Kenwood - Cozy but Grand

The clear highlight of a day in and around Kenwood is Kenwood House itself. It is a white stucco mansion set at the head of Hampstead Heath that holds an impressive collection of paintings (highlights for me being Rembrandt and Vermeer and some great Gainsborough animal pictures). The collection is quite small, the house never seems to be crowded, and entry is free. In the grounds outside, some large Henry Moore sculptures lurk in the Hampstead Heath undergrowth.

In the summer months, light-classical concerts are held by the lake in front of Kenwood. They are sometimes very popular, and being outside with a picnic on a summer evening, listening to the music (and the dogs and the ducks), can be very pleasant. A highlight for us has been to walk through the more open parts of Hampstead Heath afterwards – there are plenty of fellow concert-goers doing the same thing – and to enjoy the trees and the meadows in the moonlight.

Kenwood is not served directly by the Underground, and walking there through Hampstead Heath is a pleasant alternative to catching a bus from the Underground station. We like to walk there for breakfast on a Saturday morning, and the Brew House next to Kenwood House is a great venue for this. Sitting there among the flowers and the birds and the happy families and their dogs is really hard to beat. This is very highly recommended.

There are a couple of historic pubs near Kenwood. The Spaniards Inn claims Dick Turpin connections and is also a great place to meet before (or after or during) energetic strolling around Kenwood and Hampstead Heath. While The Old Bull and Bush downplays any historic features, it also offers a good target for a brief stroll through the Heath from the Spaniards Inn.

Quick Tips:

If you’re going to a Kenwood outdoor concert, take a picnic and an extra sweater. Also consider sitting in the free "seats" (on the grass) – the view is not great, but you can still see the fireworks at the end. If you want to pay to sit in a deckchair with a view, it is worth booking in advance. The open-air concert schedule can be found at the "music on a summer evening" website.

Kenwood is a great place for a day out with children. There is plenty of space in the grounds to run around, covered passages to run through, and low trees to climb on. While the Kenwood lake is purely decorative – no swimming, no boats – there are herons and ducks to admire and feed. Bring old bread if you want to do this.

At busy times – such as after Kenwood concerts – getting to and from Kenwood by bus can take longer than you expect. Prepare to have to wait a bit for the crowds of fellow bus-users to thin out. Alternatively, wait a bit longer by wandering over to the Spaniards for a drink.

Best Way To Get Around:

While it is not possible to get all the way to Kenwood on the London Underground, there are several interesting alternatives.

The most direct route is to take the Northern Line of the Underground to Golders Green station (about 30 minutes from Leicester Square) and then catch the no. 210 bus towards Highgate. Go about 10 stops (past the Old Bull and Bush and then the Spaniards Inn) and get off at the Kenwood stop.

If you would like to walk a bit, take the Underground to Hampstead (one stop before Golders Green) and then walk about 1km through Hampstead Heath to Kenwood.

As an alternative to the Underground, busses nos. 168 and 24 go through central London to the southern edge of Hampstead Heath ("South End Green"). From there it is about a 3km walk to Kenwood.

A map is helpful in navigating your way through Hampstead Heath.

Near Kenwood, where Spaniards Road squeezes between two woody parts of Hampstead Heath, is the wonderful old Spaniards’ Pub. Among other distinctions, it claims to be the possible birthplace of Dick Turpin, and it is a great place to relax after an hour or two on Hampstead Heath or a visit to Kenwood.

We visited the Spaniards’ on a cold Monday evening in December. The pub was almost empty, and we had no problem finding a comfortable spot near the roaring fire (using real wood) downstairs. A matador looked down on us, and there were plenty of other references to Spaniards (and to Dick Turpin) in the decor. The low wood-beamed ceilings, the small rooms leading off the main bar, and the dark wooden floors all contributed to the very cozy ambience. We found it to be a great place to sit and thaw out and contemplate the menu. The menu is strong on traditional favourites – Henry’s "bangers and mash" (£7.50) hit the spot and the generous size of the steak roll with fries (£7) was enough for the two of us. Both meals were definitely "hearty," if not particularly interesting. To drink, there is a good range of beers on tap. We paid with our AMEX card.

The Spaniards’ was certainly not full when we were there, but we saw signs asking people to share tables when things are busy. It is in a great location for visits to Kenwood (or as a meeting place before the open-air concerts in front of Kenwood in the summer). There is also an extensive outdoor seating area out the back – used as a Christmas tree sales lot in December – that looks to be pleasantly woodsy when the weather is warm.

A unique feature of the Spaniards’ (in my experience) is the high-tech dog wash that it has out near the garden tables. It is all clean and shiny and really does look like a small car wash. It wasn’t in operation when we were there, but I would love to see the before and after pictures of its clients.

Like Kenwood, the Spaniards’ is not particularly accessible by public transport – but it is a great place to walk to through the friendly wilds of Hampstead Heath. To get there by public transport, take the Underground to Golders Green station (in zone 2, on the Edgeware branch of the Northern line), and then take the no. 210 bus for about 10 stops in the direction of Highgate (get off just before the Kenwood stop). Alternatively, take the Underground to Hampstead station and then walk the 1km through Hampstead Heath to the pub. Print out this map to help with directions.

The Old Bull and Bush sits on the edge of Hampstead Heath and across the road from the Golder’s Hill park. We had planned to go there for a late Saturday lunch and to then head on through the Heath to Kenwood.

We visited the Old Bull and Bush during a cold and drizzly February lunchtime. We had children with us, and so we headed for the large and airy no-smoking room on the side of the pub. There were a couple of other large family parties having lunch there, and we found a table in one of the large window alcoves. We could watch the drizzle coming down outside, and I could also watch the televised rugby out of the corner of my eye.

We ordered food from the main bar (American Express is accepted), and our burgers and sandwiches arrived just as hungry impatience was setting in. My burger (£7) was unexceptional, but it did come in a great big fresh rustic bun and the fried potatoes were crunchy. Tina enjoyed her steak sandwich (£4.50), and the "bangers on mash" on special looked good.

The Old Bull and Bush has apparently been recently refurbished. There are plenty of comfy chairs and wooden floors and possibly a couple of the old beams still in place. It certainly does not feel "old," and is definitely not as atmospheric as the Spaniards’ Inn down the road. We found it to be a good place for an indoors cold-weather, all-ages lunchtime, but would not recommend it to anyone looking for a special atmosphere or personality.

After our leisurely lunch, we headed off in the general direction of Hampstead Heath and Kenwood. However, the cold and drizzle led us to lower our ambitions, and we headed off to the no. 210 bus stop instead. Once there, we lowered our sights further and took the no. 268 bus into Hampstead from the same stop.

We would recommend the Old Bull and Bush to families, or to people looking for a drink at the end of some activity on Hampstead Heath (it is about a half-hour dawdle through the heath from Kenwood). In good weather, it has what looks like a pleasant outdoor area, and the Golder’s Hill park across the road offers a small zoo and other attractions for children.

The Kenwood Brew House is a casual restaurant attached to the side of Kenwood House. We visited the Brew House on a Saturday morning in December, having enjoyed the 3km amble through Hampstead Heath from the bus stop at South End Green. The route we took led through trees and grassy meadows, and we were able to look back on some great vistas of London. We also passed the Kenwood "ladies’ pond." The ladies’ pond is open to women only, is open during daylight hours throughout the year, and is free to use. (Hampstead Heath also has mixed and men-only bathing ponds).

When we reached the Brew House, we were definitely ready for breakfast (served from 9 to 11:30am), despite not having gone for a swim en route. I tucked into an "English" breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage, and tomato, while Tina went for a couple of croissants and coffee. It was too early for champagne or beers (although they are on sale), and we wanted more than the cold sandwiches, which are also on offer. We found a table in the outside eating area – among the shrubs, squirrels, and friendly robins and blackbirds – and watched happy families enjoying themselves. There were lots of toddlers running around and generally having fun. No dogs in this area – they and their owners have their own very pleasant spot in front of the building.

Having fuelled up at the Brew House, we were set to wander around to the other side of Kenwood House to stroll among the paintings.

TIPS

The Brew House opens at 9am. There is also an indoor eating area at the Brew House that is warmer than the outside and a good place to read the newspaper if it is windy, with plenty of high chairs available.

It is easy (and not particularly unpleasant) to take the wrong path in Hampstead Heath. Print out this map before you go. Wear good walking shoes.

The Brew House can be very popular, particularly on weekends when the weather is good. There may be a long queue in the corridor when you arrive – this queue is for hot food, and you can skip the queue if you only want drinks or sandwiches. We paid with our VISA card.

It is possible to reach Kenwood House (and the Brew House) without walking too far. Take the London Underground to the Golders Green station (zone 2 of the Northern Line, about 30 minutes from Leicester Square). From there, take the no. 210 bus about 10 stops in the direction of Highgate. Get off at the Kenwood stop and walk about 400m to Kenwood House.

Kenwood House is a white stucco mansion that occupies a wonderful position at the head of Hampstead Heath. It houses a medium-sized collection of paintings, with a good representation of big names (Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Reynolds) among them. In the grounds outside, there are a couple of large Henry Moore sculptures among the trees and bushes, and outdoor light-classical music concerts are held by the Kenwood lake in the summer.

We visited Kenwood on a Saturday morning after having walked through Hampstead Heath and having had a leisurely brunch at the Kenwood Brew House. It was a beautiful, clear winter’s day, and white Kenwood glowed among the greens of Hampstead Heath. Tina avoided the gift shop and enjoyed the view over Hampstead from the sun room. I wandered among the small collection for about half an hour, enjoying the mellow morning and low-key and relaxed atmosphere. Having just walked through Hampstead Heath, the large Gainsborough of dogs chasing a fox was definitely in tune with the bushy heathland that surrounds the Kenwood grounds.

In addition to the art on the walls, the beautifully painted library is a highlight. It includes some ingenious tables-cum-ladders to reach the higher shelves, and I could happily have sat there for an hour or two with the latest Harry Potter.

Afterwards, wandering around outside Kenwood among the strollers with their dogs, it was quite easy to imagine that we were actually far from the centre of London. It is a real gem in the middle of a little bit of English countryside and a great and easily reachable slice of more rural England near to the heart of the big city.

TIPS

Entrance to Kenwood is free.

If you are driving to Kenwood with elderly or infirm people, it is possible to drive right up to the entrance to let them off.

Hours: 10am to 5pm (April to October), 10am to 4pm (November to March), and from 10:30am on Wednesdays and Fridays. There is plenty of space (and a couple of leafy tunnels and low-slung tree branches) for children to cavort on outside.

Download this Hampstead Heath map if you choose to walk through the Heath to Kenwood

This is the Kenwood homepage . Besides opening times, it also has details of occasional events at Kenwood.

You can check on the Kenwood concert schedule and buy tickets at this website .