Visit Highgate Wood
Highgate Wood is a beautiful 70-acre ancient woodland in North London, operated as a Charity (Charity No. 232986), offering a rich mix of wildlife, heritage and community spaces. With its diverse woodland habitat, popular café with terrace, large playground, and well‑used sports field, it provides a peaceful escape for families, walkers and nature lovers alike.
As a designated Green Flag and Green Heritage Site, Highgate Wood is home to a wide variety of birds, bats, moths, fungi and historic features, making it a destination for those seeking nature, biodiversity and outdoor recreation in London.
Closure due to high winds
Highgate Wood contains ancient woodland and lots of old trees. If wind speeds are forecast to be 37mph or above, the Wood may need to be closed for safety reasons and at short notice. We will update social media with any planned closures wherever possible.
Exploring Highgate Wood
Their are waymarking signposts in the Wood but you can also find your way around with our map or by using what3words (see links below).
Follow our self guided historic trail to learn more about the history of the Wood.
Public transport
Highgate Wood is connected to public transport by Highgate Station (5 minute walk away) on the Northern Line, as well as by several bus routes including the 43, 134 and the 234.
Visit TfL's Journey Planner to plan your trip.
Parking
Highgate Wood doesn't have a car park. There are two bays for blue badge holders within the Wood, near the café. ///novel.successes.wings
Entrance for cars with blue badges, is the Onslow Gate. ///strike.closer.finely
Limited street parking is available in the surrounding area with restrictions.
- Highgate Wood is an ancient woodland and while some of the paths are tarmacked, others are rough unmade paths which can be muddy in wet weather.
- There are two wheelchair accessible toilets in the Wood. One is by the playground and is 1.9 by 1.65m in dimension (what3words location: ///song.towns.wiser)and one is by the café and is 2.5m by 2.5m in dimension (what3words location: ///award.sheep.accent). Both are accessible with a Radar key.
| Location | what3words address |
|---|---|
| Café, toilets and changing rooms | ///clubs.cool.scouts |
| Drinking fountain | ///music.agrees.useful |
| Playground | ///even.hush.civil |
| Sports ground | ///rushed.orange.news |
| Toilets | ///calls.client.scrap |
| Information hut | ///shares.ranges.young |
Cycling
As stated in our byelaws, and in order to protect the ancient woodland, cycling is not permitted anywhere in Highgate Wood.
Update on the Café
A competitive re-tendering process for the North London Open Spaces cafés, including the Highgate Wood café, was conducted at the end of 2025. Find out further information about the tender process.
Temporary closure of the Information Hut
From Monday 13 April, the Information Hut is close for approximately 8 to 10 weeks while the roof is replaced.