway: 5 Parks for Active Families
Holloway is busy. Holloway Road is one long stream of buses, and a lot of families here live in flats without a garden. So when you want the kids to burn off energy, or you want to get moving yourself, it helps to know exactly which green spaces Holloway has to offer and what each one is good for. Some have free outdoor gyms. Some have water play in summer. One has a Victorian clock tower you can see from half of Islington.
I run small-group classes for parents just up the road in Archway, and many of my clients live in N7 and N19. This is the round-up I give them: real parks, what is in each, and how to use them to move more as a family.
The best green spaces Holloway families can use
Whittington Park, N19
On Holloway Road at the northern end of Holloway, Whittington Park is about 4 hectares and packs in a lot:
- A children’s playground with sand pits and water play, plus a separate natural play area
- A One O’clock Club for younger children
- A free outdoor gym and two outdoor table tennis tables
- A full-size floodlit Astroturf pitch you can book online
Best for: a proper park session where the kids play and you train. Nearest stations: Archway and Upper Holloway, plus buses 17, 43 and 271.
Elthorne Park, N19
Up towards Hornsey Rise on Hazellville Road, Elthorne Park has a park keeper on site, play areas, a walled peace garden and a conservation area with silver birches and a meadow. For active families there is a floodlit Astroturf pitch, a floodlit basketball court and floodlit outdoor gym equipment. The pitches are free play, not bookable.
Best for: winter evenings, because the sports areas are floodlit, and older kids who want a kickabout.
Paradise Park, N7
Tucked away on MacKenzie Road, Paradise Park is smaller at 1.85 hectares but has a children’s playground with a water play feature that runs from April to September (10am to 7pm) and a children’s centre.
Best for: hot summer days with under-5s. Nearest stations include Caledonian Road and Highbury and Islington.
Caledonian Park, N7
On Market Road, Caledonian Park is home to the 47.5-metre clock tower built in 1853, a survivor of the old Metropolitan Cattle Market. There is a play area for ages 3 to 12, a free outdoor gym, and a PlayZone for football, basketball, netball and cricket (free play, cannot be booked).
Best for: mixed-age families. Little ones play while older kids shoot hoops. Nearest tube: Caledonian Road.
Highbury Fields, N5
Just south of Holloway, Highbury Fields is a big open space with tree-lined paths and is home to a Saturday parkrun. If you fancy a weekly 5 km, read my guide to parkrun in North London.
For more options further north, my guides to parks in Archway and playgrounds near Archway and Highgate cover the rest of the area.
A 30-minute outdoor gym workout for parents
Whittington, Elthorne and Caledonian parks all have free outdoor gyms. Equipment varies, so here is a simple routine that works with almost any outdoor gym or just a bench:
Warm-up (5 minutes): brisk walk round the park, then 10 arm circles each way, 10 squats and 10 hip swings each leg.
Circuit (3 rounds, rest 60 seconds between rounds):
- Incline push-ups on a bench or bar: 10 to 12
- Step-ups on a bench: 10 each leg
- Any pulling machine, or rows on a low bar with feet on the ground: 10
- Squats: 15
- Plank on the bench: 20 to 30 seconds
Finisher: race the kids round the edge of the playground twice.
Cool down: walk for a few minutes and stretch calves, hips and chest.
Two of these a week plus brisk walking gets you close to the NHS physical activity guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate activity and strength work on 2 days a week.
Tips for using Holloway parks with kids
- Go early on summer weekends. Water play areas get busy fast.
- Use floodlit spaces in winter. Once the clocks go back, Elthorne’s lit sports areas are your friend after school.
- Turn the walk there into exercise. Walk briskly rather than taking the bus for one or two stops.
- Make it a habit, not an event. Same park, same day each week. Kids love the routine and you stop having to decide.
- Know the kids’ targets. The NHS recommends an average of at least 60 minutes of activity a day for children and young people. See the NHS guidelines for children and young people.
Where a bootcamp class fits
Parks are brilliant, but in a wet November it is hard to stay consistent outdoors. My classes run indoors in a church hall in Archway, which is a short bus ride up Holloway Road, so your training does not stop when the weather turns. If you want to feel stronger carrying shopping up the stairs to your flat, try the SYP Built To Last functional strength class.
FAQs
Which Holloway park has a free outdoor gym?
Whittington Park, Elthorne Park and Caledonian Park all list free outdoor gym equipment on Islington Council’s pages.
Where can kids play in water in Holloway?
Paradise Park has a water play feature from April to September, and Whittington Park has a playground with water play. Check the council pages for current dates.
Can I book a pitch in a Holloway park?
Whittington Park’s floodlit Astroturf can be booked online. Elthorne Park’s pitches and Caledonian Park’s PlayZone are free play only.
What is the biggest green space near Holloway?
Of the parks listed here, Whittington Park is the largest at around 4 hectares. Highbury Fields to the south is also a big open space, and Hampstead Heath is a short trip west.
Book your first class
If you live in Holloway and want a regular, weatherproof workout, SYP Bootcamp runs 45-minute small-group classes in Archway N19, max 10 people, £15 a class, with an easier and harder option for every move. Book your £15 class here or call or WhatsApp me on 07301 512215. If you would like to train with your partner or a friend, have a look at my 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.
