Exploring the North
Morning
Starting at Hampstead tube station, head left down pretty Flask Walk (The Flask pub once sold spa water) to the local museum in Burgh House
for some background on the area. Then spend some time exploring the
many attractive back streets, which are lined with expensive Georgian
houses and mansions. Visit Well Walk, fashionable in the days of the
Hampstead spa (a fountain in Well Passage on the left still remains),
and Elm Row, where D H Lawrence lived at No. 1.
Stop for a coffee at one of the many cafés along Hampstead High Street and then make your way to
Keats House
, spending half an hour looking around. Afterwards, a stroll across Hampstead Heath to Kenwood House will prepare you for lunch.
Afternoon
The Brew House Café at Kenwood serves excellent
light meals and has a fine position beside the house, overlooking the
lake. After lunch, a visit to the house will take an hour or so.
Leave the Heath by the nearby East Lodge and catch a No. 210 bus back towards Hampstead. The bus passes the
Spaniards Inn
and Whitestone Pond – the highest point on the Heath. Alight
at the pond and walk to the tube station, taking a train to Camden
Town. Get lost for the rest of the afternoon in lively
Camden Lock Market
, ending the day with a drink and some food on the Lock Tavern roof terrace.
Best of the Rest
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Sadler’s Wells
London’s
premier venue for dance performances attracts internationally renowned
artists and companies from around the world .-
Rosebery Avenue EC1
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0844 412 4300
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Freightliners Farm
A little bit of the countryside in the city with animals, produce, gardens and a vegetarian café.
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Sheringham Road N7
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Tube Highbury & Islington, Caledonian Road
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020 7609 0467
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Almeida Theatre
This
famous local theatre attracts the best actors and directors from the UK
and the US. The bar serves cocktails and light meals and snacks.-
Almeida Street N1
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Tube Angel or Highbury & Islington
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020 7359 4404
Almeida Theatre
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Alexandra Palace
Located
in a beautiful park, this reconstructed 1873 exhibition centre offers a
range of amusements, including regular antique fairs. Tours of the
1920s BBC studios may be booked.-
Tube Wood Green
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BBC tours
020 8365 2121
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King’s Head Theatre Pub
A
busy but delightful Victorian pub with a 110-seat theatre showing
musicals and fringe performances at the back. A wide selection of wines,
beers, spirits and real ales. Bands and DJs also feature.-
115 Upper Street N1
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020 7226 8561
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Camden Arts Centre
Known for its fascinating contemporary art exhibitions and excellent art book shop.
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Arkwright Road NW3
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Train or Tube to Finchley Road
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020 7472 5500
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Hampstead Theatre
This
important fringe theatre is a venue for ambitious new writing, and has
produced plays by such innovative British artists as Harold Pinter,
Michael Frayn and Mike Leigh.-
Eton Avenue NW3
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Tube Swiss Cottage (exit 2)
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020 7722 9301
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Regent’s Park Golf and Tennis School
This floodlit facility is open for golf and tennis from 8am–9pm daily.
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Outer Circle, Regent’s Park NW1
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Tube Camden Town
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020 7724 0643
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Emirates Stadium Tours
Home
to Arsenal Football Club, the tour offers a look behind the scenes of
the stadium: the directors’ box, home changing room, players’ tunnel and
press conference room as well as the Arsenal Museum.-
Highbury N5
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Tube Arsenal
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020 7619 5000
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Eating and Drinking
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Afghan Kitchen
This great little restaurant is popular among Islington locals and serves a tempting selection of home-cooked Afghan food.
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35 Islington Green N1
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020 7359 8019
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Manna
Global vegetarian cuisine is served with style in this modern restaurant with minimalist interior.
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4 Erskine Road, Primrose Hill NW3
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Tube Chalk Farm
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020 7722 8028
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S&M Café
A
great alternative to the British greasy spoon, this café serves
sausages and mash as well as other comfort food made from quality
ingredients. Choose from over half a dozen varieties, from traditional
pork to steak and guiness sausages.-
4–6 Essex Road N1
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020 7359 5361
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Metrogusto
This
Italian restaurant offers authentic pasta dishes, as well as such
oddities as the surprisingly appetizing parmesan cheese ice cream.
Excellent house wines.-
14 Theberton Street N1
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020 7226 9400
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Camino
Offering
tapas and great cocktails as well as Spanish wines, sherries and
traditional cider, Camino is a welcome addition to King’s Cross.-
3 Varnisher’s Yard N1
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020 7841 7331
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Lemonia
Traditional and modern Greek dishes are served in a brasserie-style setting. There is an attractive conservatory.
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89 Regent’s Park Road NW1
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Tube Chalk Farm
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020 7586 7454
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Rotunda
A
classy restaurant with fine views of the Battlebridge Basin. Try the
roast loin of lamb with confit cabbage and dauphinoise potatoes; the
meat is sourced from their own farm.-
90 York Way N1
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020 7014 2840
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Louis Patisserie
This
wonderful old tea room is part of Hampstead folklore. Sink into a
comfortable sofa and sample some of the tempting cakes on display in the
window.-
32 Heath Street NW3
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Tube Hampstead
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020 7435 9908
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The Flask
Dating from 1700, this pub has a country atmosphere and good cask beer. Home-made pub food, lunchtime and evenings (6–10pm).
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14 Flask Walk NW3
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Tube Hampstead
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020 7435 4580
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Spaniards Inn
Opposite
the toll house on Hampstead Heath, this is one of London’s most famous
old pubs. Traditional English pub food is mingled with more exotic
choices such as calamari (squid).-
Spaniards Road NW3
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020 8731 6571
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Tube Hampstead, Golders Green
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