A North London pub crawl itinerary — historic Hampstead and Highgate pubs, the Heath-edge inns and a walkable route through centuries of London drinking. Map and tips.
A North London Pub Crawl: A Route Through the Historic Pubs
North London has some of the oldest and best pubs in the city — a 16th-century coaching inn, 17th-century village taverns, and Heath-edge institutions where Keats, Dickens and Dick Turpin all reputedly drank. This crawl links the best of them in a walkable (if hilly) route, with the Heath between stops to walk off the last pint.
Stop 1: The Holly Bush (Hampstead) — Start, 12pm
Begin at The Holly Bush, tucked up an alley in Hampstead village. A 17th-century pub — low ceilings, wood panelling, a warren of small rooms, and no music. Order something local and settle in. This is the gentlest, most atmospheric start.
Stop 2: The Flask (Hampstead) — 1pm
Five minutes away on Flask Walk, The Flask takes its name from the flasks of spa water once sold here. A handsome village pub with a good range and a comfortable room — a logical second stop and a good place for a bite if you need ballast.
Stop 3: The Spaniards Inn (Heath edge) — 2:30pm
Walk up through the village and onto the Heath to The Spaniards Inn — the crawl's historic centrepiece. A coaching inn from around 1585, mentioned in *The Pickwick Papers* and *Dracula*, with a famous garden. The walk across the Heath between stops is part of the pleasure (and the sobering-up).
Stop 4: The Wrestlers or The Flask, Highgate — 4pm
Continue across the Heath toward Highgate (or tube one stop). The Flask (Highgate's, 18th century) and The Wrestlers are the village's historic pubs — traditional, unhurried, and full of character. Highgate's pubs are quieter than Hampstead's, a good late-afternoon pace.
Stop 5: The Bull (Highgate) — Dinner, 6pm
End at The Bull in Highgate — a gastropub with a serious kitchen, so the crawl finishes with a proper dinner and a final, well-earned pint. (Or return to a Hampstead pub for dinner if you prefer to end where you started.)
The Route and the Rules
- Walking distance: Roughly 4–5km across the day, including the Heath crossing — the walks between pubs are what make this a crawl rather than a session.
- Pace yourself: Five stops across six hours, with food at the start and end. The Heath walk between stops 3 and 4 is the natural reset.
- Hills: Hampstead and Highgate are both hilltop villages with the Heath valley between — this is a hilly crawl.
Practical Notes
- Eat: Build in food — lunch around stop 2, dinner at stop 5. Drinking across these distances and hills without eating is unwise.
- Daylight: Start at noon to do the Heath crossing in daylight; the Heath is not for navigating drunk in the dark.
- Getting home: Hampstead, Highgate and Archway (Northern line) bookend the route for the journey home.
- Weather: A fine-day crawl — the Heath crossing is the heart of it. In rain, tube between the pubs instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best historic pubs in Hampstead?
The Holly Bush (17th century), The Flask (named for the spa flasks), and The Spaniards Inn (around 1585, Heath edge) are the most historic and atmospheric.
Can you walk between Hampstead and Highgate pubs?
Yes — the two villages are linked by paths across Hampstead Heath, about a 30–40 minute walk. The Heath crossing is the centrepiece of a North London pub crawl.
Which pub did Dickens and Keats drink at?
The Spaniards Inn on the Heath's edge appears in Dickens's *The Pickwick Papers* and is associated with Keats, Byron and Dick Turpin.
