Living in Archway

Archway takes its name from the bridge that carries Hornsey Lane over the deep cutting of Archway Road, and it sits at the foot of Highgate Hill where several main roads meet. For years its centre was a hostile traffic gyratory; that has been removed and replaced by Navigator Square, a pedestrianised public space, and the tower above the station has been converted into flats.

The area is a good base for exploring north London's hills and green spaces. Highgate Hill climbs steeply north past the Whittington Hospital, a major local employer, and a statue of Dick Whittington's cat, towards Waterlow Park and Highgate Village. Hampstead Heath is a walk or short bus ride to the west, and the Parkland Walk and the two ancient woods beyond Highgate lie north-east.

Housing includes Victorian terraces and conversions, large council estates, mansion blocks and new-build flats near the station, with quieter conservation areas around Whitehall Park and towards Dartmouth Park. Because rents undercut Highgate, Kentish Town and Tufnell Park, the area draws young professionals, hospital staff, couples and sharers.

Archway station is on the Northern line's High Barnet branch, reaching the City in around fifteen minutes and the West End via Camden; buses run in all directions along Holloway Road, Junction Road and Archway Road. The local high street has cafés, pubs, restaurants and shops, and Junction Road and Tufnell Park nearby add more choice, but evenings are generally low-key. Archway suits people who want a tube line, lower rents and quick access to Highgate and the Heath, and who can tolerate busy roads and a centre that is still gradually improving.