Twenty of us assembled at Hampstead Station on a sunny but cold morning, preparing to alleviate any excessive indulgence during the Xmas festivities. Our route initially took us through quaint back streets which included the modernist house of the architect Enzo Goldfinger, reputedly the inspiration for a James Bond villain. We crossed over to the Heath and walked to the Hampstead Ponds which were dug in the 17th and 18th centuries to provide drinking water for Londoners. They are fed by the Hampstead Brook which downstream becomes the River Fleet. Walking between them, we then climbed up Parliament Hill to enjoy wide-ranging views of the London skyline. A steepish descent brought us to the Highgate Ponds fed by another arm of the River Fleet. We ambled alongside them until we reached the entrance to the Kenwood grounds and the fine 17th Century house, transformed by Robert Adam into a neo-classical villa. Here we stopped for refreshments before walking past different elements of a Xmas light trail. Entering the heath again, we walked down to the Vale of Health, a small enclave of houses which became fashionable in the 19th Century when the marsh here was drained. Finally we crossed into the Hampstead back streets again before some of us headed for the station and others enjoyed alcoholic refreshment in the Flask pub!

Danny
Photos courtesy of Chris Maslen, Ida Kwan and Nita Patel