Hampstead Village & Heath Walking Tour
Hampstead Underground station, London
Guided by David or Peter G. or Richard III
Adult: £20 · Students & Seniors: £15 · Children: £5
Walk Times
| Day | Walk Type | Start Time | End Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday | Weekly | 10.30 am | 1 pm | Winter Summer | Reserve Online |
| Wednesday | Weekly | 2 pm | 4 pm | Winter Summer | Reserve Online |
Led by guides who know this area of London inside out (they’re locals), they don’t come much better than our Hampstead walk. Mr London Walks himself, David (who admittedly is rather biased) names this as his favourite London walking tour (just don’t tell the others!)
IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE GUIDING
Don’t just take it from us…
What’s to love about Hampstead?
The North London district of Hampstead stands on the Northern Heights looking down on the City of London. The Northern Heights – David’s walk goes there – is the roof of London. It offers spectacular panoramic views across Greater London. As does Parliament Hill. On a clear day you can see all the way to Kent. That’s the big-picture view. Tighten the focus and you’ve got spectacular views of the City of London skyline.
The crown jewel of the Northern Heights is of course Kenwood with its lovely grounds and conservatory and arguably the finest private library in the land and of course its magnificent art gallery. Let alone its splendid cafe. And – embarrassment of riches – it’s free to visit.
But Hampstead’s chief glory is Hampstead Heath. Meadows and fields and ponds and trees – a huge stretch of countryside smack in the middle of a great world city. It’s unique. No other city in the world has anything like it. Those glorious green expanses aren’t just the focal point of Hampstead, they’re the key ingredient. They transform Hampstead from a lovely north London neighbourhood to something extraordinary.
Hampstead is like a country village (hence it being known as Hampstead Village) and yet it’s in the heart of London. Walk down Hampstead High Street and you’ll find the usual suspects, but it’s meandering through the winding walkways that will enable you to discover Hampstead, as you’ll find out on our circular Hampstead walk.
A few facts about London NW3
A mere 15 minutes on the tube from Hampstead tube station and you’re in buzzing Central London.
Hampstead is often referred to as Georgian, but its history goes way further back than that. We’re not talking 17th century either. There’s a recording of 986AD, but there is evidence of Mesolithic hunter-gatherers too.
About our Hampstead Walk
Our London Walks Hampstead Village guides have such a wealth of knowledge about this area (and more). It means that you learn an awful lot in a small space of time. On a self-guided walk, you’d have to get stuck into Hampstead many times over a period of years to discover as much, and it wouldn’t be as much fun.
This arty suburb has attracted creatives for centuries. We’ll point out some houses of the famous (alive and dead) including John Constable, Boy George, H.G Wells, Wilkie Collins, Kenneth Clark, Kingsley Amis, Mr Bean, Ricky Gervais, Gerald DuMaurier and his daughter Daphne DuMaurier, Kenneth Clark, John Le Carre, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, Judi Dench… the list just goes on and on.
John Keats started to write poetry here in The Vale of Health. John Constable painted skylines and his view of St Paul’s Cathedral from here.
You’ll see Fenton House, the oldest grand house in Hampstead, it’s a National Trust property. Then there’s Admiral’s House, built by a retired Navy Lieutenant (not an admiral at all). John Constable lived nearby and featured it in a painting too. P L Travers gained inspiration here that influenced the Mary Poppins story.
As you’d expect, we’ll walk around parts of the heath – West Heath and the main section with wonderful viewing platforms (like the one at Parliament Hill).
You’ll discover Well Walk (off East Heath Road) and Flask Walk, a lively, buzzing little pedestrian-only shopping lane with everything from antiques to sushi to a great pub (The Flask) and a Turkish barbers.
Our circular walk ends at Church Row.
A few other places to visit in Hampstead:
These places need time to explore properly in their own right. We highly recommend you do so.
Kenwood House – an English Heritage property that hosts incredible events and has a rich history to explore
Burgh House – a historic, Queen Anne listed home that incorporates Hampstead Museum
Highgate Ponds – are you brave enough for a dip on the east heath? It’s an exhilarating experience
The Holly Bush pub – a wonderful, traditional 18th century Georgian inn that has everything you want from a pub experience. Find it off Holly Bush Hill.
Hill Garden and pergola – a beautiful west heath Georgian arbour and terrace.
Practical tips for our Hampstead Walk
The Old Hampstead Village & Heath walk takes place at 10:30 am every Sunday morning, year-round. The Sunday morning walk is guided by David*
The Old Hampstead Village & Heath walk also takes place at 2 pm every Wednesday afternoon (except in January and February). The 2 pm Wednesday afternoon Hampstead walk is guided by Richard III or Peter.
The meeting point is just outside the exit of Hampstead underground station. That’s at the bottom of Heath Street and top of Hampstead High Street.
The walk ends in Church Row, Hampstead’s grandest street, just a stone’s throw from Hampstead Tube station.
Hear from our guides:
Hampstead podcasts
Hampstead: an introduction from David.
Another David podcast about Hampstead.
By Orchard Pond – David’s been out on Hampstead Heath listening to nature
Jan’s podcast on Hampstead Heath and Kenwood.
This is why you go on walking tours (well, it’s one reason, a helluva good reason)
Things to Do in Hampstead, A Local’s Guide
Hampstead videos
LONDON WALKS VIDEOS
David’s video number 1
And here’s our 2nd Hampstead film
LONDON WALKS PRIVATE WALKS
If you can’t make one of the regularly scheduled, just-turn-up, Hampstead Village & Heath it can always be booked as a private tour. If you go private you can have the Hampstead Village & Heath walk – or any other London Walk – on a day and at a time that suits your convenience. We’ll tailor it to your requirements. Ring Fiona or Niamh or Peter or Mary on 020 7624 3978 or email us at [email protected] and we’ll set it up and make it happen for you. A private London Walk – they’re good value for an individual or couple and sensational value for a group – makes an ideal group or educational or birthday party or office (team-building) or club outing.
Lara –
Fabulous Hampstead walk, David was an excellent guide, it was a well thought out route encompassing Hampstead’s history, current day points of interest as well as amazing views of London.
Li & Family –
What a great walk on a glorious day! And to be guided by David, a knowledgeable, amiable, fun and compassionate scholar… not much can beat this Sunday walk in the Hampstead Village & Heath. My family decided to live in London for half a year to soak in the culture, history and everything else that London has to offer. My 14-year-old daughter, a child with a fascination of anything classic and old, and I decided to come on this walk and we both deem this to the best walk we’ve done in London, no matter if they are self guided, with local family and friends, with books or with other guided tour groups. David’s explanations and guiding really went above and beyond what one would expect of a guided walk, it’s more like following a knowledgeable and fun professor to walk through a work of history and literature. David adds little known anecdotes and his personal stories into the whole experience, making it impossible not to fall in love with this exquisitely unique and yet unmistakenly London corner of a great city. Any visitor who wants to dive deeper into London should start with this walk with David.
The following is a poem by the Poet Danni Abse who lived in Hampstead, which David quoted on the walk. It was so hauntingly beautiful that my daughter asked me to contact him to get the whole poem, which David graciously sent me.
Lachrymae
(i) The Accident
I crawled from the noise of the upturned car
and the silence in the dark began to grow.
I called out her name again and again
to where neither words nor love could go.
(ii) Later
I went to her funeral.
I cried.
I went home that was not home.
What happened cannot keep.
Already there’s a perceptible change of light.
Put out that light. Shades
lengthen in the losing sun.
She is everywhere and nowhere
now that I am less than one.
Most days leave no visiting cards behind
and still consoling letters make me weep.
I must wait for pigeon memory
to fly away, come back changed
to inhabit aching somnolence
and disguising sleep.
(iii) Winter
What is more intimate
than a lover’s demure whisper?
Like the moment before Klimt’s The Kiss.
What more conspiratorial
than two people in love?
So it was all our eager summers
but now the yellow leaf has fallen
and the old rooted happiness
plucked out. Must I rejoice when
teardrops on a wire turn to ice?
Last night, lying in bed,
I remembered how, pensioners both,
before sleep, winter come,
your warm foot suddenly
would console my cold one.
(iv) Swan Song
Night fuzzy fairground music
and, like kids, we sat astride
daft horses bouncing on
the lit-wide Merry-Go-Round
to swagger away, serene,
old lovers hand in hand.
Now, solemn, I watch
the spellbound moon again,
its unfocused clone drowned
in Hampstead’s rush-dark pond
where a lone swan sings
without a sound.
Li & Child –
Wow! What a great walk on a glorious day! And to be guided by David, a knowledgeable, amiable, fun and compassionate scholar… not much can beat this Sunday walk in the Hampstead Village & Heath. My family decided to live in London for half a year to soak in the culture, history and everything else that London has to offer. My 14-year-old daughter, a child with a fascination of anything classic and old, and I decided to come on this walk and we both deem this to the best walk we’ve done in London, no matter if they are self guided, with local family and friends, with books or with other guided tour groups. David’s explanations and guiding really went above and beyond what one would expect of a guided walk, it’s more like following a knowledgeable and fun professor to walk through a work of history and literature. David adds little known anecdotes and his personal stories into the whole experience, making it impossible not to fall in love with this exquisitely unique and yet unmistakenly London corner of a great city. Any visitor who wants to dive deeper into London should start with this walk with David.
John P. –
I enjoyed a wonderful Hampstead Heath walking tour with David this past Sunday (2-19-23)! I had done a previous Kensington tour with David several years back, and once again he was excellent. His knowledge of the long history of Hampstead area, many of the individual homes, and the people who have lived in this area was super impressive and really brought everything to life. I had wanted to do this walk for years, and wanted to live there at the end. Well done…thanks David!
Helen Carty –
Lovely day for an entertaining and enlightening tour of Hampstead and the heath, by someone – David – who was very passionate about the area. Enjoyed it and its whet the appetite for more exploring, and probably more guided tours!! Thanks David!!
Lindsay kelsall –
Took part in this Hampstead Heath walk today ( 12th Feb 2023) with Richard III . It was so fabulous. Richard is a brilliant guide. This is only my 3rd London Walks walk, and truly enjoyable. Richard was so knowledgeable, and I was blown away. Not just a very educational and inspirational walk, but delivered with warm humour. I cannot stop telling people about my London walk and what I’ve learned! Brilliant.
Chris Elven –
We went on the Hampstead walk with Richard III today and really enjoyed it. Although I lived in London for about 10 years, I learned a great deal about Hampstead, its history and which glitterati live there now. (We even spotted Ricky Gervais out for a walk.) Richard was an excellent and omniscient guide with a wry sense of humour.
Jean –
This walk was fun! I thoroughly enjoyed it. Lots of history and interesting tales about previous residents of Hampstead. It poured with rain and we took shelter in a lovely pub where David, the guide, continued his commentary. David is a great speaker, very engaging, knowledgeable and courteous. Thank you!
Nigel Harding –
We’ve now done about a dozen of these walks and this one was right up there with the best. A very interesting and insightful wander around the village and heath with David displaying his great knowledge and love of the areas history through his guidance and commentary. We even bumped into one of the villages celebrity residents. We have no hesitation in recommending this walk to others.
Wilson –
Great