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We’re creating a network of walking routes that connect all of Britain’s towns, cities and national parks
Every one of Hampstead Heath’s five Slow Ways has a route that’s been walked and reviewed positively at least three times, and surveyed. Scroll down to explore them, or help connect another place
Give a hike!Hampstead Heath
Greater London
Slow Ways linking Hampstead Heath and Brent Cross, Camden Town, Finchley Central, Kilburn, Wood Green
England / Greater London / Hampstead Heath
Hampstead Heath’s five Slow Ways are 100% checked
Help connect Hampstead Heath
Many Slow Ways have several route options. Some will be better than others, or good for different reasons.
Our goal is for each Slow Way to have at least one route that is verified and surveyed. To be verified – and get its snail badge – a route needs at least three positive reviews.
Give a hike and help get a for every one of Hampstead Heath’s Slow Ways.
Walk to Hampstead Heath from further afield
Slow Way | Route | To do | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Brent Cross—Hampstead Heath
|
Breham one |
|
3 X |
|
Enjoy me | Distance 6km/4mi | Ascent 97m | Descent 82m | ||
Finchley Central—Hampstead Heath
|
Finham one |
|
|
4 X |
|
Enjoy me | Distance 7km/4mi | Ascent 113m | Descent 91m | |
Finchley Central—Hampstead Heath
|
Finham two |
|
4 X |
|
Enjoy me | Distance 7km/4mi | Ascent - | Descent - | ||
Hampstead Heath—Camden Town
|
Hamcam one |
|
|
1 X |
|
Verify me | Distance 3km/2mi | Ascent 6m | Descent 42m | |
Hampstead Heath—Camden Town
|
Hamcam two |
|
U U |
|
Survey me | Distance 3km/2mi | Ascent - | Descent - | ||
Hampstead Heath—Camden Town
|
Hamcam three |
|
1 Y |
|
Enjoy me | Distance 3km/2mi | Ascent - | Descent - | ||
Hampstead Heath—Wood Green
|
Hamwoo one |
|
|
3 X |
|
Enjoy me | Distance 8km/5mi | Ascent 125m | Descent 160m | |
Hampstead Heath—Wood Green
|
Hamwoo two |
|
U U |
|
Survey me | Distance 8km/5mi | Ascent - | Descent - | ||
Kilburn—Hampstead Heath
|
Kilham one |
|
2 X |
|
Enjoy me | Distance 3km/2mi | Ascent 46m | Descent 20m | ||
Kilburn—Hampstead Heath
|
Kilham two |
|
2 X |
|
Review me | Distance 3km/2mi | Ascent - | Descent - |
Fancy stretching your legs a bit more?
If you’ve polished off all of the routes between Hampstead Heath and its neighbours, how about walking its whole web?
This includes the great ring of routes that join its neighbours to each other!
Collective progress
90% of Hampstead Heath’s five route options are drawn, reviewed, surveyed and/or verified
10/10
10/10
8/10
8/10
16 people have contributed to Hampstead Heath’s Slow Ways
3 people have pledged to walk and review a route
13 people have surveyed a route in Hampstead Heath
52km out of 52km have been walked and reviewed
232km of reviews have been shared in Hampstead Heath
Latest Updates
Walked this again in 27°C heat, from Golders Green to Hampstead Heath. Just like previously, it was still a good walk, although with the heat, the section along the residential streets was less fun. I also took a little shortcut crossing Spaniards Road....
Derick Rethans
Pretty perfect as a Slow Way given it’s direct, safe, always close to amenities (not hard in London) and easy to navigate. As others have said, the architecture near Hampstead is easy on the eye, and bustling Camden is fun to visit. A short walk showcasing the variety available to you in London....
DaveHilton
From Hampstead (Heath) it first starts in the busy area with a lovely pub (photo #1), near the Royal Free, and then soon after that there is a lot of nice housing to go past....
Derick Rethans
Soon after the start from Hampstead Heath Station and shops, I found myself passing a historic Bauhaus with a small museum. Suddenly, in a short distance, I had left the quiet, genteel Hampstead Heath to arrive in lively bustling Camden, very busy even in the pouring rain....
Mary Oz
There was some grassland to cross on Hampstead Heath Extension which together with the woods in the main crossing of Hampstead Heath would make it very difficult for most wheels. The main Hampstead Heath was lovely, the woods especially, despite the rain, but the extension merely quite nice....
Mary Oz
The route almost immediately heads through Alexandra Park along Ally Pally (photo #2), but not before having crossed the rail ways at Alexandra Palace (photo #1). After leaving the park through a tunnel underneath Muswell Hill (photo #4), the route then continues along Parkland Walk (photo #5), with great views of the City (photo #6)....
Derick Rethans
The route follows the main road almost all the way, but it’s been nicely traffic calmed, the pavements are wide, and the streets interesting and pleasant enough to walk along....
mtormey
mtormey added Hamcam three, a new walk from Hampstead Heath to Camden Town
Walk this routeA thoroughly delightful route through woodlands and beautiful (unaffordable) homes. Great for an autumnal and spring run....
Nurjehan Khan
Address Tiny Forest Barnet Henlys corner near Mutton Brook (https://what3words.com/went.give.torn)...
Paul Salman
Really good route linking Wood Green and Hampstead Heath with as much off road as possible....
Sarah
(For example, instead of turning onto Prince of Wales road, the route could just stick to Haverstock Hill and make a straight shot for Camden Town!)....
mtormey
I walked from Church end to Hampstead Heath, there were a few facilities including benches to sit and a lovely view of the pond however, there were rough surfaces such as loose gravel, unmade paths and deep muddy sections which you may have to look out for as well as a couple fallen trees and a flight of steps to climb. I would thoroughly recommend the route to someone with the same requirements....
Geneva
A good urban walk avoiding busy roads and going through some parks. I did cheat and shortcutted through the park near Castlehaven, and I would probably have drawn the route through there. It's not a big enough issue to make a Hamcam three though....
Derick Rethans
Excellent route, plenty of green space, and the residential areas are quiet and pleasant. I walked on a Monday lunchtime and Golders Green road (the only potentially noisy one) was pretty quiet. I did go a bit astray on Hampstead Heath (n.b. Follow the cycle route) but not by much, and soon sorted myself out....
Jane Taylor
Good urban route which carefully steps it’s way in zig zags round the obvious, direct, and very busy A502. Enjoyed a drink at Camden Town and a coffee at Hampstead Heath. Good pavement and footpath surfaces throughout....
Jane Taylor
mtormey added Hamwoo two, a new walk from Hampstead Heath to Wood Green
Walk this routemtormey added Finham two, a new walk from Finchley Central to Hampstead Heath
Walk this routeI walked it from Hampstead Heath to Finchley Road on this day. Bigwood Road and Big Wood itself are extremely lovely, as is Little Wood, its neighbour....
mtormey
I like this route quite a bit, but unfortunately I can't verify it as it's not accurate, as other reviewers have noted! I'll upload an alternative now....
mtormey
It's direct, easy to follow, and safe, but it's also SO green - it's almost 100% in parks and open spaces, and some really incredible ones at that!...
mtormey
David Sanderson added Hamcam two, a new walk from Hampstead Heath to Camden Town
Walk this routeI walked this route from Hampstead Heath to Brent Cross. Entering Golders Green on a Saturday morning was an interesting time to be there....
David Sanderson
Still, I can’t verify, because there are one too many inaccuracies: the paths through Hampstead Heath are very difficult to follow, the route is drawn crossing a field that doesn’t really work in the north Heath Extension, the crossing of the Mutton Brook doesn’t exist as drawn, and you can’t get through the Glenhill Close from the Stephens House....
mtormey
Packed with interest historically, blue plaques for former residents (I probably should have read up beforehand!) and musically, passing a number of famous venues....
David Sanderson
I was already aware from the other reviews that the actual route described could not be walked but thought I'd see if the route around was obvious. Approaching from the other direction you enter a nature reserve which allows ingress but comes to a gated dead end after a minute or so of walking....
David Sanderson
I always like walking on the Heath and this indeed took me along some paths I hadn't walked yet. There was very little walking along main roads....
Derick Rethans
This is Kilham One, with the route fixed in places were it was impassible in Swiss Cottage, and with a alternative near Kilburn due to IMO a not-too-safe section....
Derick Rethans
Derick Rethans added Kilham two, a new walk from Kilburn to Hampstead Heath
Walk this routeRoads chosen are fairly quiet and zig-zag away from the main streets as far as possible....
Strider
After the busy High Street (coffee, snacks!) you are quickly into a small park then up to Alexandra Park Station and across a bridge leading to Alexandra Park with views of London and the Palace. Through an avenue of trees, past a café in The Grove to passageways and into a Parkland walk with more views of London....
Strider
I walked the route from Brent Cross to Hampstead Heath and the route definitely has two halves. The second half is a lovely adventure through Hampstead Heath, and I found it just really fantastic to explore a much larger part of the park than I’d ever been before....
mtormey
I walked fine route from Hampstead Heath to Camden Town....
mtormey
Lots of interesting sights, quiet residential streets, business districts, and green oases....
mtormey
There is a gated area near Hampstead but easily navigated around past the hospital there is a huge variety of architecture from cute Mews to the Brutalist Ainsworth estate....
Strider
I walked from Hampstead to Brent Cross, across the Heath , along quiet residential roads before a short section along busy roads....
Strider
Then comes Hampstead Heath beautiful, steep and rooty paths quite hard to follow exactly but if you head in the general direction you will get to your destination (the route for Breham across the Heath is close by and easier to follow and walk, orange dots on the OS maps)....
Strider
An excellent route with accessible nature and adventure....
jbax
It was interesting and adventurous, with abundant unique natural features such as swamp, ponds, forest, and fields....
jbax
There were no issues with the trail as it appears on the site, but there are some accessibility challenges including a section between the main Heath and the extension with a relatively steep unpaved dirt hill and some steps....
jbax
This route takes you through many residential communities and connects two areas that aren't easy to navigate to on the underground. There are a couple issues with the route: I started at Hampstead Heath, and the route takes you through a private gated Mews....
jbax
The turn off Fleet road is not apparent, instead I walked down to Parkhill road and continued from there....
jbax
A little tricky to stay enroute due to the number of junctions to stay on the direct path but easy to follow in terms of the map. A gate was closed (potentially to the general public only) at Avenue House Grounds but it was easy enough to navigate around....
Aligutzu
Not suitable for walking at dusk/night due to some remote and uneven paths with no lighting, especially on Hampstead Heath. Need to pay attention to take the correct paths on the Heath to enter and exit at the right place....
RhiEv
There is an error on the route as the turn off fleet road leads to a deadend within the hospital....
Dannyash
As it goes through Alexander Palace, Highgate Woods and Hampstead Heath you can also extend the walk as much as you like by following other paths....
Dannyash
Slow Ways added Breham one, a new walk from Brent Cross to Hampstead Heath
Walk this routeSlow Ways added Finham one, a new walk from Finchley Central to Hampstead Heath
Walk this routeSlow Ways added Hamcam one, a new walk from Hampstead Heath to Camden Town
Walk this routeSlow Ways added Hamwoo one, a new walk from Hampstead Heath to Wood Green
Walk this routeSlow Ways added Kilham one, a new walk from Kilburn to Hampstead Heath
Walk this routeHampstead Heath, Sat 12 October
12°
Light rain
Don’t forget your raincoat!
Hampstead Heath’s Slow Ways starting point
Grid ref
TQ2724085629
Lat / Lon
51.55521° / -0.16604°
Easting / Northing
527,240E / 185,629N
what3words
Fancy stretching your legs a bit more?
If you’ve polished off all of the routes between Hampstead Heath and its neighbours, how about walking its whole web?
This includes the great ring of routes that join its neighbours to each other!
Facilities
Users have reported that the following facilities can be found within 1km of Hampstead Heath's meeting point
Public toilet
Wheelchair accessible toilet
Supermarket or convenience shop
Restaurant, cafe or pub
Accommodation
Accommodation for under £50 a night
Campsite
Bothy
Free wifi
Mobility scooter hire
Off-road wheelchair hire
Disabled Parking
Train station
Bus stop
Ferry
Official ‘Walkers are Welcome’ town
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