The Heath: My Year on Hampstead Heath

An engaging and supremely well-observed portrait of Hampstead Heath – a place rich not just in natural wonders but in history and monuments, emotions and memories, people and places. The eight hundred acres of Hampstead Heath lie just four miles from central London. And yet unlike the manicured inner-city parks, it feels like the countryside: it has hills and lakes, wild spots and tame spots. You can spend three hours walking round it – and only ever cross one road. Hunter Davies has lived within a stone’s throw of Hampstead Heath for nearly sixty years and has walked on it nearly every day of his London life. In The Heath, he records his walks over one year, season by season. Visiting all parts of the Heath, from Kenwood House to its four public swimming places, Davies talks to the diverse array of individuals who frequent it: regulars, visitors, dog walkers; top athletes on the racetrack; famous faces having their morning stroll. This is an affectionate portrait of one of London’s – and the world’s – iconic urban green spaces.