Writer
Oliver Hartwell
Hampstead, London
Oliver is a lifelong Hampstead resident and architectural historian who has spent three decades uncovering the stories behind the village's Georgian terraces, hidden lanes, and literary landmarks. His writing blends meticulous research with a warm, accessible style.
Articles by Oliver Hartwell
97 articles
History & Heritage
The Highgate Vampire: London's Strangest Ghost Hunt
In 1970 two men declared a televised vampire hunt at Highgate Cemetery. The story of the Highgate Vampire, the panic it caused and what was really going on.
4 min read· 26 June 2026
History & Heritage
The Archway Bridge: History of Hornsey Lane's Famous Iron Span
The story of the Archway Bridge on Hornsey Lane, its Victorian origins, its infamous history, the views across London, and what to know before you visit.
7 min read· 26 June 2026
Local Life
Hampstead Heath Map: A Guide to Every Section of the Heath
Hampstead Heath covers 790 acres across seven distinct sections. Here's how to navigate every area.
5 min read· 25 June 2026
Local Life
Three Days in North London: The Complete Itinerary
A three-day North London itinerary covering Hampstead, the Heath, Camden, Islington, Stoke Newington and the wider neighbourhoods, with timings, costs and food.
6 min read· 22 June 2026
Local Life
A Perfect Day in Islington: The Complete Itinerary
How to spend a day in Islington, Upper Street, Camden Passage antiques, Exmouth Market, the canal, theatre and the best food in N1. A timed itinerary with costs.
6 min read· 21 June 2026
Nature & Outdoors
The Best Sunset Spots on Hampstead Heath
Where to watch the sunset on Hampstead Heath, Parliament Hill, Kenwood, the Pergola, Sandy Heath and Kite Hill, with the best timing, viewpoints and photography tips.
5 min read· 21 June 2026
History & Heritage
What Is Hampstead Famous For? The Village's Claims to Fame
What is Hampstead famous for? The Heath, the celebrities, the literary history, the Georgian village, Kenwood's art and London's best pubs, a complete guide.
7 min read· 21 June 2026
Nature & Outdoors
A Perfect Day on Hampstead Heath: The Complete Guide
How to spend a perfect day on Hampstead Heath, Parliament Hill, the ponds, the Pergola, Kenwood House and the best routes, viewpoints and places to eat.
8 min read· 18 June 2026
Arts & Culture
Kenwood House Concerts 2026: The Complete Heritage Live Guide
Kenwood House concerts 2026, the full Heritage Live lineup (Lionel Richie, Eric Clapton, Faithless and more), ticket types, what to bring and how to get there.
7 min read· 18 June 2026
Local Life
Two Days in North London: The Perfect Weekend Itinerary
A two-day North London itinerary, Hampstead, the Heath, Highgate, Camden, Islington and Primrose Hill across a full weekend, with timings, costs and where to eat.
6 min read· 18 June 2026
Local Life
One Day in North London: The Perfect Itinerary
How to spend one perfect day in North London, Hampstead, the Heath, Highgate and Camden in a single walkable route, with timings, costs and where to eat.
8 min read· 16 June 2026
Local Life
Hampstead Heath Parking: Where to Park, What It Costs, and When to Arrive
Parking at Hampstead Heath is possible but competitive. Here's where the car parks are and when to arrive.
4 min read· 15 June 2026
Nature & Outdoors
The Best Sunday Lunch in Hampstead: Where to Book, When to Arrive, and What to Order
Sunday lunch in Hampstead is serious business. From the Bull and Last to the Holly Bush.
5 min read· 15 June 2026
Local Life
The Best Secondary Schools in North London: A Parent's Guide
The best secondary schools in North London, UCS, Highgate School, South Hampstead High, Camden School for Girls and top state options. A parent's complete guide.
7 min read· 13 June 2026
Food & Drink
Best Pubs in North London: A Local's Guide
The best pubs in North London, from Hampstead to Highgate, Camden to Islington. Historic pubs, gastropubs, community locals and hidden gems across N1-NW8.
3 min read· 11 June 2026
Local Life
Primrose Hill: A Complete Guide to the Neighbourhood and Park
Everything about Primrose Hill, the park, the views, the village high street, where to eat, and how to get there. A complete guide to NW1's most scenic neighbourhood.
5 min read· 11 June 2026
Arts & Culture
What's On at Alexandra Palace: The Complete Events Guide
What's on at Alexandra Palace, concerts, darts, festivals, ice skating and more. Your complete local guide to events, tickets and visiting Ally Pally.
7 min read· 10 June 2026
Nature & Outdoors
The Parkland Walk: London's Longest Linear Nature Reserve
The Parkland Walk: a practical, locally written guide, what to know, where to go, and how to plan your visit.
2 min read· 9 June 2026
Local Life
Highgate Village Guide: What to See, Eat, and Do in North London
A complete guide to Highgate Village: Highgate Cemetery, Waterlow Park, the historic High Street, the best pubs, getting there, and how it compares to Hampstead.
8 min read· 8 June 2026
Nature & Outdoors
Golders Hill Park: The Complete Guide to Hampstead Heath's Best-Kept Secret
A guide to Golders Hill Park — the free animal enclosures, the playground, the walled garden, the butterfly house and the café, on the edge of Hampstead Heath.
5 min read· 8 June 2026
Nature & Outdoors
The Pergola and Hill Garden Hampstead: London's Most Secret Walled Garden
The Pergola and Hill Garden Hampstead: London's Most Secret Walled Garden The Pergola and Hill Garden on the western edge of Hampstead Heath is, by some margin, the most impressive thing in this part
6 min read· 7 June 2026
Nature & Outdoors
Hampstead Heath at Sunrise: Why the First Hour Is Worth the Alarm
Hampstead Heath at Sunrise: Why the First Hour Is Worth the Alarm Hampstead Heath at sunrise is one of the few genuinely transformative experiences available in Zone 2 London, and almost nobody does
10 min read· 7 June 2026
Local Life
Things to Do in Hampstead with Kids: The Complete Family Guide 2026
From kite flying on Parliament Hill to the Heath's secret ponds, Hampstead is one of London's best family days out.
6 min read· 6 June 2026
Food & Drink
Best Halal Restaurants in London 2026: The Complete Guide
With over 700 halal-certified restaurants across every cuisine imaginable, London is the best city in Europe for halal dining. This guide covers the finest halal restaurants by area and cuisine, from the legendary Pakistani grills of Whitechapel to the Lebanese mezze of Edgware Road and the fine dining of Knightsbridge.
9 min read· 6 June 2026
Food & Drink
Bonoo Indian Tapas Muswell Hill: North London's Favourite Small Plates
Bonoo's Muswell Hill outpost carries the same inventive small-plates philosophy as its Hampstead sibling, colourful, boldly spiced, and entirely worth the trip to N10.
7 min read· 6 June 2026
History & Heritage
Highgate Cemetery: The Complete Visitor Guide 2026
Highgate Cemetery is one of the great Victorian burial grounds of the world, a place of extraordinary atmosphere, Gothic architecture, overgrown pathways, and the graves of some of history's most remarkable people.
8 min read· 6 June 2026
Nature & Outdoors
Hill Garden & Pergola Hampstead Heath: London's Most Romantic Secret
A raised Edwardian pergola draped in wisteria and climbing roses, hovering above a formal garden on the western edge of Hampstead Heath, one of London's most breathtaking hidden spaces.
8 min read· 6 June 2026
Local Life
London Sightseeing by Private Black Cab: The Complete 2026 Guide
London's black cab drivers are the city's most knowledgeable guides, and a private sightseeing tour in a classic TX cab is the most personal, flexible way to see the capital.
9 min read· 6 June 2026
Arts & Culture
Camden Art Centre: Complete Visitor Guide 2026
Camden Art Centre sits at the intersection of Hampstead and West Hampstead, a free, fiercely independent gallery with one of the most adventurous exhibition programmes in London.
8 min read· 6 June 2026
History & Heritage
Fenton House Hampstead: Complete Visitor Guide 2026
Fenton House is one of London's oldest surviving mansion houses, a National Trust property that rewards slow exploration, from its walled garden to its extraordinary keyboard instrument collection.
6 min read· 6 June 2026
Food & Drink
Bonoo Indian Tapas Hampstead: The Best Indian Restaurant in NW3
Bonoo brings the street-food energy of Mumbai and Delhi to Hampstead High Street, one beautifully spiced small plate at a time.
7 min read· 6 June 2026
Local Life
Hampstead Heath Kite Festival: The Complete Guide 2026
Once a year, Parliament Hill turns into the most colourful sky in London. Here's everything you need to know about the Kite Festival, and why it is worth planning your calendar around.
5 min read· 6 June 2026
Local Life
Romantic Things to Do in North London: The Complete Guide 2026
North London, and Hampstead in particular, provides some of the most romantic settings in the city. This guide to the best romantic experiences requires no Tube to central London.
5 min read· 6 June 2026
Arts & Culture
Burgh House Hampstead: Complete Visitor Guide 2026
It's free to enter, it sits in one of London's most beautiful Georgian gardens, and it contains Hampstead's finest local museum. So why does almost nobody visit Burgh House?
5 min read· 6 June 2026
Nature & Outdoors
Hampstead Heath parkrun: The Complete Guide 2026
Every Saturday at 9am, several hundred people run 5km together across Hampstead Heath for free. Here is what you need to know before joining them.
5 min read· 6 June 2026
Food & Drink
Afternoon Tea in Hampstead: The Complete Guide 2026
Whether you want a traditional cream tea with scones and clotted cream or a full tiered afternoon tea with champagne, Hampstead delivers it beautifully.
5 min read· 6 June 2026
Local Life
West London Guide: The Complete 2026 Guide to Every Neighbourhood, From Notting Hill to Richmond
West London stretches from the grand terraces of Notting Hill and the royal parks of Kensington through the canal paths of Little Venice and the riverside villages of Chiswick and Kew to the ancient deer park of Richmond. This comprehensive guide covers every significant neighbourhood, with everything you need to know about visiting, eating, drinking, and exploring.
15 min read· 5 June 2026
Food & Drink
Hampstead Farmers' Market: The Complete Guide 2026
Every Saturday morning behind Hampstead High Street, one of London's finest small farmers' markets brings the best seasonal produce of the home counties to NW3.
5 min read· 5 June 2026
Food & Drink
West Hampstead Restaurants & Food: The Complete Guide 2026
West Hampstead has outgrown its reputation as the area you pass through on the way to Hampstead. Its restaurant scene is genuinely excellent and significantly underrated.
6 min read· 5 June 2026
Local Life
North London Guide: The Best Neighbourhoods, Things to Do and Places to Eat (2026)
North London is a world unto itself, ancient heaths, Georgian villages, Victorian high streets, and a cultural diversity that makes it one of the most interesting parts of any major city. This complete guide covers the best neighbourhoods, green spaces, restaurants, markets, and things to do across Camden, Islington, Hampstead, Highgate, Muswell Hill and beyond.
13 min read· 5 June 2026
Nature & Outdoors
Parliament Hill: London's Best Free View, Complete Guide 2026
At 98 metres above sea level, Parliament Hill offers a view of London that money cannot buy, and has been drawing visitors to Hampstead Heath for centuries.
5 min read· 5 June 2026
Nature & Outdoors
Dawn & Sunrise on Hampstead Heath: The Complete Guide 2026
Most visitors arrive when the Heath is already busy. The people who know it best arrive before 6am. Here's what they know that you don't.
5 min read· 5 June 2026
Nature & Outdoors
Golders Hill Park Free Zoo: London's Best Free Animal Experience 2026
Tucked into Golders Hill Park on the western edge of Hampstead Heath, a completely free zoo houses flamingos, fallow deer, meerkats, wallabies, and exotic birds. It is one of London's great underrated secrets.
9 min read· 5 June 2026
Local Life
Living in Hampstead NW3: What Nobody Tells You Before You Move
Hampstead is one of the most sought-after addresses in London, but the reality of daily life here is more nuanced, more surprising, and more interesting than the estate agent brochures suggest.
10 min read· 5 June 2026
Food & Drink
Best Coffee in Hampstead: 10 Cafés That Are Actually Worth the Journey
Hampstead has more good coffee per square mile than almost anywhere in London. The difficult part is knowing which ten to prioritise, and which ten to skip.
8 min read· 5 June 2026
Nature & Outdoors
Kite Flying on Parliament Hill: The Complete Guide 2026
Parliament Hill has been London's kite-flying heartland for over a century. Here is everything you need to make the most of it.
5 min read· 5 June 2026
Local Life
Flask Walk & Church Row: Hampstead's Most Beautiful Streets
You could spend a year exploring London and never find two streets as quietly extraordinary as these. Here's why they matter, and what to do on each.
5 min read· 5 June 2026
Local Life
Christmas at Hampstead Heath & Kenwood: The 2026 Festive Guide
Christmas on Hampstead Heath is a genuine North London tradition, from the Kenwood Christmas Market to the Christmas Fayre and New Year's Day swimmers. Here is what to expect.
9 min read· 5 June 2026
Local Life
School Trips to Hampstead Heath: The Complete Teacher's Guide 2026
Hampstead Heath offers exceptional free school trip opportunities, geography, ecology, science, and art fieldwork in one of London's richest natural environments.
5 min read· 5 June 2026
Local Life
Hampstead vs Highgate: Which North London Village Wins?
Two hilltop villages on opposite sides of the same Heath, forever compared. We weigh up Hampstead and Highgate on attractions, food, atmosphere, property and transport.
11 min read· 4 June 2026
Local Life
Hampstead in a Day: The Perfect One-Day Itinerary
See the very best of Hampstead in a single, well-planned day, the village, the Heath, Kenwood House and a sunset from Parliament Hill. Here is the hour-by-hour itinerary.
11 min read· 4 June 2026
Food & Drink
Primrose Hill Restaurants, Cafes & Pubs: The Complete Local Guide 2026
Primrose Hill has one of London's most focused and genuinely excellent neighbourhood restaurant scenes, a small area packed with places that locals return to weekly.
8 min read· 4 June 2026
Nature & Outdoors
Autumn Walks on Hampstead Heath: The Complete Seasonal Guide 2026
Autumn transforms Hampstead Heath into one of London's most spectacular seasonal experiences, golden oak and beech woodland, fungi foraging season, and a quieter Heath that belongs to its most devoted visitors.
5 min read· 4 June 2026
Nature & Outdoors
Cold-Water Swimming in Hampstead's Ponds: The Winter Guide 2026
Hampstead Ponds are open every day of the year, rain or shine, including in the depths of winter when the water drops to 4°C. Here is how to swim safely in the cold.
5 min read· 4 June 2026
Local Life
Living in Belsize Park NW3: The Complete 2026 Area Guide
Belsize Park is one of London's most desirable residential neighbourhoods, quieter than Hampstead, more established than Primrose Hill, with excellent schools and exceptional transport.
8 min read· 4 June 2026
Food & Drink
The Spaniards Inn Hampstead: Complete Guide 2026
Highwaymen, poets, a mob that nearly burned it down, the Spaniards Inn has seen it all. Here's the full story, and why it's still worth the pilgrimage.
5 min read· 4 June 2026
History & Heritage
Kenwood House Hampstead: The Complete Visitor Guide 2026
Most Londoners drive past the gates without looking twice. Those who stop discover one of the finest art collections in England, and it's completely free.
5 min read· 4 June 2026
Nature & Outdoors
Hampstead Heath Running Routes: The Complete Guide 2026
From Parliament Hill sprints to the full Heath circuit, Hampstead Heath offers some of the finest off-road running in London, once you know which paths to take.
5 min read· 4 June 2026
Nature & Outdoors
Hampstead Heath Playgrounds: The Complete Family Guide 2026
Hampstead Heath has multiple playgrounds, an adventure playground, and a lido paddling pool, making it one of London's most complete family destinations.
5 min read· 4 June 2026
Food & Drink
Golders Green Food Guide 2026: London's Most Diverse Eating Quarter
Golders Green Road is one of London's most extraordinary eating streets, a kilometre of kosher bakeries, Japanese restaurants, Israeli cafés, and Turkish grills that few Londoners outside NW11 fully appreciate.
10 min read· 4 June 2026
Food & Drink
Best Brunch in Hampstead 2026: The Complete Guide
Hampstead's brunch scene is one of London's best kept secrets, a collection of independent cafes and neighbourhood restaurants that do weekend mornings exceptionally well.
5 min read· 3 June 2026
Arts & Culture
Everyman Cinema Hampstead: The Complete Guide 2026
The Everyman Cinema in Hampstead is what cinema should be, intimate screens, sofa seating, excellent food and wine delivered to your seat, and a programme that takes film seriously.
5 min read· 3 June 2026
Food & Drink
Belsize Park Cafes & Restaurants: The Complete Local Guide 2026
Belsize Park sits between Hampstead and Primrose Hill with its own distinct food scene, quieter than its neighbours but with some of the finest neighbourhood restaurants in North London.
5 min read· 3 June 2026
Arts & Culture
Keats House Hampstead: Complete Visitor Guide 2026
Keats House in Hampstead is where John Keats wrote his greatest poems, including the Ode to a Nightingale, composed under a plum tree in the garden on a spring morning in 1819.
9 min read· 2 June 2026
History & Heritage
Kenwood House: The Complete Visitor's Guide
A Rembrandt self-portrait, a Vermeer, 112 acres of landscaped parkland, and free entry, Kenwood House is one of London's finest cultural experiences. Here's everything you need to know before you visit.
11 min read· 30 May 2026
Nature & Outdoors
Summer in Hampstead: The Complete Seasonal Guide (2026)
Discover the best of Hampstead in summer, from wild swimming at the ponds and Kenwood concerts to rooftop pub gardens, farmers markets, and golden-hour walks across the Heath.
12 min read· 29 May 2026
Food & Drink
Best Restaurants in Hampstead Village: The Complete Guide 2026
Hampstead Village has one of North London's most rewarding restaurant scenes, intimate neighbourhood spots, long-established Italian trattorias and contemporary kitchens. This is where to eat in NW3 in 2026.
5 min read· 27 May 2026
Arts & Culture
Hampstead's Art Scene: Galleries and Studios Worth Visiting
From Kenwood's Old Masters to contemporary gallery spaces on Flask Walk, Hampstead has always been a serious destination for art. Here's where to look.
13 min read· 24 May 2026
History & Heritage
Hampstead's Literary Heritage: From Keats to George Orwell
More writers, poets and novelists have lived in Hampstead than almost anywhere else in England. A guide to the literary history of the village and heath.
11 min read· 16 May 2026
Local Life
Hidden Gems of Hampstead: 10 Places Only Locals Know About
Beyond the famous Heath and the well-trodden high street, Hampstead hides a surprising number of extraordinary places. Here are ten worth seeking out.
13 min read· 12 May 2026
Local Life
Hampstead in Winter: The Complete Village Guide 2026
When the rest of London feels grey and crowded, Hampstead comes into its own. Our guide to the best pubs, cafés, walks and winter pleasures in NW3.
5 min read· 7 May 2026
History & Heritage
The Story of Flask Walk: Hampstead's Spa Town Heritage
Flask Walk is the heart of old Hampstead, a narrow pedestrianised lane lined with independent shops, a famous pub, and 300 years of history. Here's the full story.
5 min read· 1 May 2026
Local Life
Visiting Hampstead: The Perfect Day Trip from London
Hampstead is 25 minutes from central London and feels like another world. Here is how to spend a day, or a weekend, in one of England's most remarkable urban villages.
10 min read· 22 April 2026
Local Life
New Year's Day on Hampstead Heath: Swim, Walk & Tradition
Hampstead marks the first morning of the year with an open water swim in near freezing water and a walk that draws thousands. The tradition explained.
6 min read· 16 April 2026
Local Life
Hampstead High Street: The Complete Guide to London's Best Village High Street
Hampstead High Street, locally known as Heath Street, runs from the tube station to the edge of the Heath. It is one of the few remaining high streets in London where chains have not entirely won.
9 min read· 15 April 2026
Local Life
Things To Do in Hampstead: The Complete Local Guide
Hampstead offers more per square mile than almost anywhere in London. This is the complete guide to the neighbourhood, from dawn swims on the Heath to late-night pints at the Spaniards Inn.
14 min read· 8 April 2026
Nature & Outdoors
Parks & Green Spaces Beyond Hampstead Heath: Complete Guide 2026
The Heath gets all the attention, but Hampstead has several other green spaces worth knowing: the Pergola, Golders Hill Park, Waterlow Park, and the quiet gardens few visitors find.
5 min read· 5 April 2026
History & Heritage
Keats House: Where the Poet Found His Muse
The Regency villa where John Keats wrote Ode to a Nightingale remains one of Londons most intimate literary museums.
5 min read· 28 March 2026
Local Life
Emergency & Urgent Care in Hampstead: The Complete Guide 2026
Police, fire, ambulance, dental emergencies, mental health crisis lines, the numbers and locations you need when things go wrong in NW3.
5 min read· 26 March 2026
Local Life
Kenwood Concert Season: How to Get the Most from It
Proms by the Lake is one of Londons great summer traditions. Here is everything you need to plan the perfect evening.
3 min read· 21 March 2026
History & Heritage
The Vale of Health: Hampstead's Hidden Hamlet in the Heath
A hidden hamlet enclosed within the Heath, the Vale of Health has been home to D.H. Lawrence, Leigh Hunt, and a long succession of artists and writers who valued its improbable combination of wildness and proximity to London.
5 min read· 18 March 2026
History & Heritage
Hampstead During the Blitz: Survival and Loss
The bombing of 1940 to 41 left its mark on Hampstead, in the gaps between buildings in the street names that commemorate the dead.
6 min read· 15 March 2026
Nature & Outdoors
Dog Walking on Hampstead Heath: The Unofficial Guide
The best routes, the rules, the seasonal mud, the ponds, and everything you need to know to make the most of the Heath with your dog.
6 min read· 12 March 2026
Arts & Culture
Best Photography Spots in Hampstead
Hampstead rewards the observant photographer at every turn, from the Georgian terraces of Church Row to the hilltop panoramas of Parliament Hill and the wild, light-filled spaces of the Heath.
6 min read· 12 March 2026
Nature & Outdoors
Running Routes on Hampstead Heath: The Complete Guide 2026
The Heath offers some of the best trail running in London with routes to suit everything from a quick parkrun to serious long run training.
5 min read· 11 March 2026
Arts & Culture
Burgh House & the Hampstead Museum: Complete Guide 2026
Hidden on New End Square, Burgh House is a Queen Anne mansion turned community arts centre and local history museum. Free to enter, rarely crowded, and entirely worth your time.
5 min read· 8 March 2026
Nature & Outdoors
Wild Swimming in London: A Guide to the Hampstead Ponds
Three outdoor swimming ponds, open year-round, in the middle of London. The Hampstead ponds are a genuinely singular experience, here is everything you need to know.
12 min read· 5 March 2026
Nature & Outdoors
Nature in the City: What to Do at Hampstead Heath
790 acres of ancient woodland, meadow, and swimming ponds just four miles from central London. Hampstead Heath is unlike anywhere else in the city, here is how to make the most of it, in every season.
8 min read· 1 March 2026
Food & Drink
Best Bakeries & Delis in Hampstead: The Complete Guide 2026
The places to find exceptional bread, good cheese, smoked fish, and the kind of provisions that make a Saturday morning feel genuinely civilised.
5 min read· 24 February 2026
Nature & Outdoors
Hampstead Heath Walking Guide: The Best Routes 2026
Eight square miles of ancient woodland, meadow, ponds and hilltop views. A neighbourhood-by-neighbourhood guide to getting the most out of Hampstead Heath, whatever the season.
5 min read· 14 February 2026
Arts & Culture
Kenwood House: Art & Gardens on Hampstead Heath
Free to enter and containing one of the finest small art collections in England, Kenwood is the kind of place you discover once and return to for the rest of your life.
5 min read· 4 February 2026
Food & Drink
Hampstead's Coffee Scene: The Best Independent Cafes 2026
Chain coffee shops have made limited inroads in Hampstead. The village remains a stronghold of the independent cafe each with its own character.
5 min read· 31 January 2026
Local Life
Pharmacies in Hampstead: The Complete Guide 2026
From the late-night dispensary on South End Road to the trusted independents on Heath Street, where to fill your prescription, get a flu jab, and find a pharmacist who actually listens.
5 min read· 22 January 2026
History & Heritage
Literary Hampstead: The Writers Who Made It Home
Keats, Shelley, Orwell, du Maurier, Hampstead has been home to more writers per square mile than almost anywhere in England. Here is their story.
5 min read· 15 January 2026
Local Life
Hampstead in Winter: The Complete Seasonal Guide 2026
Most visitors come in summer. The regulars know that winter is when Hampstead reveals itself, in the frost-clear light on the Heath, the warmth of the pubs, and the city laid out below Parliament Hill on a clear December morning.
5 min read· 8 January 2026
Local Life
Hampstead Independent Shops: The Complete Guide
In an era of chain homogenisation, Hampstead has held the line. Here is a guide to the independent shops worth seeking out, the bookshop, the cheese merchant, the wine shop, and the rest.
13 min read· 5 January 2026
Nature & Outdoors
Hampstead Heath Swimming Ponds: The Complete Guide 2026
Three open air ponds decades of tradition and some of the coldest water in London. Everything you need to know before you take the plunge.
5 min read· 4 January 2026