Hampstead Heath is a piece of countryside that London grew around. Around 320 hectares of woodland, meadow, ponds and open heath stretch across north London, yet you're only about four miles from the centre. Paths disappear between trees, hills interrupt the skyline and much of the landscape has been left deliberately rough at the edges.

That semi-wild character was fought for. The Heath survived repeated attempts at development through the 19th century before it was protected under the Hampstead Heath Act 1871. The City of London Corporation manages it today, and the result feels very different from London's more manicured parks.

There's no single way into Hampstead Heath, which is why knowing where you're going pays off. Your starting point determines whether you reach the swimming ponds, Parliament Hill, Kenwood House or the quieter western paths first. Most of the Heath is free, ungated and open around the clock, so you can build a visit around what you actually want to do.

Best entrances and getting around Hampstead Heath

Hampstead Heath doesn't have a main entrance. Choose where you arrive according to what you want to see, because crossing the Heath simply to reach the other side can add a considerable walk.

• Hampstead Heath Overground is the best starting point for Parliament Hill, the Mixed Pond and the southern Heath.

• Hampstead Underground station puts you on the western side, close to the Vale of Health and East Heath Road. It's on the Edgware branch of the Northern line, so when the line splits at Camden Town, check that your train is heading towards Edgware rather than High Barnet or Mill Hill East.

• Gospel Oak Overground works well for Parliament Hill Fields and the south-east corner.

• Golders Green is the better choice for Golders Hill Park and entrances around North End Road.

• Kenwood House is easiest to approach from Hampstead Lane. The 210 bus runs from Golders Green, Archway and Highgate and stops by the Kenwood gates.

• Buses 168, 210, 268 and C11 serve other parts of the surrounding area.

Don't judge distances by a London map alone. The Heath is hilly, many paths aren't surfaced and the quickest-looking route often isn't the easiest one.

Download an offline map before you set out, too. Mobile signal can be unreliable in wooded dips, and the smaller paths are much easier to enjoy when you're not relying on them to get you back to a particular station.

Driving is usually less convenient. Residential streets around Hampstead and Highgate have daytime controls, while spaces near popular entrances fill quickly at weekends. There's pay-and-display parking off East Heath Road and parking at the Kenwood Estate off Hampstead Lane.

Swimming ponds and Parliament Hill Lido

Swimming is what sets Hampstead Heath apart from almost any other London green space. Three bathing ponds sit among the trees and grassland, while the heated Parliament Hill Lido gives you a more conventional outdoor swim in the south-east corner.

The ponds started out doing something else entirely. The Highgate and Hampstead chains were dammed in the 17th and 18th centuries on the headwaters of the River Fleet to supply water to London. Some are used for swimming today; others remain part of the Heath's wider landscape and habitat.

Kenwood Ladies' Pond and Highgate Men's Pond sit along the eastern side of the Heath. The Mixed Pond is further south and is the easiest of the three to reach from Hampstead Heath Overground.

Each facility has its own seasonal opening hours, and booking requirements can change at busy times. The ponds don't follow the Heath's 24-hour access, so check current times, prices and booking arrangements on the City of London's Hampstead Heath pages before you travel.

Swimming is only permitted at the three designated bathing ponds and Parliament Hill Lido during their operating hours. However inviting another pond might look, swimming elsewhere on the Heath is prohibited.

Away from the bathing areas, the ponds support newts, other amphibians and waterfowl. You'll notice that wilder side of the Heath most around the quieter wooded edges, where paths slip between the ponds rather than running directly towards a landmark.

Parliament Hill and the best walks

If it's your first visit, Parliament Hill is the obvious walk to build around. At roughly 98 metres high, its open summit gives you the Heath's best-known panorama over London, with St Paul's Cathedral, the Shard and the towers of Canary Wharf visible on a clear day.

From Hampstead Heath Overground, the route is straightforward:

1. Leave the station and cross East Heath Road into Parliament Hill Fields.

2. Keep the Hampstead Ponds to your left and follow the main path north-east.

3. Climb across the open grassland towards Parliament Hill.

4. Allow around 20 minutes for the roughly 1 km walk to the summit, though you'll probably take longer if you stop along the way.

You don't need to turn around once you've seen the view. Parliament Hill works better as one stage of a longer walk.

For a longer route, continue north through the woodland east of the Hampstead Ponds towards Kenwood House. It's roughly 2 km from Hampstead Heath station to Kenwood and takes around 30 to 40 minutes at a steady pace. Return through West Heath and you've got a loop of approximately 4 km.

If you'd rather wander than follow a landmark-to-landmark route, head west. West Heath and Sandy Heath are denser and less heavily trodden than the open ground around Parliament Hill, with veteran oak and beech among the older woodland.

There's history underfoot too. The Tumulus on Parliament Hill, traditionally called Boudica's Mound, was excavated in 1894 and found to contain no burial. Its date remains disputed and it's fenced, so it's something to notice in passing rather than another stop to build the walk around.

Most paths on the Heath are unsurfaced. After autumn rain, mud becomes part of the experience, particularly once you're away from the busier routes. Walking boots or sturdy shoes are a better bet than trainers if the ground has been wet.

Kenwood House and the north side of the Heath

Kenwood House gives you a very different version of Hampstead Heath. It sits on the northern edge, where landscaped grounds replace some of the rougher woodland and open heath you've crossed to reach it.

English Heritage manages the house, and entry is free. Inside, the Iveagh Bequest includes Rembrandt's late self-portrait and Vermeer's The Guitar Player. It's a substantial collection to find in the middle of a walk rather than somewhere that feels like an obligatory museum detour.

There's a café and toilets on site, making Kenwood a useful turning point if you've crossed the Heath from the south. If the weather turns, it can just as easily become the main event.

The estate grounds slope towards the ponds and are more deliberately landscaped than the core Heath. Kenwood doesn't share the Heath's unrestricted opening hours, though. Its gates close around dusk, with closing times changing through the year.

If you've still got some walking in you, West Heath leads towards the Hill Garden and Pergola. The elevated Edwardian walkway looks out across the treetops and feels a long way from the open ground around Parliament Hill. Like Kenwood, it has gates and closes overnight, so don't leave it until the end of the day without checking the current hours.

Where to eat around Hampstead Heath

Hampstead Heath is easy to build a meal into, with pubs, restaurants and a park café on the Heath's edge and in Hampstead village.

The Spaniards Inn sits on Spaniards Road, close to Kenwood House. It's one of London's best known pubs, with local stories linking it to Dick Turpin and John Keats. It's known for its Sunday roast, and it appeared in the latest Bridget Jones film, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, so the pub scenes may look familiar. Dogs are welcome in the bar.

The Flask on Flask Walk in Hampstead village is another pub known for its Sunday roast, and it's a pleasant stop at the end of a walk.

The Wells Tavern is a Hampstead pub serving European food, and a popular choice for lunch after a walk on the Heath.

Golders Hill Park Café sits at the top of Golders Hill Park, on the western side of the Heath, and serves hot and cold meals, snacks and drinks. It's a handy stop if you're visiting the park's flower garden and free zoo. The park closes at night, and dogs must be kept on a lead.

Bonoo Indian Tapas in Hampstead is a good option if you'd rather have dinner than pub food after a day outdoors. It serves Indian small plates and grills, and it's very highly rated by diners.

Opening hours vary, so check before you go, and it's worth booking ahead for Sunday lunch.

What else can you do on Hampstead Heath?

Walking, swimming and Kenwood can easily fill a day, but there's more around the edges if you're staying locally or coming back more than once.

• Sports: Parliament Hill's south-east corner has an athletics track, tennis courts, football and cricket pitches and an outdoor gym. Some facilities are bookable or pay-as-you-go through the City of London Corporation.

• For families: There are several playgrounds around the Heath, along with the model boating pond.

• Dogs: Dogs are generally allowed off lead across the open Heath, though conservation areas and places with grazing livestock may require leads. Follow the signs where restrictions apply.

• Wildlife: Keep an eye on the quieter woodland as you walk. Tawny owls and kingfishers have been recorded here, although what you'll probably notice first is how quickly the paths quieten once you leave the busiest entrances behind.

Practical things to know before you go

Hampstead Heath is unusually unrestricted for a green space of its size, but not every part follows the same rules.

• The core Heath is free, ungated and open 24 hours a day.

• Kenwood Estate, the Hill Garden and Pergola and Golders Hill Park have gates and close overnight.

• The Heath is unlit, so 24-hour access doesn't make an unfamiliar woodland route a particularly useful choice after dark.

• The swimming ponds and Parliament Hill Lido have their own opening hours and access arrangements.

• Some conservation areas restrict dog access or require dogs to be kept on leads.

• Highgate Wood, across Muswell Hill Road, is a separate City of London open space and isn't part of Hampstead Heath.

• Paths can become very muddy after rain, so dress for the ground you'll be walking on rather than the streets you left behind.

Where to stay around Hampstead Heath

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