The Journal
From the Blog
Dispatches from the village — written by people who walk these streets every day. History, food, culture and the stories behind the places you love.
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.
Oliver Hartwell · 12 min read
Nature & Outdoors
Autumn Colours on Hampstead Heath: Where to Go and What to See
October and November transform Hampstead Heath into a painter's canvas of gold, amber and rust. Here's where to find the best colour, and when.
Beatrice Thornton · 11 min read
Nature & Outdoors
Swimming in Hampstead's Ponds: The Complete 2026 Guide
Hampstead Heath's open-air ponds are among the most extraordinary swimming spots in any world capital. Everything you need to know before you dive in.
James Calloway · 10 min read
Nature & Outdoors
Spring on Hampstead Heath: Wildflowers, Wildlife & Walks 2026
As the days lengthen and temperatures rise, Hampstead Heath transforms into one of London's most spectacular natural stages. Here's how to make the most of it.
Beatrice Thornton · 5 min read
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.
Oliver Hartwell · 5 min read
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.
Oliver Hartwell · 6 min read
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.
Oliver Hartwell · 5 min read
Nature & Outdoors
Hampstead Heath Ponds: Opening Times, Prices & Swimming Guide 2026
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.
Oliver Hartwell · 12 min read
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.
Oliver Hartwell · 8 min read
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.
Oliver Hartwell · 5 min read
Nature & Outdoors
The Ancient Trees of Hampstead Heath: A Complete Guide
Some of the oaks and hornbeams on Hampstead Heath are over 400 years old, predating the Great Fire of London. Here is a guide to finding and understanding them.
James Calloway · 5 min read
Nature & Outdoors
Birdwatching on Hampstead Heath: The Complete Guide 2026
Over 180 species have been recorded on Hampstead Heath. From sparrowhawks hunting over the ponds to the nightingales that inspired Keats, the Heath is one of London's great birding destinations.
James Calloway · 5 min read
Nature & Outdoors
Autumn on Hampstead Heath: The Complete Seasonal Guide 2026
There is no better season to visit Hampstead Heath than autumn. The hornbeam and oak woodland turns extraordinary colours, the paths empty out, and the light does things it cannot do at any other time of year.
Beatrice Thornton · 5 min read
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.
Oliver Hartwell · 5 min read