How to spend a day in Highgate, the cemetery, the village, Waterlow Park, Highgate Wood and the Heath edge. A self-guided walking itinerary with timings and tips.
One Day in Highgate: A Walking Itinerary
Highgate is Hampstead's quieter twin, the same hilltop-village character, the same literary and historical density, but a fraction of the visitors. A day here is calm, green and rich in atmosphere: a world-famous Victorian cemetery, two excellent parks, ancient woodland, a village high street that feels untouched by the century, and the edge of Hampstead Heath to finish. It's the North London day for anyone who wants substance without the crowds. This self-guided walking itinerary covers the essentials, with timings, costs and the local tips that make it work.
At a glance: Start with Highgate Cemetery, descend to Waterlow Park, lunch in the village, spend the afternoon in Highgate Wood or on the Parkland Walk, and finish at the Heath edge or a historic village pub. Mostly walkable, mostly calm, and, the cemetery aside, largely free.
Before You Go: The Essentials
- Getting there: Highgate (Northern line) is the main station, a 10-minute walk uphill to the village. Archway (Northern line) is closer to the cemetery's lower approach. The 210 bus runs along Hampstead Lane past Kenwood.
- Book the cemetery: The spectacular West Cemetery is guided-tour only and sells out, especially at weekends, book ahead at highgatecemetery.org. The East Cemetery takes same-day tickets but booking is safer.
- What to wear: Highgate is a steep hilltop village and the parks and woods have unpaved paths, proper shoes, and layers for the exposed high ground.
- The appeal: Unlike Camden or central Hampstead, Highgate stays genuinely peaceful. Its quietness is the point, this is a slow, wandering day.
Morning: Highgate Cemetery (10am-12pm)
Begin with the day's headline. Highgate Cemetery is the most atmospheric of London's "Magnificent Seven" Victorian cemeteries, a masterpiece of funerary architecture half-reclaimed by nature:
- The West Cemetery (guided tour only) is the spectacular half: the Egyptian Avenue, the Circle of Lebanon (tombs set in a circular sunken trench around an ancient cedar), and Victorian Gothic monuments swallowed by ivy and trees. The guided tour is the only way in, and it's worth every penny.
- The East Cemetery (self-guided, ticketed) holds the monumental bust of Karl Marx, the grave of the novelist George Eliot, and, among many others, the scientist Michael Faraday and, more recently, the writer Douglas Adams.
Arrive for a morning slot, when the light through the trees is at its best and the crowds are thinnest. Entry is roughly £10-£30 depending on whether you take the West Cemetery tour.
Late Morning: Waterlow Park and Lauderdale House (12pm-1pm)
Directly beside the cemetery's north entrance, Waterlow Park is one of North London's loveliest small parks, given to the public "as a garden for the gardenless" in 1889. It has ponds, formal terraced gardens, sweeping lawns and good city views, and is free and open daily.
At its centre, Lauderdale House, a 16th-century house, once associated with Nell Gwyn, now an arts centre, has a café with a terrace overlooking the park. It's a good, calm lunch stop, or save lunch for the village.
Lunch: Highgate Village (1pm-2:30pm)
Walk up into Highgate village proper. Lunch options cluster around the high street and Pond Square:
- The Flask, a Highgate institution since the 18th century, with a garden and a long literary clientele (Coleridge, Hogarth and Betjeman are all linked to it).
- The Bull, a gastropub with a more substantial kitchen.
- Several independent cafés and restaurants along the high street.
Afterwards, wander the village: Pond Square, the Georgian frontages, the independent shops, and the Highgate Literary and Scientific Institution (founded 1839). The poet Coleridge lived his final years in Highgate and is commemorated in the village church.
Afternoon: Highgate Wood and the Parkland Walk (2:30pm-4:30pm)
Two green options to finish the day, do one, or both if time allows:
- Highgate Wood, 70 acres of ancient woodland (oak and hornbeam, some dating back centuries), with a café, a playground and genuine wildlife. It's one of London's best surviving fragments of the old forest that once covered the area. Its quieter, wilder neighbour Queen's Wood is across the road if you want more.
- The Parkland Walk, join the disused-railway nature trail that runs from Highgate toward Finsbury Park (and, the other way, toward Alexandra Palace). It's a flat, green, traffic-free route along an old Victorian rail line, with the famous "spriggan" sculpture by Marilyn Collins peering out of the old platform wall.
Evening: The Heath Edge or a Village Pub (4:30pm onwards)
Two ways to close a calm day:
- Walk across to the Hampstead Heath edge and Kenwood House (about 15 minutes from the village) for golden-hour light over the lake, the white neoclassical house glowing as the sun goes is one of North London's quiet pleasures.
- Or settle into a historic Highgate pub, The Wrestlers (unchanged and traditional), The Flask or The Bull, for dinner and a pint to end the day where generations of Highgate residents have ended theirs.
What a Day in Highgate Costs
| Item | Cost |
|---|
| Transport (contactless daily cap) | ~£8.90 |
| Highgate Cemetery (East self-guided) | ~£10 |
| Highgate Cemetery (West guided tour) | ~£20-£30 |
| Coffee + lunch | £12-£25 |
| Dinner + a pint | £15-£35 |
| Total | ~£45-£90 |
Waterlow Park, Highgate Wood, the Parkland Walk and the village wander are all free, the cemetery is the only essential paid attraction.
How to Adapt the Day
- With kids: Skip the cemetery's quieter corners for Highgate Wood's playground and café, Waterlow Park's open lawns, and the Parkland Walk's "spriggan" sculpture hunt.
- Combine with Hampstead: Highgate pairs naturally with Hampstead across the Heath, see our Hampstead to Highgate walk.
- Rain: Lauderdale House, the village cafés and a long pub lunch make a workable wet-weather day; the cemetery tour runs in most weather.
- History-led: Add Coleridge's grave in the village church and the Highgate Literary and Scientific Institution for a literary-historical focus.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Highgate worth visiting for a day?
Yes, Highgate Cemetery alone justifies the trip, and combined with Waterlow Park, the village, Highgate Wood and the Heath edge it makes a calm, complete and uncrowded day out, very different in feel from busy Camden or central Hampstead.
Do you need to book Highgate Cemetery?
The West Cemetery is guided-tour only and should be booked ahead, especially at weekends, it sells out. The East Cemetery is self-guided with tickets available on the day, though booking is safer.
How do Highgate and Hampstead compare?
They share the same hilltop-village DNA, but Highgate is quieter, smaller and more residential, with fewer shops and visitors. Many people combine both in a day or weekend, linked by the walk across Hampstead Heath.
What is Highgate Cemetery famous for?
Its spectacular Victorian funerary architecture (the Egyptian Avenue and Circle of Lebanon) and its notable graves, Karl Marx, George Eliot, Michael Faraday and Douglas Adams among them. It's one of London's "Magnificent Seven" cemeteries.
Is there a tube station in Highgate?
Yes, Highgate (Northern line), about a 10-minute uphill walk to the village. Archway (Northern line) is closer to the cemetery's lower approach.
How long do you need in Highgate?
A full day covers the cemetery, Waterlow Park, the village and the woods at a relaxed pace. Half a day is enough for the cemetery and the village if you're short on time.
Is Highgate good for a quiet day out?
Exactly, its appeal is its calm. Unlike Camden or central Hampstead, Highgate stays peaceful, making it ideal for a slow, wandering day of parks, history and village atmosphere.
Can you walk from Highgate to Hampstead?
Yes, it's a 30-40 minute walk across Hampstead Heath, via Kenwood House, and one of London's best urban walks linking the two hilltop villages.
