Everything you need to know about Waterlow Park in Highgate, the ornamental ponds, Lauderdale House café, the link to Highgate Cemetery, and the best times to visit.
The centrepiece of the estate was Lauderdale House, a 17th-century mansion that has stood on the site since around 1580 and is associated with Charles II and his mistress Nell Gwynne, who is said to have lived here. The house was restored in the 1980s and now serves as an arts centre and café.
The park has been managed by the London Borough of Camden since the 1970s. It is a Grade II listed landscape and one of the few small parks in North London to retain its original Victorian character largely intact.
The Ornamental Ponds
Three ornamental ponds descend in a cascade through the lower section of the park, connected by streams and planted with marginal vegetation. They are home to moorhens, coots, tufted ducks and grey herons, and the waterfowl population is remarkably confident around visitors.
The ponds are the visual heart of the park. The path that runs alongside them, descending from the upper terrace to the lower entrance near Swains Lane, passes through the most attractive section of the landscape and is the natural route for a circuit of the park.
Best times to see the ponds: - Early morning in spring for bird activity, particularly breeding moorhens - After rain in autumn, when the ponds are full and the surrounding trees are in colour - Midsummer evenings, when the light on the water is soft
Lauderdale House and the Café
Lauderdale House sits at the top of the park, facing south across the terraced gardens. It is a handsome Jacobean building set into the hillside, with the main facade dating from the late 17th century.
The house operates as an arts centre with a regular programme of exhibitions, concerts, children's events and community activities. The ground floor café is open to all visitors and serves coffee, cakes, sandwiches and hot food. It opens onto a south-facing terrace with views across the upper park, one of the better outdoor seating spots in Highgate on a warm day.
The café is a popular stop for visitors combining Waterlow Park with a walk in Highgate Cemetery or the village. Opening hours vary by season; checking before you visit is worthwhile if you are planning specifically around lunch or coffee. The Lauderdale House website has current hours and event listings.
The park is laid out on a steep hillside, and the terraced gardens between Lauderdale House and the lower ponds are among the most carefully maintained in the borough. They were designed in the Victorian style with formal planting, roses, clipped hedges, seasonal bedding, and are at their best in June and July when the roses are in full flower.
The upper terrace also gives views eastward across London, not as wide as the panorama from Alexandra Palace, but clear on good days and with a pleasing foreground of mature trees and garden planting.
The Woodland and Upper Paths
Above Lauderdale House, a network of paths runs through a section of mature mixed woodland, mainly lime, hornbeam and horse chestnut. This upper section of the park connects to the residential streets of Highgate village and is where the dog walkers and morning runners tend to congregate.
The woodland is quiet even at busy periods, partly because it lacks the visual draw of the ponds and gardens and many visitors don't venture this far. It is worth exploring, particularly in spring when the woodland floor is green and the tree canopy is just opening.
Highgate Cemetery: The Connection
Waterlow Park shares its eastern boundary with Highgate Cemetery, one of the great Victorian burial grounds and the resting place of Karl Marx, George Eliot, Douglas Adams and several thousand others. The West Cemetery (the older, atmospheric section with Egyptian catacombs and overgrown monuments) can only be visited on a guided tour; the East Cemetery (where Marx's grave is) is open to independent visitors for an admission fee.
The combination of Waterlow Park and Highgate Cemetery makes one of North London's most distinctive half-day visits. The contrast between the living park and the Victorian cemetery, separated only by a wall, is striking. The Swains Lane entrance to the park sits between the two cemeteries and is the natural starting point if you are visiting both.
The Highgate Cemetery website has tour booking information and opening hours.
Getting to Waterlow Park
By bus: The 143 and 210 buses stop on Highgate Hill and Swains Lane, both close to the park entrances. The 271 serves the top of Highgate Hill. From Archway Underground (Northern line), the 143 takes about 10 minutes.
On foot from Archway: The walk from Archway Underground station to Waterlow Park takes around 15-20 minutes, climbing steadily through the older streets of Lower Highgate. The route up Highgate Hill passes several notable buildings and is worthwhile in its own right.
On foot from Hampstead Heath: The park is reachable from the eastern section of Hampstead Heath via a walk through Highgate village, around 25-30 minutes. This is a pleasant route that passes the Highgate pubs and the village green.
By car: There is limited on-street parking in Highgate village and on the streets adjacent to the park. Parking is restricted during peak times; arriving early on weekends is advisable.
Facilities
The park has public toilets near the Swains Lane entrance, maintained to a reasonable standard. The Lauderdale House café (described above) is the main food and drink option; there are no other cafés or kiosks within the park itself.
Bins and recycling points are distributed across the park. The paths are tarmac or compacted gravel and generally accessible, though the steeper sections between terraces require care.
Dogs are welcome throughout the park and must be kept under control near the ponds and formal garden areas.
Waterlow Park vs Hampstead Heath
These two green spaces are often compared by visitors to North London, and the comparison is worth addressing directly.
Hampstead Heath is larger (790 acres vs 6.4 acres), wilder, and offers swimming, kite flying and a much broader range of activities. Waterlow Park is intimate, formal in parts, and designed for a different kind of visit, the ornamental landscape, the café, the gallery and the adjacent cemetery make it a cultured afternoon rather than a rambling outdoor adventure.
The two are complementary rather than competing. Many regular visitors to North London use both: the Heath for exercise and open space, Waterlow Park for a quieter, more contained experience.
Seasonal Highlights
Spring (April-May): Blossom on the ornamental trees, active moorhen nesting on the ponds, and the formal gardens beginning to fill with colour. The woodland is at its most open before full leaf.
Summer (June-August): The rose terrace in full flower, the Lauderdale House terrace at its most appealing, and the ponds at their most active with ducklings and juvenile birds. Busiest period for the café.
Autumn (September-November): The park's most photogenic season, the mature trees in the woodland and along the paths provide strong colour, and the lower light is excellent for photography.
Winter (December-February): Quiet and often atmospheric, particularly in frost or low mist. The bare tree structure shows the park's Victorian landscape design more clearly than any other season.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Waterlow Park free?
Yes. Waterlow Park is free to enter at all times. The only charges are for entry to Highgate Cemetery (adjacent) and for the Lauderdale House café.
Where is Waterlow Park?
Waterlow Park is in Highgate, North London, on Swains Lane N6. The nearest Underground station is Archway (Northern line), about a 15-minute walk.
Is Waterlow Park suitable for children?
Yes. The park has a children's play area, the ornamental ponds are popular with younger visitors (feeding ducks), and Lauderdale House runs regular children's events and workshops. The steep sections require attention with young children.
Can you walk from Waterlow Park to Hampstead Heath?
Yes, via Highgate village and the eastern Heath boundary, the walk takes around 25-30 minutes. It is a pleasant route and a good way to connect the two green spaces.
Is Lauderdale House always open?
Lauderdale House has variable opening hours that change by season and around events. Check the Lauderdale House website before visiting specifically for the café or an exhibition.
What to Combine With a Visit
Waterlow Park works particularly well as part of a broader Highgate itinerary:
- Highgate Cemetery: Immediately adjacent; the West Cemetery tours and East Cemetery make a natural pairing with the park
- Highgate Village: The high street, the pubs (The Flask, The Wrestler) and the village green are a 10-minute walk up the hill
- Highgate Wood: Managed by the City of London Corporation, about a 20-minute walk, offering ancient woodland in a different register from the park
- The Parkland Walk: The former railway path running south from Highgate connects to Finsbury Park and is accessible from near the park
This combination, park, cemetery, village, woodland walk, makes Highgate one of the more complete half-day destinations in North London.
