Archway Park and the Best Parks Nearby: A Local Guide

When you live in a flat off the Holloway Road or up Hornsey Rise, a decent bit of green space can save your sanity. It is where the kids burn off energy, where you get your steps in, and where a free workout happens while someone is on the swings. I have coached outdoors around N19 and N6 for over 10 years, so here is my honest local guide to Archway Park and the other parks nearby, what each one is good for, and a simple workout you can do in any of them.

Archway Park: the one with the super slide

Archway Park is a small Islington park in the Hillrise area, and most local kids know it for one thing: the giant slide. Built in the 1980s on a concrete mound, it is often described as the biggest slide in Islington. When the council planned a revamp, local people ran a “Save the Slide” campaign, and the slide was kept.

The park was refurbished in a £500,000 project by Islington Council with VolkerHighways. That work added a new play area alongside the refurbished one with the slide, a multi-use ball court, concrete table tennis tables, a new footpath and better lighting.

Good for: a quick after-school play, table tennis with older kids, short loops of the footpath for a walk.

Parent workout idea: while they queue for the slide, do step-ups on a low wall or bench and incline push-ups against a bench or table tennis table edge.

Whittington Park, Holloway Road

On Holloway Road in N19, between Archway and Upper Holloway, Whittington Park is one of the best-equipped parks near Archway. According to Islington Council it has:

• A children’s playground with sand pits and a water play feature, plus a natural play area
• The Whittington Park One O’clock Club for under-fives
• A free outdoor gym
• A floodlit full-size Astroturf football pitch, bookable online
• Two outdoor table tennis tables and accessible toilets

Good for: under-fives, summer water play, and a parent workout on the outdoor gym while the kids play nearby.

Getting there: buses 17, 43 and 271 along Holloway Road, or a short walk from Archway tube or Upper Holloway station.

Elthorne Park, Hazellville Road

Up towards Hornsey Rise, Elthorne Park on Hazellville Road N19 is a great all-rounder. Islington Council lists:

• Children’s play areas with an accessible toilet
• Floodlit Astroturf pitches (free to use, no booking)
• A floodlit basketball court
• Floodlit outdoor gym equipment
• The walled Philip Noel-Baker Peace Garden and a conservation area with silver birch, hedgerow and meadow planting

Good for: older kids who want a kickabout or shoot hoops, and a calm sit in the peace garden.

Getting there: buses 91 or 210 to Hornsey Rise, or walk up from Archway.

Waterlow Park, Highgate Hill

Climb Highgate Hill from Archway and you reach Waterlow Park, run by Camden Council. It has a children’s play area, a kitchen garden and orchard, wide open lawns and terraced gardens. Lauderdale House, with its cafe, sits on the edge of the park overlooking the Tea Lawn.

Good for: a slower weekend walk, picnics and nature spotting. The hill up to it is a workout in itself. I have written a full Waterlow Park outdoor workout if you want to train there.

Highgate Wood and the Parkland Walk

A bit further up Archway Road, Highgate Wood is a City of London ancient woodland with a large playground, a cafe with a terrace and a sports field. It is about a 5-minute walk from Highgate tube on the Northern line, and buses 43 and 134 run there along Archway Road. I cover the play area in detail in my guide to playgrounds near Archway and Highgate.

The old railway line known as the Parkland Walk is also close by and makes a brilliant traffic-free walk or jog. See my Parkland Walk guide for access points and routes.

A 20-minute workout for any local park

All you need is a bench and some open ground. Do each exercise for 40 seconds, rest 20 seconds, and repeat the circuit 3 times. Every move has an easier and harder option.

1. Bench step-ups: step up and down, alternating legs. Easier: a lower step or kerb. Harder: drive the knee up at the top.
2. Incline push-ups: hands on the bench back or seat. Easier: higher surface. Harder: lower surface.
3. Walking lunges: along the path. Easier: shorter steps. Harder: slow and deep.
4. Bench dips: hands on the edge of the bench, bend elbows to about 90 degrees. Easier: knees bent. Skip if your shoulders complain.
5. Shuttle walks or jogs: 10-15 metres there and back. Brisk walking is perfectly fine.
6. Plank: on the bench seat or on the grass.

Finish with a slow 5-minute walk round the park. Check benches and surfaces are dry and stable, and keep an eye on the kids as you go.

When the weather turns

Parks are wonderful from April to September. Then the clocks change, it is dark by 4.30pm and the grass turns to mud. That is the main reason I run SYP Bootcamp indoors in a church hall in Archway. You still train with a small group and a coach, but you do not have to cancel because of the rain, and there is no hunting for a dry bench.

FAQs

Where is Archway Park?

It is a small Islington park in the Hillrise area of Archway, N19, within walking distance of Archway tube station. It is known locally for its giant slide.

Which park near Archway has an outdoor gym?

Whittington Park on Holloway Road and Elthorne Park on Hazellville Road both have free outdoor gym equipment, according to Islington Council.

Is there a water play area near Archway?

Yes. Whittington Park has a water play feature as well as sand pits in its playground. Check with Islington Council for seasonal opening.

What is the biggest park near Archway?

For big green space within walking or a short bus ride, Highgate Wood and Waterlow Park are the largest nearby, with Hampstead Heath a little further away.

Book your first class

Love the parks but want a plan for the dark, wet months? SYP Bootcamp runs 45-minute small-group classes indoors in Archway N19, max 10 people, £15 a class, with easier and harder options for every exercise. You get the timetable when you book. Book your £15 class here or call or WhatsApp me on 07301 512215. If you would rather train 1-1 at a time that suits you, take a look at private 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.