Queens Wood Highgate: A Family Guide to the Wild Wood

Some Sundays the flat feels too small by 10am. The kids are bouncing off the sofa, you are on your second coffee, and you need somewhere green that does not involve a long journey or spending money. For a lot of families near me, the answer is Queen’s Wood in Highgate. It is wild, hilly, a bit muddy and wonderfully un-park-like. This is my family guide to Queen’s Wood Highgate: how to get there, what to expect underfoot, the café, and how to turn a wander into a proper active outing for everyone.

What makes Queen’s Wood different

Queen’s Wood is about 21 hectares (52 acres) of ancient woodland, mostly oak and hornbeam, sitting just across Muswell Hill Road from Highgate Wood. It used to be called Churchyard Bottom Wood and was part of the old Great Forest of Middlesex. Hornsey Council bought it in 1898, opened it to the public and renamed it after Queen Victoria. It is now a Local Nature Reserve looked after by Haringey Council.

If you know Highgate Wood, with its wide flat paths, playground and café lawn, Queen’s Wood will feel very different. There are no playing fields and no big open lawns. The paths are narrower, rootier and drop into steep little valleys. That is exactly why I like it for families who want to move. Every walk turns into a hill session without anyone noticing.

Fun fact for kids: the wood is the source of the Moselle, a small stream that flows towards the River Lea.

Getting to Queen’s Wood from Archway

• Tube: Highgate station on the Northern line (High Barnet branch) is one stop up from Archway, and the wood is a few minutes’ walk from the station.
• On foot: from Archway it is an uphill walk along Archway Road. Good exercise, less fun with a toddler who has already decided they are tired.
• Combine it: Queen’s Wood and Highgate Wood sit side by side, so you can do both in one trip. My guide to Highgate Wood with kids covers the flatter half of the outing.

Paths, slopes and buggies: what to expect

I will be honest, Queen’s Wood is not the easiest place with a pushchair. Expect:

• Steep slopes down into the valleys and back up again. Some have rough steps cut into the bank.
• Mud from autumn to spring. Wellies for the kids, trainers with grip for you.
• Roots and uneven ground, which is brilliant for balance but slower going for little legs.

With a baby, a carrier or sling is far easier than a buggy. With a toddler, plan a short loop and let them climb the banks on all fours. With school-age kids, the steep bits become the fun bits.

The Queen’s Wood Café

The Queen’s Wood Café is on Muswell Hill Road, on the edge of the wood. It is a lovely spot to finish, especially in the colder months. Opening days have changed over the years, so check before you go if a hot chocolate is the bribe that gets everyone out of the door. I would always pack water and a snack anyway.

Turning a Queen’s Wood Highgate walk into an active outing

Here is a simple 60 to 75-minute plan I give to parents who want the walk to count as exercise without it feeling like a workout. Adjust to your kids’ ages.

1. Warm up on the flat (10 minutes)

Walk briskly along the top paths near the café. Add 10 arm circles, 10 marching knee lifts each side and 5 slow bodyweight squats. The NHS has a useful page on how to warm up before exercising if you want more ideas.

2. Valley repeats (15 minutes)

Find one of the slopes that drops into a valley. Walk down carefully, then walk up at a pace where talking gets harder. Rest at the top while the kids explore. Do 4 to 6 rounds.

• Easier: pick a gentler slope and walk up at a steady pace.
• Harder: take bigger steps, push through your heel, and go up with a light backpack.

3. Log station (10 minutes)

There are plenty of fallen logs and low banks. Use a sturdy one for:

• 10 step-ups each leg (hold a tree if you need balance)
• 10 incline push-ups with hands on the log
• 20-second wall sit against a thick tree trunk

Do 2 or 3 rounds. Kids can copy, count or time you. Check the log is stable first, and skip anything wet and slippery.

4. Explorer games (15 to 20 minutes)

Get the kids moving with simple games: “find five different leaves and race back”, “tree tag” where you can only be caught when not touching a tree, or “bear crawl to that stump”. My post on active games for kids in the park has more that work just as well in the woods.

5. Cool down and café (10 minutes)

Walk the last stretch slowly, then stretch calves and hips.

Safety and respect in a nature reserve

• Stick to the paths where you can. It is a nature reserve, and trampling the ground damages it.
• Steep, muddy slopes are where ankles turn. Go slowly downhill, and stop if anything hurts.
• It gets dark early under the trees in winter. Aim to be out well before sunset.
• Leave no litter and take any snack wrappers home.

Where a bootcamp class fits

A woodland walk is a great weekend habit, but most parents I coach also want something reliable in the week that builds strength and fitness whatever the weather. That is what my classes are for. In my SYP Built To Last strength class, we train the exact things that make hills easier: strong legs, a solid back and good balance. Come back to Queen’s Wood a few weeks later and those valley climbs feel very different.

FAQs

Is Queen’s Wood suitable for toddlers?

Yes, with the right plan. Keep the loop short, use a carrier rather than a buggy, and let them scramble up the gentler banks. Toddlers often love it more than tidy parks because there is so much to climb and touch.

Is Queen’s Wood the same as Highgate Wood?

No. They are neighbours on either side of Muswell Hill Road. Highgate Wood is run by the City of London and is flatter with a playground and sports field. Queen’s Wood is a Haringey nature reserve, wilder and much hillier.

What is the nearest station to Queen’s Wood?

Highgate on the Northern line, a few minutes’ walk away. From Archway it is just one stop.

Can I run in Queen’s Wood?

You can, but it suits trail running rather than steady laps because of the roots and slopes. Beginners will find it easier to walk the hills and run the flatter top paths.

Book your first class

If you want to feel strong enough to carry a tired child up the last Queen’s Wood hill, SYP Bootcamp can help. We run 45-minute small-group classes in a church hall in Archway N19, with a maximum of 10 people, at £15 a class, and every exercise has an easier and harder option. Book your £15 class here or call or WhatsApp me on 07301 512215. If you live up the hill and would rather train one to one, have a look at my personal training 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.