Hampstead Heath NW3

Nearest Tube: Nearest Tube: Hampstead & Belsize Park

Hampstead is a district in north-west London that lies just north of Kentish Town and St John's Wood. It has been settled since prehistoric times and over the years lots of prehistoric, Roman and Saxon remains have been found.
The district has long been a popular residential area and the architecture is predominantly Georgian. This is the legacy of the district's hey day in the 18th and 19th centuries when it was a popular spa town.
In its past Hampstead has been particularly popular in literary and art circles and famous past residents of the district have included Byron, Keats, Wordsworth, Dickens, Constable and Hogarth. 
The high street is on a steep hill and boasts lots of trendy clothes shops and small cafes and bistros. But the attraction that the district is most famous for has to be the Hampstead Heath, a vast 800 acres of open space. 
You can also visit Keats House, Freud Museum, the 17th century Fenton House or the Hampstead Museum.

This heath covers a massive 800 acres, right in the heart of Britain's capital. And it is regarded by many as the nicest park in the city.
Much of the area has been left wild, with lots of woodland, but some parts have been landscaped or set aside for sports. There is a cricket field, a football (soccer) ground and several bathing ponds available.
The heath is particularly popular with walkers as it gives some great views across London, especially from Parliament Hill and from Kenwood. And at weekends the area is also a favorite spot for kite flyers.
Near the centre of the heath is a fenced off area known as Boudicca's Mound, where legend has it Queen Boudicca (Boudicea) was buried. And on the northern edge of the heath there is Kenwood House. 

Kenwood House. 

This house dates from 17th century, but was re-vamped in the 1760's for the Earl of Mansfield. The last private owner of the house was the Earl of Iveagh who was an avid art lover and who had built up an extensive collection of 17th and 18th century art. 
When he died he bequeathed the collection to the nation and it is now on public display in Kenwood House. Highlights of the excellent collection include pieces by Gainsborough, Vermeer, Rembrandt and van Dyck.
The opulent interior, dating from the 18th century, is also worth a second glance, especially the oval library. The gardens are also very beautiful and are occasionally the picturesque venue for outdoor music concerts.