Tufnell Park to Hampstead Heath Walk: A Family Route

Saturday morning, the kids are bouncing off the walls, and you have about three hours before someone needs feeding again. You want fresh air, a bit of a leg stretch for you, and something that will actually tire them out. A Tufnell Park to Hampstead Heath walk is one of the best answers I know in this corner of North London. It is free, it starts at a Northern line station, and within a short walk you swap traffic for one of the biggest green spaces in the city.

I coach parents in Archway every week, and this is a walk I suggest a lot because it works for buggies, scooters and adults who want a proper hill. Here is how I would do it.

The Tufnell Park to Hampstead Heath walk: the basic route

Start at Tufnell Park station, where Dartmouth Park Hill, Fortess Road, Brecknock Road and Tufnell Park Road meet. From there the plan is simple: head north-west into Dartmouth Park, cross it on quiet residential streets, reach Highgate Road, and you are at the eastern edge of the Heath by Parliament Hill.

1. Station to Dartmouth Park. Walk up Dartmouth Park Hill. This road runs along the eastern edge of the Dartmouth Park area beside the reservoirs, and it is a steady incline, so it is a good warm-up for you and a test of little legs.
2. Through the neighbourhood. Turn west into the side streets. Dartmouth Park Road is the obvious line, and you will pass St Mary Brookfield, a red brick church opened in 1875. Nearby York Rise follows the shallow valley where the old Fleet stream used to run, which is a nice bit of history to tell kids who think London was always roads.
3. Cross Highgate Road. Use a proper crossing here. It is a busy road with buses, so hold hands or hold the buggy close.
4. Onto the Heath. You arrive near Parliament Hill. From here, go up the hill for the view, or turn towards the play area and paddling pool.

Keep a map app open the first time and choose the way with the fewest busy crossings.

A time plan that works with kids

I am not going to give you a precise distance, because it depends on the streets you choose and how many times someone stops to look at a cat. Instead, here is how I would budget a morning:

• Getting there (allow 30 to 45 minutes with young kids). Adults walking briskly will be quicker. Toddlers on foot will be slower.
• Parliament Hill (20 minutes). Walk to the top, catch your breath and point out the city skyline.
• Play stop (30 to 60 minutes). The Parliament Hill playground and paddling pool is the obvious one. Check the paddling pool season before promising it.
• Snack and return (30 to 45 minutes). Either walk back the same way, or get the Overground from Gospel Oak, or catch a bus from Highgate Road.

That is a two to three hour outing with plenty of walking and plenty of rest. If your kids are older, you can push it further. The Ramblers run a circular walk from Tufnell Park station through Dartmouth Park, the Heath and Kenwood which they list at about 9.7 km, so a big loop is very doable once everyone is used to it.

Family stops along the way

Dartmouth Park (the actual park)

Dartmouth Park is also a small landscaped park on the Islington side, next to Dartmouth Park Hill, with a children’s playground and a view from the top of its slope. Good for a quick stop if someone is flagging.

Parliament Hill

The classic, and a proper climb for everyone. Let the kids run down the gentler slopes and walk back up.

The lido

If you have swimmers in the family, Parliament Hill Lido sits on the Gospel Oak side of the Heath. It is a separate plan from a walk, but worth knowing about for a summer version of this day.

Make it count as exercise (for you)

A gentle stroll is great for the head, but if you want this walk to do something for your fitness as well, here are a few simple add-ons I give clients:

• Brisk sections. On the streets, walk at a pace where you can talk but would not want to sing. That is moderate effort, which counts towards the 150 minutes a week in the NHS physical activity guidelines.
• Hill repeats. On Parliament Hill, walk up a short steep section 4 to 6 times while the kids play nearby. Walk down slowly to recover.
• Bench circuit. At any bench: 10 step-ups each leg, 10 incline push-ups, 10 squats. Do 3 rounds. About 10 minutes.
• Carry practice. If you have a toddler who wants carrying, swap arms regularly and keep your ribs stacked over your hips rather than leaning back.

If you have kids who moan after 15 minutes, my post on how to get kids to walk further has games that genuinely help. And for more routes like this one, see my guide to family walks in North London or the longer Hampstead Heath family day out.

Where a bootcamp class fits

Walks like this are brilliant for steps and mood, but they will not build much strength on their own. That is the gap my classes fill. In a 45-minute session we do the things a walk does not: squats, presses, carries and core work, with an easier and harder version of every move. The parents in my classes often notice the Heath hills feel easier after a few weeks, which is a nice way to measure progress without a scale.

If your hips and lower back feel stiff after a long walk, the SYP Unlock hip and back mobility class is a good place to start.

FAQs

Is the walk from Tufnell Park to Hampstead Heath buggy-friendly?

The street part is on pavements, so yes. Dartmouth Park Hill is a steady climb, so expect to push. On the Heath itself, main paths are fine, but some routes get muddy after rain, so stick to the wider paths with a buggy.

How do I get back without walking the whole way?

Gospel Oak Overground station is near the southern side of the Heath, and buses run along Highgate Road towards Archway, Camden and beyond. Check TfL on the day, as routes and times change.

Are there toilets?

There are toilets on the Heath (the Ramblers, for example, point walkers to the ones at Kenwood on longer loops), but check where the nearest ones are and opening times on the City of London Hampstead Heath pages before you go, especially in winter.

Is it a good walk in autumn and winter?

Yes, but go earlier in the day. It gets dark early and the grass gets slippery. Bring hats and a warm drink.

Book your first class

If you want something to go with your weekend walks, SYP Bootcamp runs 45-minute small-group classes indoors in a church hall in Archway N19, with a maximum of 10 people and £15 a class. All fitness levels are welcome and the timetable is sent when you book. Book your £15 class here or call or WhatsApp me on 07301 512215. If you live in Tufnell Park and want a more personal plan later on, have a look at my personal training in Tufnell Park.

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.