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
Sadler’s Wells
London’s
premier venue for dance performances attracts internationally renowned
artists and companies from around the world .
Freightliners Farm
A little bit of the countryside in the city with animals, produce, gardens and a vegetarian café.
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 Theatre
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
BBC tours
020 8365 2121
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
020 7226 8561
Camden Arts Centre
Known for its fascinating contemporary art exhibitions and excellent art book shop.
Crafts Council Research Library
Books, videos and an image database on British contemporary craftwork. By appointment only.
44a Pentonville Road N1
020 7278 7700
Free
Crafts Council façade
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.
Regent’s Park Golf and Tennis School
This floodlit facility is open for golf and tennis from 8am–9pm daily.
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
Tube Arsenal
020 7619 5000
Eating and Drinking
Afghan Kitchen
This great little restaurant is popular among Islington locals and serves a tempting selection of home-cooked Afghan food.
35 Islington Green N1
020 7359 8019
Manna
Global vegetarian cuisine is served with style in this modern restaurant with minimalist interior.
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
020 7359 5361
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
020 7226 9400
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
020 7841 7331
Lemonia
Traditional and modern Greek dishes are served in a brasserie-style setting. There is an attractive conservatory.
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
020 7014 2840
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
Tube Hampstead
020 7435 9908
The Flask
Dating from 1700, this pub has a country atmosphere and good cask beer. Home-made pub food, lunchtime and evenings (6–10pm).
14 Flask Walk NW3
Tube Hampstead
020 7435 4580
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).
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Unless otherwise stated, all restaurants accept credit cards and serve vegetarian meals |
