Highbury Fields: A Family Guide and Parent Workout

Saturday morning, the kids are bouncing off the walls and you have had about five hours of sleep. You need somewhere big, flat and free where they can run and you can breathe. For a lot of North London families, that place is Highbury Fields. It is Islington’s largest open space, it has a proper playground with water play in summer, and with a little planning it is also one of the best spots I know for a parent to sneak in a workout while the children play.

I coach busy mums and dads in Archway, and plenty of them end up at Highbury at the weekend. Here is how I would use it if I were you.

What you will find at Highbury Fields

According to Islington Council’s Highbury Fields page, the park covers about 11.75 hectares in N5 and includes:

• A children’s playground with a sand pit, a newer adventure play structure and toilets nearby.
• Water play that runs from 10am to 7pm, April to September only. In winter it is switched off, so do not promise the kids a splash in November.
• A One O’Clock Club for younger children and their carers.
• Sport: 11 floodlit tennis courts, a floodlit artificial football pitch, four netball courts and a table tennis table.
• Highbury Pool and Fitness Centre on the edge of the park.
• The Oasis Café, which matters more than any of the above when you have a toddler and no coffee yet.

The gates open by 8am every day of the year and close around sunset, which ranges from about 5pm in winter to 9pm in summer. Check the council page for the exact month before an evening visit.

Getting there from Archway

There is no direct tube from Archway, but the buses are easy. The 43 runs from Archway down Holloway Road to Highbury Corner, and the 4 from Archway also stops at Highbury Corner and Highbury Barn. Highbury & Islington station is right by the south end of the park if you are coming by Overground or Victoria line. With a buggy, Highbury Corner is the easiest end to arrive at.

A 25-minute parent workout in the park

The beauty of Highbury for parents is the long, open grass. You can stay in sight of the playground fence and still have room to move. Here is a simple session I give clients who can only train when the children are with them.

Warm up (5 minutes)

• 2 minutes brisk walking around the outside of the playground
• 10 arm circles each way, 10 hip circles each way
• 10 slow bodyweight squats
• 5 walking lunges each leg

Main block (15 minutes)

Set a timer for 15 minutes and repeat this circuit as many times as feels steady, resting whenever you need to:

1. Bench step-ups: 10 each leg. Use a low, solid bench and step all the way up, standing tall at the top.
2. Incline push-ups on a bench: 8 to 12. Hands on the edge, body in a straight line. Easier: hands higher on the back of the bench. Harder: hands on the grass.
3. Grass shuttle: jog 20 big steps, walk back. Do this 3 times.
4. Glute bridges on a mat or jacket: 12 slow reps, squeeze at the top.
5. Plank: 20 to 30 seconds. Knees down is absolutely fine.

Cool down (5 minutes)

Walk a slow lap of the path, then stretch your calves, the front of your hips and your chest for 20 to 30 seconds each. The NHS has a good guide on how to stretch after exercising if you want more ideas.

Two easy rules: always pick a spot where you can see your children, and never use playground equipment that little ones are waiting for. Benches and open grass are yours, the climbing frame is theirs.

Make it a family session instead

If your kids are 5 or older, turn the workout into a game. Highbury’s open grass is perfect for:

• Cone races with jumpers as markers. They sprint, you jog, everyone wins something.
• Animal relays: bear crawl out, crab walk back. You will feel it in your shoulders, they will be giggling.
• “Simon says” squats and star jumps for the younger ones.

My post on active games for kids in the park has plenty more, and if you want options closer to home, I have rounded up the parks in Archway that work well for the same sort of session.

Why a big park matters for tired parents

The NHS physical activity guidelines suggest adults aim for 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, plus strength work on 2 days. That sounds like a lot until you realise a brisk walk to the park, a 25-minute circuit and a walk home is already about an hour of it. A weekend park habit quietly does a big chunk of the work.

The other benefit is mood. Getting outside, in daylight, with your children playing nearby, is often the first time all week many parents feel like a person again rather than a taxi service.

Where a bootcamp class fits in

Park sessions are brilliant, but they have limits. Nobody is checking your form, it is easy to do the same few moves forever, and when it rains in January the plan usually falls apart. That is where my small-group classes come in. They run indoors in a church hall in Archway, so the weather does not matter, and every exercise has an easier and harder version so you can work at your level.

If your back and hips feel stiff after a week of carrying children and sitting at a desk, my SYP Unlock hip and back mobility class pairs perfectly with weekend park workouts. You learn the movements properly indoors, then you take them outside to the park with the kids.

FAQs

Is Highbury Fields good for toddlers?

Yes. The playground has a sand pit and water play in the warmer months, there are toilets by the playground, and the One O’Clock Club is aimed at under-fives and their carers. The wide paths are easy with a buggy.

When is the Highbury water play open?

Islington Council lists the water play features as running from 10am to 7pm between April and September. Outside those months it is turned off.

Can I exercise in the park?

Yes, the open grass and benches are ideal for bodyweight exercises, and there are tennis courts and a football pitch you can book through the council. Just be considerate of other park users and keep away from the playground equipment.

What time does the park close?

Gates open by 8am every day and close around sunset, from about 5pm in winter to 9pm in summer. The council page lists the exact time for each month.

Book your first class

Weekend park sessions are a great start, and a weekly class gives you the structure to keep going. SYP Bootcamp runs 45-minute small-group classes in a warm church hall in Archway N19, with a maximum of 10 people, all fitness levels welcome, and it costs £15 a class. The timetable is sent when you book. Book my £15 class or call or WhatsApp me on 07301 512215 if you have questions first. If you would rather understand how 1-1 coaching works later on, you can see how my personal training works.

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.