This walk is beautiful all year round
At first glance, a cemetery might not seem like the best place for a spring stroll – but Highgate Cemetery stands as one of London’s top visitor attractions, making it a great location for a picturesque walk all year round. Particularly when combined with a stop at a top-rated pub, it’s the perfect place to get your steps in this weekend.
With its historic gravestones covered in snaking vines and greenery, Highgate Cemetery is as atmospheric as it gets. While the graveyard might be a celebration of the dead, it’s also abundant with life, its trees providing sanctuary to countless birds, butterflies, badgers and foxes.
This easy walk takes visitors past the final resting places of many notable figures. With 17,000 burial plots, not all spaces are occupied. The most renowned resident is arguably Karl Marx, whose grave features an imposing statue of the philosopher, which has withstood attempts over the years to destroy it with explosives.
Several literary icons are also buried here, including George Eliot, Christina Rossetti and Douglas Adams. Highgate Cemetery additionally contains the remains of defected Russian spy and high-profile murder victim Alexander Litvinenko, buried in a lead-lined coffin to prevent radioactive contamination. You’ll also spot the grave of Victorian pugilist Thomas Sayers, featuring his faithful dog sculptured on top, keeping eternal watch over his master.
Bear in mind to enter the cemetery visitors are required to pay a £10 fee (£5 for children aged 8-17). You can purchase a ticket in advance on the Highgate Cemetery website, and last entry is at 4:30pm each day.
After exploring the grounds, you’ll no doubt fancy a drink. Luckily, The Flask, a nearby 17th-century pub, comes highly recommended – and it has the perfect beer garden for a pint in the sunshine. On chilly, wet days, head inside and warm yourself in front of the pub’s beautiful open fireplace.
Legend has it that the pub is home to the ghost of a Spanish barmaid who died there and a male spectre dressed in Cavalier uniform. Beyond encountering the spirits yourself, it serves as an excellent stopping point for a delicious pub lunch and revitalising pint. Sunday roasts are also available, making it a wonderful end to a weekend walk.
One regular remarked on TripAdvisor: “This has always been a favourite of mine for many years and still is. Amazing service and food in the perfect setting.” Another was less impressed by the price, yet nonetheless approved of the spot, observing: “Go for the location not the food!”
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