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.
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.
Oliver Hartwell · 5 min read
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.
Oliver Hartwell · 5 min read
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?
Oliver Hartwell · 5 min read
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.
Oliver Hartwell · 5 min read
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.
Oliver Hartwell · 5 min read
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.
Oliver Hartwell · 15 min read
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.
Oliver Hartwell · 5 min read
Local Life
Best Flea Markets & Vintage Shops in London 2026: Complete Guide
London has one of the richest secondhand and vintage scenes of any city in the world, from the antique dealers of Bermondsey at dawn to the vinyl hunters of Brick Lane on Sunday afternoon. This guide covers every significant flea market, vintage fair, and antiques destination in the capital.
Beatrice Thornton · 5 min read
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.
Oliver Hartwell · 6 min read
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.
Oliver Hartwell · 13 min read
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.
Oliver Hartwell · 5 min read
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.
Oliver Hartwell · 5 min read
Nature & Outdoors
Golders Hill Park Zoo: Opening Times & Animals (Completely Free)
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.
Oliver Hartwell · 9 min read
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.
Oliver Hartwell · 10 min read
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.
Oliver Hartwell · 8 min read