Tiger and friends enjoy a walk on Hampstead Heath (picture heavy)

[DocsDoctor]

I lead walks every month for a local women's group and yesterday eleven of us travelled up on the train to visit Hampstead Heath.  We had four dogs along too: Tiger, a spaniel boy, and two pretty shaggy lurcher girls.  I've known the Heath since I was a girl; it's owned by the City of London and sits just four miles above the West End,  but is huge (800 acres), still very wild in places, and most picturesque. It was a lovely sunny morning, fortunately, and we enjoyed doing a circuit of about four miles, heading up from the bottom past ancient Ken Wood:

There is a statue by Henry Moore at the top, located at a viewpoint looking back down over the Heath, with the trees coming into autumn colour:

 

Nearby is Kenwood House, which  is C18 and contains some fabulous paintings, as well as having a beautiful setting. Yesterday we only walked past the outside,  however; Tiger and I are just about visible at the front:

Then back downhill, on the other side of the Heath. Here is one of the ponds below the house. Further down there are some more big natural ponds where you can swim (brrr!); all are fed by springs that rise at the top of the Heath.

 

A view from Parliament Hill over towards Highgate:

 

At the bottom we stopped off for coffee at one of the Heath's cafes, then caught another train home. Humans and dogs were all tired but happy; Tiger was hoping to stretch out on the carriage floor, but as the train was crowded he had to settle for leaning on one of his lurcher girlfriends, instead!

How patient she is being! And don't their different coat types look nice together? 

 

Thanks for looking!

 

[EllenEveBaz]

How beautiful!  Just by the name, I've always thought of Hampstead Heath as more naturally country but your walk seems to be in the more manicured parts.  I went down the click here rabbit hole and got interested in reading about the mixed race woman who lived in the house in the 1700s.  

Now -- the dogs.  Yes, can just see Tiger's skinny brindle butt in the picture in front of the house.  And the different colors and textures of the picture of Tiger and lurcher are gorgeous.  On the left in the Henry Moore statue picture -- is that a different lurcher, or a deerhound with an attempt at a poodle cut?  

[Remolacha]

What a beautiful walk! And I know I have said this before, but I am so envious of you being able to take your dog places on the train.

[DocsDoctor]

23 minutes ago, EllenEveBaz said:

How beautiful!  Just by the name, I've always thought of Hampstead Heath as more naturally country but your walk seems to be in the more manicured parts.  I went down the click here rabbit hole and got interested in reading about the mixed race woman who lived in the house in the 1700s.  

Now -- the dogs.  Yes, can just see Tiger's skinny brindle butt in the picture in front of the house.  And the different colors and textures of the picture of Tiger and lurcher are gorgeous.  On the left in the Henry Moore statue picture -- is that a different lurcher, or a deerhound with an attempt at a poodle cut?  

Yes, the area round Kenwood is essentially a landscape garden, much more manicured; other areas like the woods we walked up through look much wilder, not that different from when Constable painted them back in the C18. Though it is all very carefully preserved and managed, of course. The City of London are good landlords, and Hampstead is a posh rich area whose residents would kick up no end of a stink if anything inappropriate was proposed! 

That's actually the same lurcher in the last picture and on the left of the Henry Moore - she's a rescue, had been found abandoned so one can only speculate as to her breeding - maybe Whirrier (Bedlington terrier x whippet, favoured for rabbiting) but she's a bit big. The second lurcher is again a rescue and good about recall so was bombing around offlead most of the time, together with the spaniel. She is visible from behind in the first pic and to the right outside Kenwood House. She too is grey and shaggy, with dark lines around her eyes that look as if they have been applied using kohl - very glamorous! 

[DocsDoctor]

26 minutes ago, Remolacha said:

What a beautiful walk! And I know I have said this before, but I am so envious of you being able to take your dog places on the train.

Indeed, we are most fortunate. All my greyhounds have always enjoyed it too, because so many people will come up and make a fuss of them.  Tiger always gets really excited when he sees me put on my walking boots, and then again when we start heading to the station - knows some kind of special fun expedition is in prospect

[Jerilyn]

What a lovely day! But can't believe someone wouldn't give up their seat on the train for a poor tired houndie. 

[Potomacpupsmom]

Beautiful pictures of a beautiful place!   I really like the picture of Tiger and the lurcher too! 

[BatterseaBrindl]

Lovely... both the scenery and the dogs  

Thanks for sharing!

[spottydog]

Enjoyed ‘walking’ with you!

[LBass]

What a lovely outing in a beautiful place.  Thank you for taking us along with your photos.  Tiger and his lurcher buddy make a stunning picture. 

[palmettobug]

When I make it back to London, will you be my guide? I got to go up on the Heath when I was there in college, my Mom's friend lived in Kentish Town at the time.

My great grandparents lived right around the corner from Highgate Cemetery. That's another one on my list.

[DocsDoctor]

2 hours ago, palmettobug said:

When I make it back to London, will you be my guide? I got to go up on the Heath when I was there in college, my Mom's friend lived in Kentish Town at the time.

My great grandparents lived right around the corner from Highgate Cemetery. That's another one on my list.

Tiger and I will look forward to it! And yes, you should definitely visit Highgate Cemetery - very grand, if creepy. No dogs permitted, alas: website.