The North to South London Trail is a new walking route launched in May 2024 by Walking Post. A 34 mile walk from Cockfosters to Carshalton in five sections. I have walked quite a lot of this before but there is also a lot of new territory.
Section 2 continues first through Hampstead Heath and Parliament Hill, then down to the Regents Canal, Primrose Hill and Regents Park to reach the end at Baker Street. Around 7 miles and most of it familiar to me from previous walks. Joined today by friend Mike.
We arrived at Highgate tube station around 10.45am then a walk along urban roads to reach the northern entrance to Hampstead Heath. A walk through a short stretch of woodlands then into open heath with excellent views.
Kenwood House, a 17th century stately home designed by Robert Adam for William Murray. Earl of Mansfield. Now open to the public as an art gallery which I have visited on one of my earlier trips. Outside they are setting up for this weekend's HowTheLightGetsIn festival and we had to navigate around it.
Into the woodlands and one of the large lakes. There are multiple paths in here and I always get lost. Today was no exception, not helped by fairly vague instructions. Fairly pleasant walking even though at times we had no idea where we were.
We aimed for Parlament Hill but reached a smaller hill first which had some reasonable views.
After asking for help we did eventually start the climb up Parliament Hill and it was worth it.
Good views of Highgate and central Londom from the summit. Then a rather steep path down, not the way we should have taken, to take us out of Hampstead Heath near Gospel Oak station.
There now followed a long trek along suburban streets to eventually reach the Regents Canal. A short walk along here took us to Camden Lock.
At the lock we lunched at the Salt Wharf before continuing along the canal for a while.
Passing Pirate Castle and passing under several bridges we turn off the canal near the Fen Shang Chinese Restaurant boat.
Here we reach Primrose Hill. The official instructions suggest we pass this by the path which skirts the bottom, but Primrose Hill is there to be enjoyed so we took the steep climb to the top.
Where we were rewarded with more superb views of the capital.
Back down from Primrose Hill we cross the canal and enter Regents Park, passing by London zoo to reach the Readymoney Drinking Fountain, erected in 1869 as a token of thanks to the people of England for protecting the Parsees in British India. Then a walk down the Broad Walk.
Through Queen Mary's Gardens.
The Boating Lake. Here after crossing a bridge we exit the park and head down Baker Street to the tube station where we made our journey home.