Highgate Village Walk: A Short Hilly Loop for Families
Some of the best family walks in North London are right on the doorstep, they just happen to go uphill. A Highgate Village walk is a good example: in an hour or so you can climb one of London’s best-known hills, wander through a beautiful park, poke around a village square that used to have ponds, and come back down again. For tired parents it is a sneaky workout. For kids it is a little adventure with ducks, a playground and a story or two along the way.
I train clients in Archway and Highgate and walk these streets most weeks. Here is a short circular route I like, with honest notes on the hills and where to stop.
The route: a short circular Highgate Village walk from Archway
This loop starts and finishes at Archway station. It is short in distance, but there is real climbing in it, so give yourself time.
1. Archway to Highgate Hill
From Archway station, head up Highgate Hill. This is the main climb of the walk, and it is steady rather than vicious. Shorten your stride, use your arms, and let the kids set a “stop every 50 steps” rule if they need it. If little legs are not up to it today, buses including the 210, 263 and 310 run from Archway up to Highgate Village, so you can ride up and walk the rest.
2. Into Waterlow Park
Partway up the hill, turn into Waterlow Park through its Highgate Hill entrance. The park was once Sir Sydney Waterlow’s private estate, and he gave it to the public in 1889 as “a garden for the gardenless”, according to Lauderdale House’s Waterlow Park page. It has a children’s play area, open lawns, an orchard and a kitchen garden, and plenty of wildlife including ducks and herons. Lauderdale House sits on the edge of the park, overlooking the terraced gardens.
This is a natural place for a longer stop. Let the kids play while you do a few bench step-ups and incline push-ups. My Waterlow Park outdoor workout has a full routine if you want one.
3. Out via Swain’s Lane
Leave the park by the Swain’s Lane entrance. Swain’s Lane runs alongside Waterlow Park and Highgate Cemetery and is famous for being steep. Turn uphill here towards the village. It is a short stretch, but you will feel it in your calves. Older kids love a “who can walk to that lamppost without stopping” challenge.
4. Pond Square and the village
At the top you reach South Grove and Pond Square. The London Gardens Trust notes that this was the old centre of Highgate Village, that two ponds here once supplied the village with water, and that they were drained in 1886 when the space opened to the public. It also sits at the highest point in Camden. Tell the kids they are standing on the top of the borough. They will want to jump.
From here, wander along Highgate High Street for a snack or a drink.
5. Back down Highgate Hill
Return to Archway down Highgate Hill. Downhill is where tired legs trip, so take shorter steps, keep knees soft, and hold small hands.
Hill-walking tips for parents
- Go early. Kids have more energy, and the pavements are quieter.
- Do the hardest climb first. This route front-loads the hill, so the fun parts come as rewards.
- Breathe and talk. On the climb you should be able to speak in short sentences. If you cannot, slow down.
- Look up. Highgate has plenty of interesting old buildings, signs and doors. Spotting games make the climb pass faster.
- Wear proper shoes. Some park paths can be slippery after rain.
Brisk walking uphill is excellent moderate exercise. The NHS walking for health page explains how regular brisk walking benefits your heart and mood. If you have a heart or blood pressure condition, or a recent injury, check with your GP or physio before adding steep hills to your routine.
Turning the walk into a workout
If you have 15 extra minutes and someone to watch the kids at the playground, try this in Waterlow Park:
- Find a gentle slope on one of the paths. Walk briskly up for 45 seconds.
- Walk slowly back down.
- Repeat 5 times.
- Then 2 rounds of 10 bench squats, 10 incline push-ups and a 20-second bench plank.
That is a proper session, and it costs nothing.
Extending the walk
- Highgate Cemetery: the cemetery sits beside Swain’s Lane. It is not a playground, so it suits older, calmer kids; see my Highgate Cemetery walk notes.
- Highgate Wood: head past Highgate station and up Archway Road for woodland and a big playground.
- Hampstead Heath: head west from the village for a much longer day out.
Where a bootcamp class fits
If Highgate Hill leaves you puffing halfway up, that is useful information. It usually means your legs and lungs need some regular, structured training, not just more walking. Strength work for your legs and hips makes every hill easier, and short bursts of conditioning help your breathing recover faster.
That is what my small-group classes in Archway are built around, right at the bottom of the hill. If you live up in Highgate, my post on bootcamp near Highgate explains how locals fit it in. SYP Built To Last is the class I would point you towards for stronger legs.
FAQs
How long is the walk?
It is a short loop, but the hills slow you down. With a playground stop in Waterlow Park, plan on at least an hour with young children.
Is Highgate Hill too steep for a buggy?
It is hard work but doable on the pavement. Swain’s Lane is steeper, so with a buggy you may prefer to leave Waterlow Park the way you came in, or take a bus up to the village.
Are there toilets along the route?
The London Gardens Trust lists toilets at Pond Square. Cafés on Highgate High Street are another option for a pit stop.
Can you get a bus back to Archway?
Yes. Routes including the 210, 263 and 310 run between Highgate Village and Archway, which is handy if little legs give up.
Book your first class
Want hills to feel easier? SYP Bootcamp runs 45-minute small-group classes indoors in a church hall in Archway N19, max 10 people, £15 a class, with an easier and a harder option for every exercise. The timetable is sent when you book. Book your £15 class here or call or WhatsApp me on 07301 512215. If you would prefer 1-1 coaching closer to home, read about my work as a personal trainer in Highgate.
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.
