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Highgate Wood and Queen's Wood walk

Meandering route through two adjacent ancient woods with very different character. Undulating.

Easy London Short

History

This is a list of previous times this walk has been done by the club (since Jan 2010). For more recent events (since April 2015), full details are shown.

Date Option Post # Weather
Thu, 09-May-24 Evening Walk - Bluebells in the evening: Highgate Wood and Queen's Wood
Thu, 15-Feb-24 b Evening Walk - A dismantled railway line plus an undulating wood: Finsbury Park to Highgate (SWC Short 49 in reverse, map-led and w/o Highgate Wood) 9 warm for the time of year and dry
Tue, 02-May-23 Evening Walk: Bluebells in London: Highgate Wood and Queen’s Wood 8 fine spring evening
Thu, 26-Jan-23 b Evening Walk - A dismantled railway line plus an undulating wood: Finsbury Park to Highgate (SWC Short 49 in reverse, map-led and w/o Highgate Wood) 6 dry and not too cold
Thu, 14-Apr-22 Evening Walk: The bluebells are coming to London: Highgate Wood and Queen’s Wood 5
Tue, 27-Apr-21 Bluebells in the Evening (IV) - Highgate Wood and Queen's Wood (East Finchley to Highgate) 8 lightly overcast
Thomas G
Length: 5.5 km/3.4 mi with 144m ascent
Net Walking Time: ca. 1 hours 20 mins
Toughness: 1 out of 10.
Meet at 18.45 hours on the platform at East Finchley Station on the High Barnet Branch of the Northern Line. Journey time from Bank is 24 minutes.
Highgate is one stop closer to Central London. Both stations are in Zone 3.
This is an undulating meandering route in the Borough of Haringey through a couple of remnants of the ancient Forest of Middlesex, in one of the highest parts of Inner North London.

Both woods are very different in character and feel: Highgate Wood is only part ancient wood and has been managed for a long time, with several areas having been coppiced and others having been cleared, and it mostly has the appearance of a parkland wood. Queen’s Wood has a wilder, less managed and more challenging feel and consequently features a greater mixture of flora and fauna.

And while Highgate Wood is famous for its bluebell displays in season, these are largely confined to the northeasterly corner of the wood. In contrast, Queen’s Wood displays a fine mixture of wildflowers in season, amongst which are bluebells, wood anenomes and daffodils.

Both woods feature ancient – possibly pre-historic – earthworks and they also boast cafés for refreshments.


Walk Options:
A Short Walk – of 3.7 km and with half the ascent – omits the more undulating Queen’s Wood.
An Extension leads to Finsbury Park along the Parkland Walk, part of a dismantled railway line and now a very charming linear and raised Local Nature Reserve. This adds 3.5 km and is map-led.
Tea: See the pdf. The cafés are likely to be closed at that time, but The Woodman will certainly be open.
For walk directions, map, photos, height profile and gpx/kml files click here. T=short.49
Thomas G

This worked well last winter, so why not do it again?

Length: 6.3 km (shorter and non-undulating walk possible by omitting Queen’s Wood)
Ascent/Descent: 155/100m
et Walking Time: 1 ½ hours
Toughness: 2 out of 10
Meet at 18.30 outside Finsbury Park Station, Station Place/National Rail Exit (Victoria and Piccadilly Lines, Thameslink from St. Pancras and Mainline Rail from King’s Cross, Zone 2).
Finish is at Highgate Underground (Northern Line, High Barnet Branch, Zone 3).
Walk up from the transfer hub that is Finsbury Park along a dismantled railway line to Highgate, and either finish immediately or loop through the undulating Queen’s Wood, remnant of the ancient Forest of Middlesex, in one of the highest parts of Inner North London. Queen’s Wood has a wild, little managed and challenging feel and consequently features a great mixture of flora and fauna (which will admittedly be difficult to spot in the dark).
Walk Option: Finish at Highgate w/o going through Queen’s Wood: 3.7 km with about 80m ascent.

Refreshments in Highgate: The Boogaloo pub/bar or The Woodman pub.
For walk directions, photos, map, height profile and gpx/kml files click here. T=short.49.b
  • 15-Feb-24

    9 met up kind of on time, on a day that was warm for the time of year and dry

    1 dropped out early, which left 8 of us to amble up the dismantled railway line under the light of the quarter (at a guess) moon. There were fine views out to some scrapers to the west at one point, and we successfully negotiated the muddy parts of the linear route.

    At Highgate, no one bailed out, and we all dived into Queen's Wood. Some mud there, but only in a very few small areas, and certainly enough light to not engage the headtorches too much.

    All then retired to The Woodman, most for a meal, the rest just for a drink.

    All in, a very fine evening walk.

Stargazer

The bluebells are coming to London: Highgate Wood and Queen’s Wood

Distance: 3.4 miles/5.5 km

Difficulty: 1 out of 10

Meet: East Finchley Underground Station (Northern Line)

Time: 18:30 – but if you miss our departure, you can certainly catch us up along the way…

This is an undulating walk through ancient woodland in the northern part of Central London. Both woods are very different in character and feel: Highgate Wood is only part ancient wood and has been managed for a long time, with several areas having been coppiced and others having been cleared, and it mostly has the appearance of a parkland wood. Queen’s Wood has a wilder, less managed and more challenging feel and consequently features a greater mixture of flora and fauna.

And while Highgate Wood is famous for its bluebell displays in season, these are largely confined to the northeasterly corner of the wood. In contrast, Queen’s Wood displays a fine mixture of wildflowers in season, amongst which are bluebells, wood anemones and daffodils. More information about the route and the instructions can be found here.

There are various options for post walk refreshments in Highgate listed in the walk notes. Return travel is via the Northern line from Highgate.

Enjoy the walk!

T=short.49

  • 06-May-23

    Much better than last week's fiasco, 8 gathered for a lovely walk on a fine spring evening . The trees were a delight dressed in bright green fresh foliage and the bluebells in full display with their gentle perfume filling the air. All but one went to the Woodman for post walk refreshies.

Thomas G
Length: 6.3 km
Ascent/Descent: 155/100m
Net Walking Time: 1 ½ hours
Toughness: 2 out of 10
Meet at 18.30 outside Finsbury Park Station, Station Place/National Rail Exit (Victoria and Piccadilly Lines, Thameslink from St. Pancras and Mainline Rail from King’s Cross, Zone 2).
Finish is at Highgate Underground (Northern Line, High Barnet Branch, Zone 3).
Walk up from the transfer hub that is Finsbury Park along a dismantled railway line to Highgate, and either finish immediately or loop through the undulating Queen’s Wood, remnant of the ancient Forest of Middlesex, in one of the highest parts of Inner North London. Queen’s Wood has a wild, little managed and challenging feel and consequently features a great mixture of flora and fauna (which will admittedly be difficult to spot in the dark).
Walk Options:
Finish at Highgate w/o going through Queen’s Wood: 3.7 km with about 80m ascent.
Refreshments in Highgate:
The Boogaloo pub/bar or The Woodman pub.
For walk directions, photos, map, height profile and gpx/kml files click here. T=short.49.b
  • 26-Jan-23

    6 on this walk in dry and not too cold weather.

    We had a quarter-moon, so headtorches were only used for studying info panels along the dismantled railway and on a couple of occasions in Queen's Wood where the 'leader' thought he'd lost the route (but I don't think we ever did, it just looked different due to walking in reverse and w/o leaves on trees, ie with houses visible beyond the wood's boundary etc.). Muddy areas were mostly frozen, so it was quite easy walking.

    3 finished at Highgate upon first getting there, and walked to The Woodman, waiting for the other 3 after they had also 'done' Queen's Wood. All had a meal.

    Worked well, I thought, as an evening walk in the 'dark'.

Stargazer

Short Walk 49: Highgate Wood and Queen’s Wood (East Finchley to Highgate)

Distance: 3.4 miles/5.5 km

Difficulty: 2 out of 10

Meet: On the train platform at East Finchley Underground Station (Northern Line)

Time: 18:30 – but if you miss our departure, you can certainly catch us up along the way…

This is an undulating walk through ancient woodland in the northern part of Central London. Both woods are very different in character and feel: Highgate Wood is only part ancient wood and has been managed for a long time, with several areas having been coppiced and others having been cleared, and it mostly has the appearance of a parkland wood. Queen’s Wood has a wilder, less managed and more challenging feel and consequently features a greater mixture of flora and fauna.

And while Highgate Wood is famous for its bluebell displays in season, these are largely confined to the northeasterly corner of the wood. In contrast, Queen’s Wood displays a fine mixture of wildflowers in season, amongst which are bluebells, wood anemones and daffodils. More information about the route and the instructions can be found here.

There are various options for post walk refreshments in Highgate listed in the walk notes. Return travel is via the Northern line from Highgate.

Enjoy the walk!

T=short.49

  • 16-Apr-22

    Rumor has it that 5 enjoyed a lovely evening walk with 2 doing the short version and 2 enjoying a meal at the Boogaloo…..

  • 16-Apr-22

    Yes, 5 of us set of for a lovely evening stroll through the woods. Birds were singing, bluebells and wood anemones were much in evidence. It was hard to believe we were in London at times.

Thomas G
COVID 19
Track-and-Trace: please provide email address or mobile phone number at the start
Rule of Six: from start to finish please, and up to May 16

Meandering route through two adjacent ancient woods with very different character. Undulating.

Length: 5.5 km/3.4 mi with 144m ascent
Net Walking Time: ca. 1 hours 20 mins, Toughness: 1 out of 10.
Meet at 18.30 hours on the platform at East Finchley Station on the High Barnet Branch of the Northern Line. Journey time from Bank is 24 minutes.
Highgate is one stop closer to Central London. Both stations are in Zone 3.
This is an undulating meandering route in the Borough of Haringey through a couple of remnants of the ancient Forest of Middlesex, in one of the highest parts of Inner North London.
Both woods are very different in character and feel: Highgate Wood is only part ancient wood and has been managed for a long time, with several areas having been coppiced and others having been cleared, and it mostly has the appearance of a parkland wood. Queen’s Wood has a wilder, less managed and more challenging feel and consequently features a greater mixture of flora and fauna.
And while Highgate Wood is famous for its bluebell displays in season, these are largely confined to the northeasterly corner of the wood. In contrast, Queen’s Wood displays a fine mixture of wildflowers in season, amongst which are bluebells, wood anenomes and daffodils.
Both woods feature ancient – possibly pre-historic – earthworks and they also boast cafés for refreshments.
Walk Options:
A Short Walk – of 3.7 km and with half the ascent – omits the more undulating Queen’s Wood.
An Extension leads to Finsbury Park along the Parkland Walk, part of a dismantled railway line and now a very charming linear and raised Local Nature Reserve. This adds 3.5 km and is map-led.
Tea: See the pdf. The cafés are likely to be closed at that time, but The Woodman will certainly be open.
For walk directions, map, photos, height profile and gpx/kml files click here. T=short.49
  • Anonymous
    27-Apr-21

    Pity this walk isn't taking place during the day ..may I politely ask why there are so many evening walks atm pls?

  • 27-Apr-21

    Of course you may. To squeeze them in while the wee terrors are out in bloom. There may be another one next week as well, for good measure.

    And because the people keep coming.

  • 27-Apr-21

    8 walkers tonight in lightly overcast weather.

    We proceeded at sedate pace around the mildly undulating course, taking in the green canopy and various features in the woods. Plant life: one nice area of bluebells in good condition, some more scattered in smaller clumps here and there in Highgate Wood, plus plenty of wood anemones and some bluebells over in Queen's Wood.

    At the end, we tried The Woodman, but they claimed to be fully booked (despite many empty tables), so we walked back to The Boogaloo, hoping against hope that there would be avails. And there were: friendly staff set up two tables for us, and we enjoyed efficient service, good drinks and very palatable food. And some of us also very much enjoyed the eclectic music selection from their in-house radio station (early Human League, Nico, The Nightingales...).