Hampstead Heath Family Day: A Parent's Guide

Some weekends you just need to get everyone out of the flat. The kids are bouncing off the walls, you are running on cold coffee, and nobody can agree on anything. A Hampstead Heath family day is one of the easiest wins we have in North London: it is huge, it is free to walk in, and from Archway it is a short hop. Here is how I would plan a day there with children, using only facility details I have checked with the City of London, which manages the Heath.

Planning a Hampstead Heath family day

The Heath is big enough that “let’s go to the Heath” can mean very different days. My advice is to pick one area as your base, not try to see everything. With small children, that base is usually Parliament Hill or Golders Hill Park.

Getting there from Archway

The simplest route for Archway, Upper Holloway and Tufnell Park families is the London Overground. Upper Holloway is on the Suffragette line, which runs to Gospel Oak. The City of London says the Parliament Hill playground is about a 10-minute walk from Gospel Oak station. If you prefer to walk the whole way, count that as your warm-up for the day.

Where to go with children

Parliament Hill playground and paddling pool

The Parliament Hill playground sits next to the athletics track. It has a cradle swing with seats for children with mobility disabilities. There is no glass, no smoking and no dogs, and parents stay responsible for their children at all times.

Next to it is the paddling pool, which is for children under 8 and normally opens daily in summer from 10:30am to 5pm. Please check before you promise a splash: the City of London paddling pool page currently says it is closed until spring 2027. When it is open, swimwear is required and babies need swim nappies.

The Adventure Playground

For older kids, the Adventure Playground and Clubhouse runs free, supervised play sessions with play structures, obstacle courses, den building and an indoor activity room. Children aged 8 to 16 can come and go on their own, 5 to 8 year olds need an adult with them, and it is not suitable for under 5s. Opening hours depend on term time and school holidays, so check the page before you go.

Golders Hill Park and its free zoo

On the western side of the Heath, Golders Hill Park has a café, a children’s playground, tennis courts, table tennis tables, a walled garden and a small zoo. The Golders Hill Park Zoo is free and has animals including ring-tailed lemurs, wallabies, donkeys and fallow deer. The park opens at 7:30am and its closing time changes through the year, as early as 4:30pm in midwinter, so check before an afternoon visit.

Food and toilets

The City of London lists cafés at Parliament Hill and Golders Hill Park. On the accessibility page it lists toilets at Parliament Hill, Golders Hill Park, Millfield Lane, the Vale of Health and the Heath Extension, with baby changing at the Parliament Hill track toilet and the Golders Hill Zoo toilets. Many accessible toilets need a Radar key. I still pack a picnic: it saves money and stops the “I’m starving” meltdown halfway up a hill.

Turn the day into easy family exercise

This is where I put my trainer hat on. A day on the Heath can quietly tick off a big chunk of your weekly activity without anyone calling it a workout.

• Walk briskly between stops. The NHS guidelines for adults list brisk walking and hiking as moderate activity. If you can talk but not sing, you are in the right zone.
• Race up Parliament Hill. Short hill efforts are brilliant for your legs and lungs. Walk up once at a steady pace, then challenge the kids to a race on the second go.
• Make the playground your gym. While they climb, do 10 step-ups on a low bench, 10 incline press-ups against a sturdy rail and a 20-second wall sit. Three rounds and you are done.
• Play, don’t watch. Tag, frisbee and football count. The NHS guidelines for children and young people suggest an average of at least 60 minutes of moderate or vigorous activity a day across the week, and a Heath day covers a lot of that.

If the kids want to bring bikes, cycling is only allowed on certain paths. The City of London cycling page asks you to follow “no cycling” signs, stay under 12mph and always give way to people walking. I cover this in more detail in my guide to cycling with kids in London.

Where a bootcamp fits in

A big family day out is great, but it is once a week at best, and the weather does not always play along. What keeps parents fit is something regular and close to home. That is why I run SYP Bootcamp indoors in Archway: 45-minute small-group sessions, never more than 10 people, beginner friendly, at £15 a class. You get a proper workout without planning a trip. You can see this week’s class times on the SYP Bootcamp booking page.

Want more ideas closer to home? Read my guide to Highgate Wood with kids for a shorter trip.

FAQs

Is Hampstead Heath good for toddlers?

Yes. There are many surfaced paths, a playground next to the athletics track at Parliament Hill and a playground and free zoo at Golders Hill Park. The Adventure Playground is not suitable for under 5s, so stick to the regular playgrounds with little ones.

Is it free to visit Hampstead Heath?

Walking on the Heath is free, and the City of London describes both the Adventure Playground sessions and Golders Hill Park Zoo as free. Some activities charge, such as the athletics track and swimming at the lido, so check prices on the City of London website first.

What is the nearest station to Parliament Hill?

The City of London says Gospel Oak on the London Overground is about a 10-minute walk from the Parliament Hill playground. From Archway, you can catch the Suffragette line at Upper Holloway.

Keep the energy going all week

If your Heath day reminded you how good it feels to move, don’t wait until next month to do it again. Come along to a class, meet other local mums and dads and get stronger in 45 minutes. Book my £15 class or message me on WhatsApp at 07301 512215 with any questions. If you would rather work with me on your own, have a look at personal training in Highgate, just up the hill from the Heath.

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.