PLEASE NOTE THAT WEEKDAYS TOURS SHOULD ALWAYS BE BOOKED TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT.
TOURS AT THE WEEKEND ARE FIRST COME FIRST SERVED AND THEREFORE CANNOT BE BOOKED.
By Underground
From London, take the Northern Line (High Barnet branch) to Archway (not Highgate). On leaving the station, you can take a short bus ride up to Highgate village or turn left and walk up Highgate Hill (which is very steep), past the Whittington Hospital until you get to St Joseph’s Church (obvious by its large green copper dome). Enter Waterlow Park on your left and go downhill across the park (past the duck ponds) to the Swain's Lane exit (below the tennis courts). The walk can take upto 40 minutes depending on your speed.
Going back towards London on the Northern Line, you can take either the Charing Cross branch (via the West End) or the Bank branch (via the City).
PLEASE NOTE - Currently there a number of weekends when Archway station is closed for essential maintenance work. Please check with Transport For London (click 'Useful Links' on the left of this page) when planning your journey.
Alternative stations are Tufnell Park and Highgate.
From Highgate station, take the Archway Road exit, cross Archway Road and walk up Jacksons Lane or Southwood Lane to Highgate village. Turn left and ask for Swain's Lane. Walk down Swain's Lane to the cemetery gates.
From Tufnell Park station, cross at the traffic lights onto Dartmouth Park Hill (past the Boston Arms pub on your right) and walk up the hill until you reach Chester Road on your left. Turn into Chester Road and follow it until it meets Swain's Lane. Turn right up Swain's Lane until you reach the cemetery gates.
By Bus
There are a range of bus services:
The 271 route starts at Liverpool Street and ends in Highgate Village, going via Holloway and Archway.
The 214 route also starts at Liverpool Street and ends at Highgate Village, going via Islington, Kings Cross and Camden Town
The C2 route starts at Victoria Station and ends at Parliament Hill Fields (at the bottom end of Swains Lane), going via Green Park, Oxford Circus and Camden Town.
From the centre of Highgate village, turn down Swains Lane. It's a 6 minute walk. From the bottom of Swain's Lane, head uphill for about 10 minutes.
By Taxi
Getting a taxi to the cemetery is straightforward but it can be difficult to find one heading back into London (the best option is from Highgate High Street). It is advisable to book a return taxi.
By Car
Part of Swain's Lane is one-way heading north (uphill) so you are advised to avoid turning into Swain's Lane from Highgate Village. There is no parking at the Cemetery (other than for Blue Badge holders) and parking on local streets can be difficult, with most of the surrounding area covered by controlled parking ones. There are some 'pay and display' bays on Swain's Lane and in Highgate village. If you chose to drive, check the parking regulations carefully as parking wardens are very active in the area.
Bicycle
There is a bicycle rack available outside the West Cemetery gates where visitors are welcome to leave their bicycles. We regret that this is at their own risk and the Cemetery accepts no resposibility for damage howsoever caused. Cycles are NOT allowed on either side of the Cemetery.
Going on to Hampstead Heath or Kenwood
It is possible to walk to Hampstead Heath from the cemetery. Turn down Swain's Lane, following the road to a roundabout with Highgate West Hill. Parliament Hill Fields and Hampstead Heath are just beyond the roundabout to the right. From there it is possible to walk to Hampstead Village and Kenwood across the Heath, but for the less energetic the 210 bus from Highgate Village goes to Hampstead Village via Kenwood. For the more energetic, this route is also walkable.
Refreshments
Highgate High Street has a variety of coffee shops, pubs and restaurants.
Lauderdale House (across Waterlow Park and near St Joseph’s Church) has a café, as does the park itself.
There are a number of attractive shops, cafés and restaurants at the bottom of Swain's Lane, near Parliament Hill Fields.
PLEASE NOTE THAT WEEKDAYS TOURS SHOULD ALWAYS BE BOOKED TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT.
TOURS AT THE WEEKEND ARE FIRST COME FIRST SERVED AND THEREFORE CANNOT BE BOOKED.
By Underground
From London, take the Northern Line (High Barnet branch) to Archway (not Highgate). On leaving the station, you can take a short bus ride up to Highgate village or turn left and walk up Highgate Hill (which is very steep), past the Whittington Hospital until you get to St Joseph’s Church (obvious by its large green copper dome). Enter Waterlow Park on your left and go downhill across the park (past the duck ponds) to the Swain's Lane exit (below the tennis courts). The walk can take upto 40 minutes depending on your speed.
Going back towards London on the Northern Line, you can take either the Charing Cross branch (via the West End) or the Bank branch (via the City).
PLEASE NOTE - Currently there a number of weekends when Archway station is closed for essential maintenance work. Please check with Transport For London (click 'Useful Links' on the left of this page) when planning your journey.
Alternative stations are Tufnell Park and Highgate.
From Highgate station, take the Archway Road exit, cross Archway Road and walk up Jacksons Lane or Southwood Lane to Highgate village. Turn left and ask for Swain's Lane. Walk down Swain's Lane to the cemetery gates.
From Tufnell Park station, cross at the traffic lights onto Dartmouth Park Hill (past the Boston Arms pub on your right) and walk up the hill until you reach Chester Road on your left. Turn into Chester Road and follow it until it meets Swain's Lane. Turn right up Swain's Lane until you reach the cemetery gates.
By Bus
There are a range of bus services:
The 271 route starts at Liverpool Street and ends in Highgate Village, going via Holloway and Archway.
The 214 route also starts at Liverpool Street and ends at Highgate Village, going via Islington, Kings Cross and Camden Town
The C2 route starts at Victoria Station and ends at Parliament Hill Fields (at the bottom end of Swains Lane), going via Green Park, Oxford Circus and Camden Town.
From the centre of Highgate village, turn down Swains Lane. It's a 6 minute walk. From the bottom of Swain's Lane, head uphill for about 10 minutes.
By Taxi
Getting a taxi to the cemetery is straightforward but it can be difficult to find one heading back into London (the best option is from Highgate High Street). It is advisable to book a return taxi.
By Car
Part of Swain's Lane is one-way heading north (uphill) so you are advised to avoid turning into Swain's Lane from Highgate Village. There is no parking at the Cemetery (other than for Blue Badge holders) and parking on local streets can be difficult, with most of the surrounding area covered by controlled parking ones. There are some 'pay and display' bays on Swain's Lane and in Highgate village. If you chose to drive, check the parking regulations carefully as parking wardens are very active in the area.
Bicycle
There is a bicycle rack available outside the West Cemetery gates where visitors are welcome to leave their bicycles. We regret that this is at their own risk and the Cemetery accepts no resposibility for damage howsoever caused. Cycles are NOT allowed on either side of the Cemetery.
Going on to Hampstead Heath or Kenwood
It is possible to walk to Hampstead Heath from the cemetery. Turn down Swain's Lane, following the road to a roundabout with Highgate West Hill. Parliament Hill Fields and Hampstead Heath are just beyond the roundabout to the right. From there it is possible to walk to Hampstead Village and Kenwood across the Heath, but for the less energetic the 210 bus from Highgate Village goes to Hampstead Village via Kenwood. For the more energetic, this route is also walkable.
Refreshments
Highgate High Street has a variety of coffee shops, pubs and restaurants.
Lauderdale House (across Waterlow Park and near St Joseph’s Church) has a café, as does the park itself.
There are a number of attractive shops, cafés and restaurants at the bottom of Swain's Lane, near Parliament Hill Fields.