Hampstead Heath is a large, wild and hilly open space in north London, with a famous free view from Parliament Hill, natural ponds you can swim in all year and Kenwood, a stately home with free entry and paintings by Rembrandt and Vermeer. It costs nothing to walk there, and you pay only if you swim.
Unlike the Royal Parks in the centre, the Heath is not a designed park. It is a patchwork of meadows, woods, hills, hedgerows and more than 30 lakes and ponds, and large parts of it feel like countryside. It is looked after by the City of London Corporation, not by the Royal Parks, and it has its own rules and even its own police force, the Hampstead Heath Constabulary.
Most visitors come for three things: the skyline from Parliament Hill, a swim in one of the bathing ponds, and a walk across the Heath to Kenwood. You can do all three in a day, and finish with food in Hampstead village. Autumn 2026 brings some changes to the swimming, so read the section on the ponds before you go.
Hampstead Heath at a glance
- Entry
- Free to walk; swimming is paid
- Managed by
- City of London Corporation
- Parliament Hill
- 98 metres high, with a legally protected view of central London
- Swimming
- Parliament Hill Lido and three bathing ponds; adult pond swim £5.00; no advance booking until spring 2027
- Payment
- Card or phone only at the swimming facilities from 1 October 2026
- Kenwood
- Free; house open daily 10am to 5pm, last entry 4.30pm
- Nearest stations
- Hampstead Heath and Gospel Oak (London Overground); Belsize Park, Kentish Town, Hampstead (Northern line)
What makes the Heath different from central London's parks
Walk up from Gospel Oak or Hampstead Heath station and within ten minutes the city disappears. There are rough grasslands, ancient hedges and woods where the paths are muddy after rain. According to the City of London, the Heath's habitats support about 180 species of birds, including kingfishers and woodpeckers, 650 kinds of wildflower, nine species of bat and around 400 veteran trees, and you may spot muntjac deer or hedgehogs.
That wildness is the attraction, but it also means you should plan a little. Wear shoes that can cope with mud, download the official map from the City of London's Hampstead Heath pages before you go, and expect hills. The Heath has 47 byelaws of its own, most of them common sense: do not damage plants or trees, keep dogs under control and clean up after them, and follow any signs. The nearest thing to it in south-west London is Richmond Park, with its herds of wild red and fallow deer.
If the weather turns, it turns fast on an open hill. Our page on London weather and what to pack explains why a light waterproof is worth carrying in every season.
The view from Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill, in the south-east corner of the Heath, rises to 98 metres (321 feet) and is one of the highest natural points in London. From the top the whole skyline lies in front of you: the City of London Corporation lists St Paul's Cathedral, the Shard, the Gherkin and the Palace of Westminster among the landmarks you can pick out.
The name is said to date from the English Civil War in the 17th century, when Parliamentarian forces used the hill as a lookout. It became part of the Heath in 1888, and the view from the top is now legally protected, so new buildings cannot block it. It is a steady but short climb from the southern entrances.
Parliament Hill gives you a skyline view that the Shard charges for. The walk up from Gospel Oak station is short, and the view across the whole city costs nothing. Come an hour before sunset on a clear day and bring something warm; the summit is exposed to the wind.
Our round-up of London's best free viewpoints compares Parliament Hill with Primrose Hill, which is closer to the centre and covered in our guide to Regent's Park and Primrose Hill.
Swimming in the bathing ponds
The Heath has three natural bathing ponds, each with lifeguards, and swimming in them is a London tradition. The Kenwood Ladies' Pond (women only) and the Highgate Men's Pond (men only) are open all year. The Hampstead Mixed Pond is open from April to October and closed to public swimming for the rest of the year.
The water is deep and opaque, and the ponds are for competent swimmers only. Staff may limit where you swim if they are worried about your ability. The ponds stay open in all weather except high winds and thunderstorms, and the water gets very cold in winter. The City of London's cold-water guidance warns about hypothermia and cold shock, and advises new winter swimmers to build up slowly, avoid diving and warm up gradually afterwards.
Children have strict rules. Only children aged 8 and over are allowed at the bathing ponds, including the meadows around them. Children aged 8 to 15 must be with an adult at all times, one adult may supervise no more than two children, and each child must pass a swim test on their first visit. Alcohol, glass, smoking, vaping, sharp items and music speakers are not allowed on the pond sites.
From 1 October 2026 the Heath's pools and ponds take cards and phones only. The City of London is removing cash payment at all its swimming facilities. At the same time, the online booking system has been closed since 7 September 2026 and will reopen in spring 2027, so every swim until then is pay or tap on arrival.
In summer, the City of London normally splits the day into bookable and drop-in sessions, and bookable ones sell out quickly in hot weather. Outside the summer season every session is drop-in. Opening times change through the year; check the swimming opening times page on the day. In September 2026 the Ladies' Pond had reopened after a closure, with a warning that blue-green algae levels were still raised and could pose a risk to vulnerable swimmers.
Parliament Hill Lido and swim prices
If you prefer a pool, Parliament Hill Lido is a 60-metre open-air pool on the Parliament Hill side of the Heath. It is unheated and chlorinated, open 365 days a year, and has hot showers and, in winter, a sauna. Evening sessions are for adult lane swimming only. Children who do not pass the pond swim test can swim here instead.
| Single swim (prices valid to 31 March 2027) | Adult | Concession / young people | Junior 5-15 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bathing ponds, all year | £5.00 | £3.00 (includes under-16s) | - |
| Lido, winter season | £5.00 | £3.00 (includes 16-17) | £1.50 |
| Lido, summer morning or afternoon | £8.80 | £5.20 | £2.70 |
| Lido, summer breakfast or evening | £5.00 | £3.00 | Free (breakfast) |
| Lido sauna, October to May | £7.00 | - | - |
Under-16s and over-60s swim free before 9.30am at the Lido and the ponds if they show proof of age. A couple swimming once at a pond pays £10.00. Regular swimmers can buy season tickets. All prices are from the City of London swimming tickets page (September 2026). Since payment will be cashless, make sure your card works abroad without large fees; our page on cards and cash in London explains what to check.
The Hampstead Heath Paddling Pool for young children, next to the playground, is closed until spring 2027.
Kenwood: a free stately home full of great paintings
On the northern edge of the Heath stands Kenwood, a grand house extended and largely redesigned in the 18th century by the Scottish architect Robert Adam, and now cared for by English Heritage. Entry is free. You do not need to book, but booking a free ticket online guarantees entry. The house is open daily from 10am to 5pm, with last entry at 4.30pm.
Inside is one of the finest small art collections in London, with works by Vermeer, Rembrandt, Gainsborough, Turner and Constable. The star is Rembrandt's Self-Portrait with Two Circles. Adam's Great Library, returned to its original colour scheme in a restoration completed in 2013, is the best room in the house.
Volunteer-led highlight tours of about an hour run on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 11.30am and 2.30pm, cost £10 for adults and are free for children; you pay on the day. Free 15-minute spotlight talks on single objects take place on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. The Brew House café serves breakfast and lunch and a roast on Sundays.
Until 26 September 2026 the Pasture Ground, the lawn south of the house, and the Kenwood car park are closed for a festival. English Heritage does not give a nearest station on its main page, so the simplest plan is to walk across the Heath from Parliament Hill or Hampstead and treat the walk as part of the visit. Check the English Heritage Kenwood page before you go. For more free art in London, see our guide to London's free museums and galleries.
Golders Hill Park and its free zoo
On the western side of the Heath is Golders Hill Park, a more formal corner with a café, a bandstand, tennis courts, a play area and a small free zoo. The zoo's residents include ring-tailed lemurs, red-necked wallabies, a Scottish wildcat, kookaburras, fallow deer and donkeys. It is open whenever the park is, from 7.30am until dusk every day.
Golders Green station on the Northern line is about 14 minutes' walk away, and bus routes 210 and 268 serve the area. The paths are tarmac on a gentle slope, which makes it one of the easier parts of the Heath for buggies and wheelchairs. Families will find more free animal encounters in our guide to free things to do in London.
A walk across the Heath from Parliament Hill to Hampstead
This route takes in the main sights in about three hours with stops:
- Start at Gospel Oak station and walk past Parliament Hill Lido to the summit of Parliament Hill for the view.
- Walk north past the ponds on the eastern side of the Heath towards Kenwood, keeping the map to hand, as paths split often.
- Visit Kenwood House and have lunch at the Brew House café.
- Walk west across the Heath towards Hampstead village for its old streets, cafés and pubs.
- Finish at Hampstead Tube station (Northern line) or walk down to Hampstead Heath Overground station.
Hampstead village is worth an hour of its own; see our guide to Hampstead for its streets and houses, and our list of historic London pubs for places to finish the day. On a Sunday, a pub lunch in the village is the natural end to the walk; our page on the traditional Sunday roast explains what to expect, and booking ahead is wise.
Getting there, cycling and accessibility
The quickest way from central London to the southern side of the Heath is the London Overground to Hampstead Heath or Gospel Oak, both in Zone 2 and within easy walking distance of Parliament Hill. Our guide to the London Overground explains how its lines work. Belsize Park and Kentish Town on the Northern line are also close, and bus routes 24, 46 and C11 stop near the southern entrances. From Camden Town, the Heath is a short bus or Overground ride north.
Cycling is allowed only on marked cycle paths. You must not ride faster than 12 mph, you must give way to pedestrians at all times, and you can be fined for cycling on a "no cycling" path. The City of London publishes a map of permitted routes.
For visitors with limited mobility, the Heath has many surfaced paths, disabled parking bays at its four car parks and accessible toilets in five places, most needing a Radar key. Mobility scooters can be borrowed free of charge from Monday to Saturday, 9.30am to 5pm, from Parliament Hill Lido or the Hive, booked through Heath Hands. An accessible walking route starts and ends at Gospel Oak station.
Frequently asked questions
Is Hampstead Heath free?
Yes. Walking on Hampstead Heath, climbing Parliament Hill, visiting Kenwood House and the Golders Hill Park zoo are all free. You pay for swimming at the Lido and the bathing ponds, for food, and for optional guided tours at Kenwood.
Can anyone swim in the Hampstead Heath ponds?
Yes, if you are a competent swimmer. The Ladies' Pond is for women and the Men's Pond for men, while the Mixed Pond is open to everyone from April to October. Children must be at least 8 and pass a swim test. An adult swim costs £5.00, paid on arrival.
Do I need to book a swim at Hampstead Heath?
Not at the moment. The booking system closed on 7 September 2026 and will reopen in spring 2027, so all swims are pay or tap on arrival. From 1 October 2026 the swimming facilities accept only card or phone payments, not cash.
How high is Parliament Hill?
Parliament Hill rises to 98 metres (321 feet), which makes it one of the highest natural points in London. The view from the top is legally protected, and on a clear day you can see St Paul's Cathedral, the Shard and the Palace of Westminster.
Is Kenwood House free to enter?
Yes. Entry to Kenwood is free, and booking is optional, though a free online ticket guarantees entry. The house is open daily from 10am to 5pm, with last entry at 4.30pm. Guided highlight tours cost extra.
Sources
- City of London - Parliament Hill viewpoint (checked September 2026)
- City of London - Swimming tickets (checked September 2026)
- City of London - Booking for swimming (checked September 2026)
- City of London - Hampstead Mixed Pond (checked September 2026)
- City of London - Parliament Hill Lido (checked September 2026)
- City of London - Hampstead Heath accessibility (checked September 2026)
- English Heritage - Kenwood (checked September 2026)
- City of London - Golders Hill Park Zoo (checked September 2026)