Whittington Park N19: Playground, Gym and Parent Workout
If you live in Archway or Upper Holloway with small kids, there is a good chance you already know the sand pit at Whittington Park very well. It is one of those local parks that quietly does a lot: a busy playground, a wildlife pond, a football pitch and, the bit most parents walk past, a free outdoor gym. This is my local guide to the park, plus a 25-minute workout you can do while the kids play, so the hour you spend there anyway does something for you too.
Whittington Park at a glance
Whittington Park is on Holloway Road in N19, run by Islington Council and named after Dick Whittington, whose story is woven all through Archway. According to the council’s Whittington Park page, it covers just over 4 hectares and includes:
- A children’s playground with sand pits, a water play feature and accessible toilets
- A natural play area
- The Whittington Park One O’Clock Club for under-5s and their carers
- A full-size, floodlit astroturf football pitch with changing rooms, bookable online
- Two outdoor table tennis tables
- A free outdoor gym
- A wildlife pond, ecology garden, woodland and an RSPB sparrow meadow
- A community classroom and a war memorial
It is also designated a Site of Local Importance to Nature Conservation, which is impressive for a park beside one of London’s busiest roads.
Getting there and opening times
- Tube: Archway (Northern line) is the nearest station.
- Train: Upper Holloway (Overground) is the nearest rail station.
- Bus: routes 17, 43 and 271 stop nearby.
- Hours: the gates open by 8am every day and close around sunset, so as early as 5pm in winter and as late as 9pm in early summer. Check the council page for the current month.
What to do with kids of different ages
Babies and toddlers
The sand pits and water play are the main event in warm weather. The One O’Clock Club is worth knowing about if you are home with an under-5 and want a free, sociable place to go. Bring a change of clothes. The water play is very popular.
Primary age
The natural play area is great for climbing and balancing, and the open grass is perfect for tag, races and ball games. Table tennis is brilliant for older primary kids. Bring your own bats and balls.
Older kids and teens
The astroturf pitch can be booked for a family kickabout, and the outdoor gym is a good, low-pressure place for a teenager to try strength training with you. The pond and sparrow meadow are worth a slow walk with curious kids of any age.
A 25-minute parent workout in the park
This is designed for the free outdoor gym and the benches near the play area, so you can keep an eye on the kids. If the gym is busy, swap any station for the bodyweight version.
Warm-up (5 minutes)
- Brisk walk one lap of the path
- 10 arm circles each way, 10 leg swings each leg
- 10 bodyweight squats
Main circuit (3 rounds, 40 seconds work, 20 seconds rest)
- Bench step-ups: step up, stand tall, step down. Alternate legs.
Easier: lower step or hold a rail. Harder: slower lowering. - Incline push-ups on a bench or bar.
Easier: hands higher. Harder: hands lower. - Squats to touch a bench with your bottom.
Easier: sit fully, then stand. Harder: pause 2 seconds at the bottom. - Outdoor gym station of your choice, such as a pull-down, rower or leg press, if available. Move slowly and with control.
- Plank with hands on a bench.
Easier: knees down. Harder: on the floor.
Cool down (3 minutes)
Stretch calves on the edge of a step, and hips with one foot on a bench, leaning forward gently.
A few honest notes. Outdoor gym machines are fixed in place and not adjustable like gym equipment, so if a movement feels awkward on your joints, skip it. Stop if anything hurts. And if you are postnatal, check with your GP that you are ready to exercise (usually from around your 6 to 8-week check) before doing this, as the NHS explains in its guide to keeping fit and healthy with a baby.
Want more spots like this? My round-up of parks in Archway covers the other green spaces nearby, and my guide to playgrounds near Archway and Highgate is handy for rainy-day planning. If you like the outdoor gym idea, see my guide to outdoor gyms in North London.
Where a bootcamp class fits
Park workouts are great, but the honest truth is that most parents struggle to push themselves while also watching a toddler near a water feature. My classes give you 45 minutes where someone else does the thinking, sets the pace and checks your form. We train in a church hall in Archway, so it is close by and weatherproof. My SYP Built To Last strength class covers the squats, pushes and pulls in the workout above, with proper coaching.
FAQs
Are there toilets in the park?
Yes, there are accessible toilets at the children’s playground.
Is the outdoor gym free to use?
Yes. The outdoor gym is free to use during park opening hours.
Can you book the football pitch?
Yes. The floodlit astroturf pitch can be booked online through Islington Council’s booking system.
What time does Whittington Park close?
It closes around sunset, which ranges from about 5pm in winter to 9pm in early summer. Gates open by 8am every day.
Book your first class
If you would like a workout where you can actually focus on yourself, come and try SYP Bootcamp. Classes last 45 minutes, run indoors in a church hall in Archway N19 with a maximum of 10 people, cost £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 prefer a quiet, one-to-one setting, find out about my 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.
