Let’s be honest about this one before you commit: every other GoZoom route is flat. This one isn’t. Hampstead Heath sits on a genuine hill, and by the time you reach Kenwood House you will have climbed the better part of 100 metres from the Thames. On a normal cargo bike, loaded with two kids and a picnic, that climb would be miserable. On an electric one, it’s a non-event — you twist the throttle, the motor does the arithmetic, and you arrive at the top mildly smug instead of drenched in sweat. This is the route where the battery earns its keep.

What’s at the top is worth every metre of climb: a wild, sprawling heath with kite-flying skies, a proper adventure playground, wild swimming for the kids old enough for it, and a stately home with a free Rembrandt hanging in the drawing room.

Before you roll

• Distance: roughly 14–16km round trip from Mayfair, with genuine hills on the Heath itself — not a route for tired legs at the end of the day.
• Timing: a full morning or full afternoon works well; the Heath rewards unhurried wandering more than a tick-list.
• Bathing ponds: the Hampstead Heath swimming ponds only admit children aged 8 and over, and under-16s must be accompanied by an adult and pass a swim test. Under-8s, including babies, aren’t permitted anywhere in the bathing pond enclosures — plan on the ponds being a spectator activity for younger families. Payment at the ponds is cashless.
• Kenwood House: entry is free, and booking a free ticket online in advance guarantees you a slot at busy times.

Up to South End Green

~25–30 minutes from Mayfair

The ride north is the easy part — up through Regent’s Park or Camden, then the long, steady drag up towards Hampstead. This is where the motor does its job. Save your legs; you’ll want them for wandering once you’re there.

Parliament Hill: playground, paddling pool, and the best free view in London

~5 minutes further

Parliament Hill Fields has a proper playground right at the foot of the hill, next to the athletics track, with a paddling pool alongside it for hot days and a cradle swing built for children with mobility needs. No booking, no fee — just turn up.

Then climb the hill itself. It’s short, but it’s a genuine hill, and the reward at the top is one of London’s great protected views: the skyline laid out from the City to Canary Wharf, with St Paul’s dome unmistakable in the middle distance. On a breezy day this is also the best kite-flying spot in London — bring one, or watch everyone else’s.

The bathing ponds: swimming for the over-8s

~10 minutes across the Heath

The Heath’s bathing ponds are one of London’s stranger and more wonderful institutions — open-air swimming in what is, genuinely, a pond, not a pool. The Mixed Pond is the one most families head for, but the age rules are real and enforced: nobody under 8 is allowed in the pond or its enclosure, and anyone under 16 needs an accompanying adult and has to pass a swim test first. If your children are younger, treat this as a good spot to sit on the grass and watch the more confident swimmers — it’s still a lovely place to be.

Kenwood House: a free Rembrandt at the end of the climb

~10 minutes further

Kenwood House sits at the northern edge of the Heath, a white Georgian mansion surrounded by 112 acres of parkland designed by Humphry Repton. The genuinely remarkable part: it’s free to go in, and inside hangs Rembrandt’s Self-Portrait with Two Circles alongside works by Vermeer, Gainsborough, Turner and Constable — a serious art collection with no ticket barrier at all. Book a free timed slot online if you’re going at a weekend, purely to guarantee entry.

The grounds are the real family draw, though: wide lawns for running, a lake with a view back towards the house, and enough open space that nobody needs to stay quiet.

The loop at a glance

Stop	Highlight	Notes
Ride to South End Green	The climb — let the motor do the work	Genuine hills, unlike other GoZoom routes
Parliament Hill playground	Playground, paddling pool, cradle swing	Free, no booking
Parliament Hill summit	Protected skyline view, kite flying	Free
Hampstead Heath bathing ponds	Wild swimming	Ages 8+ only; under-16s need an adult and a swim test
Kenwood House	Free Rembrandt, Vermeer, Turner; 112 acres of parkland	Free entry; book online to guarantee a slot

Total distance: 14–16km round trip. Genuinely hilly — the reason this route exists on an electric bike and not a normal one.

Frequently asked questions

Can children swim in the Hampstead Heath ponds?

Only children aged 8 and over are permitted at the bathing ponds, and anyone under 16 must be accompanied by an adult and pass a swim test. Under-8s, including babies, aren’t allowed anywhere within the pond enclosures, including the surrounding meadow areas.

Is Kenwood House free to visit?

Yes. Entry to Kenwood House, including its art collection of works by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Turner and Gainsborough, is free. Booking a timed ticket online in advance is recommended at busy times to guarantee entry.

Is Hampstead Heath suitable for a family cargo bike ride?

Yes, but it’s genuinely hilly, unlike most central London family routes. An electric-assist cargo bike handles the climb easily; a standard bike loaded with children and gear would be hard going.

Is there a playground on Hampstead Heath?

Yes — the Parliament Hill playground sits at the foot of the hill next to the athletics track, with an adjoining paddling pool and an inclusive cradle swing. It’s free and open with no booking required.

Photo: Kenwood House by TheFrog001 (CC0) via Wikimedia Commons.

Fancy trying it yourself?

We hire electric family cargo bikes from Mayfair — genuinely the only sensible way to do this particular hill with kids on board. Book your ride on gozoom.uk and we’ll get you rolling.

If you make it to the top without pedalling once, we won’t tell anyone.