Getting out and about this winter

Now that the festive season is over, many of us experience the ‘January blues’. Although leaving a cosy house for the winter chill may not seem sensible, getting out and spending time in nature is proven to be one of the best ways to improve your mental health, and is especially important in the colder months when it is too easy to lock ourselves away indoors.  We have several resources and free activities to encourage you to get out and about on Hampstead Heath this winter, whether by yourself or with groups of like-minded people.

Walking on Hampstead Heath

Our regular Health Walks are a great way to explore the Heath in friendly company. We have three weekly walks on the Heath to cater for differing abilities, all free to join. These range from the shorter 1 hour walk around Parliament Hill - ideal for those less able or wanting a shorter, gentler stroll - to the longer 2 hour walk for keen hikers. All of these walks are free and led by our amazing volunteer walk leaders. See our Walking on Hampstead Heath webpage for more information and meeting points and timings.

Walkers exploring Hampstead Heath in the snow

Look and learn about winter wildlife

We also run lots of guided nature and heritage walks on the Heath, with much to see even in the depths of winter. These are also free to all, with a suggested donation. You can also meet our Wildlife Interpreter volunteers on weekend afternoons to take part in free drop-in activities like birdwatching or a tree trail. Our Nature Interpretation Centre at the Dairy reopens this Saturday. Here you can pick up a map and ID guides to seasonal wildlife to look for, see our latest nature sightings and learn more about wildlife on the Heath from our knowledgeable staff and volunteers.

All are great ways to encourage yourself outside and observe nature this winter.  See our What’s On page to find out what’s happening and to book onto guided walks, including those by our partner organisations.

Wildlife Interpreter volunteers introducing visitors to winter tree identification.

One of our walks discovering the River Fleet

Walking guides

Hampstead Heath Explorer’s Map.

We have several useful resources to help you navigate the Heath yourself. The free Walking trails downloadable map outlines self-guided trails and our paper Hampstead Heath explorer map helps you find your way wherever you’re going (on foot or on wheels), is available from our webshop or in-person at our events. For more in-depth information and trail ideas, we also stock the hugely  informative Walker’s Guide to Hampstead Heath book. If you are less mobile or less confident about traversing the Heath, our Inclusion and Access page provides an information hub to enable you to enjoy our green spaces. This includes closing times of Kenwood and other gated areas of the Heath, important to note during the short winter days.

Hampstead Heath is still a wonderful place in winter, whatever your abilities or interests. Do check in on our events page and we hope we’ve inspired you to get out this season to enjoy what nature has to offer.

View of the London skyline from Parliament Hill on a winter sunset.