Living in Muswell Hill

Muswell Hill is one of the most complete Edwardian suburbs in London. Almost all of it was built in a rapid burst in the years either side of 1900, so its central Broadway is lined with unusually grand parades of shops with ornate upper floors, and the streets around it are filled with large, well-built terraced and semi-detached houses on steep slopes.

Its setting is exceptional. Alexandra Palace and its park sit on the next hill to the east, with one of the best panoramic views over London, a boating lake, ice rink and a venue that hosts concerts and events. Highgate Wood and Queen's Wood are to the south-west, and Coldfall Wood to the north. Many streets have long views across the city.

Transport is the obvious weakness. The area lost its railway station decades ago and has no tube; getting anywhere usually starts with a bus to Highgate or East Finchley on the Northern line, to Bounds Green on the Piccadilly, or down to Finsbury Park. Alexandra Palace station, on the Great Northern line, is at the bottom of the hill. Journeys into central London are rarely quick, and the hills make cycling hard work.

In return, residents get space, quiet and a strong local centre: independent shops, cafés, restaurants and a cinema on the Broadway, and some of the most sought-after state schools in north London. That makes the area strongly family-oriented, with a settled population and a rental market dominated by flats in converted houses and whole family homes rather than house shares. Evenings are calm. Muswell Hill suits people who work flexibly or locally, or who will accept a longer commute for greenery, well-built homes and a village atmosphere.