Belsize Walk - Exploring History and Greenspaces from Primrose Hill to Hampstead Heath and Beyond
Got a spare few hours and looking to take advantage of the sunny weather?
The Belsize Walk is an excellent way to get outdoors, explore a new part of London, and justify that nice cold pint afterwards.
It’s no secret that London is one of the most walkable cities in the world, with parks and greenspaces abounding, and the Belsize Walk is no exception. Starting at Primrose Hill and proceeding northwards, through Belsize Park all the way up to Parliament Hill, the full walk takes around two and a half hours and passes a number of historical sites along the way.
Start your walk at St. Mark’s Bridge on Prince Albert Road. Before you head off, consider stopping by Pedlar’s Pitstop, a small coffee hut on the grounds of St. Mark’s Church, directly opposite the starting point.
As you head north, stick to the eastern edge of Primrose Hill along Regent’s Park Road until you meet Primrose Hill Road, where you’ll turn left. Regent’s Park Road continues as Primrose Hill’s high street, which is home to myriad independent shops, cafes, restaurants, and pubs. You may also spot the Blue Plaque of Friedrich Engels, a lifelong friend of Karl Marx and one of the co-founders of Marxism.
I’d also recommend a quick stop at the top of Primrose Hill, where you’ll find unparalleled views of the London skyline.
If you’re making this a historical pub crawl, I suggest a pint at The Queen’s on the corner of Primrose Hill Road and Regent’s Park Road.
Once you leave Primrose Hill’s summit, you’ll continue north along Primrose Hill Road. If you’re doing this walk on a Saturday morning, you’ll see the first of our two farmer’s markets here. You’ll also find the church of St. Mary the Virgin, built in the 1870s. In the crypt of this church, they brew several lovely beers which can be purchased at the market.
Keep heading north, past The Washington Public House, a beautiful pub on the corner of England’s Lane and Belsize Park Gardens. This would be stop number two on our impromptu pub crawl.
The walk continues down England’s Lane until you reach Primrose Gardens, where you’ll turn left and continue northwards. Once you reach Belsize Grove, turn left and then right onto Belsize Park Gardens. As you do, look across the street to number 67, which is the location at which writer Lytton Strachey proposed to Virginia Woolf in 1909.
Keep walking until you reach Belsize Terrace and Belsize Lane, where you’ll find a variety of shops and restaurants. This is also where you’ll come across one of my favourite restaurants, Cinder. If you’re looking for a nice lunch or dinner spot, you can’t go wrong here – I strongly suggest the beetroots, the burnt leeks, and the braised sticky rib. It’s one of the few restaurants that seemingly gets better with each visit.
Head up Belsize Crescent and into Lyndhurst Gardens. At Lyndhurst Road, we’ll be turning right, but take a glance to your left to see the former home of celebrated Welsh actor Richard Burton.
Down Lyndhurst Road, at the corner of Rosslyn Hill, you’ll find Air Studios, a former church built in 1884 that’s now a recording studio founded by former Beatles producer Sir George Martin. Across the street you’ll also spot St. Stephen’s, a beautiful Grade I listed church built in 1869.
Proceed up Rosslyn Hill until you reach Downshire Hill on your right. Proceed down it until you reach St. John’s Church. The route continues along Downshire Hill but I recommend a brief pitstop to the right of the church as you approach down Keats Grove, where you’ll find the home of one of England’s literary giants John Keats, who lived here from 1818–1820.
This is also where he met his muse, and fiancée, Fanny Brawne, whose mother rented the attached house.
Head back to Downshire Hill and stop by The Freemason’s Arms, a stylish and spacious pub with a nice outdoor area, for a quick pint.
Take a quick second to look to your left down Willow Road, where you’ll find a home designed by Ernö Goldfinger, an architect who was the inspiration for the eponymous Bond villain due to the destruction of several cottages to build this house. He threatened to sue Ian Fleming for using his name, and Fleming threatened to rename the character "Goldprick". Goldfinger eventually dropped the case.
At this point, you’ll have reached perhaps the crown jewel of this walk, Hampstead Heath. Head into the heath along the edge of the car park down the tree-lined promenade until you come to the Mixed Bathing Pond. Keep walking until you reach a fork on the other side and take the right prong, which will ascend to the Parliament Hill viewpoint, our finish line for today’s walk.
Like Primrose Hill, this viewpoint is home to panoramic views of the London skyline. As you take it all in, take a second to appreciate our beautiful city and all the greenspaces and history it has to offer!
For more information on the Belsize Walk, see this handy guide produced by Camden Council. For other activities in the Belsize Park area, see the Belsize Society.
Keep walking down the other side of the viewpoint until you reach William Ellis School. On a Saturday, this is where you’ll find the Parliament Hill farmer’s market.
Turn left down Highgate Road until you reach Swain’s Lane, a beautiful little high street in Highgate. Here you’ll find The Duke of St. Albans for a quick tipple, as well as loads of other shops, cafes, and restaurants.
Stop by the Superette for a cute and unique grocery shop. For a sit-down Italian meal, consider Citro, just a block down on the left.
Further up Swain’s Lane, you’ll find Highgate Cemetery, home to burial sites of some 170,000 people. You may have heard reference to the Tomb of Karl Marx, which is located in the East Cemetery. Other notable burials include novelist George Eliot, author Douglas Adams, scientist Michael Faraday, actor Bob Hoskins, and others.
Beyond the cemetery, there are two more lovely pubs. The Flask, on Highgate Hill, sits across from the former home of George Michael and has a haunted history dating back to the 17th century. The Red Lion & Sun, just up North Road, is a privately-owned pub with excellent food and beer gardens. It’s been on the same site since the 16th century and has won several awards, including from the Great British Pub Awards and being named one of the Top 50 Gastropubs in the UK.