A history of London in pictures: the Hampstead Heath

Hampstead Heath, also locally known as The Heath, is an ancient natural park situated in North London, not very far from the Camden Town area. While Camden has a rather alternative flavour, the area of Hampstead Village is on the posh side. On one side of the heath, there is Hampstead Village, which has a long history and beautiful old houses. On the other side, there is Highgate Village, with its beautiful historic cemeteries (Karl Marx lies there).

The Heath has a gracious mix of various landscapes and landmarks: it includes beautiful woods, grassy hilly areas with breathtaking views on London, ponds, swimming ponds, bird areas, Kenwood House, a lido and some playgrounds.

Here it follows a gallery of views and places in the Heath and its surroundings (the photos are taken with my iPhone, so the quality is not the highest really!)

the Hampstead Heath

Along the Hampstead Heath many paths

Open fields of gold

Into the wood

“For Bill, in loving memory” bench

Conservation work, an enclosed wild field

View across the fields, looking at the Highgate side

Summer colours turn into autumn shades

Unliving tree

the pond from the hill

the Model Boating Pond

Unliving tree by the pond

I’m still standing

swan in hiding

Swan Lake (it’s actually the Bird Pond)

gathering of cygnets

the dance of the little swans

rather bonsai tree in the lake

sunset

the sun is going to rest

Highgate Men’s Bathing Pond (men only)

swimming dog

lifebuoy

injured tree with fallen branch

open heart

the road and the benches

a little pine cone

my mind tree

blackberries are so good!

exit to Parliament Hill

George Orwell lived here

Old advert for rail line to Scotland

The area is really extensive and there is another set of photos taken in the surroundings of the Heath, including the Pergola, Whitestone, the Observatory and Hampstead Village… but that will have to be another post!