I used to trespass there back in the late 1970's before it was opened up to the public and sadly some old signals and bits of mangled and twisted track were removed circa 1984. Also I walked through both tunnels when the fences were easy to simply climb over. The second much longer tunnel had track that suddenly had a third and forth rail halfway in! This was very scary and, with friends, we were very careful not to touch the middle or side rails only to find out that they were not connected to any supply and were therefore not live. That being said, the line does connect to live Northern Line track after the second tunnel, whereby we were chased away by London Underground staff! I was 14 years old at the time .... Thankfully I knew how the underground works even back then, and we were quite safe....

the tunnel being a bat sanctuary is very cool

Crouch End is the most easily seen station. THE PLATFORMS ARE STILL THERE!

I used to live right next to Parkland Walk in Muswell Hill, and my back garden went straight on to the walk. In fact, I would often get back home via Parkland walk and my garden if I forget my keys (or just wanted to have a more scenic walk home)! Unfortunately, the house was sold last year after my grandfather passed, whose house it was. Many good memories from that area.

Oh yes, I remember this video on Londonist! I really like this line alot, as it was supposed to be apart of the Northern line!

Parkland Walk is the one everyone has anticipated for!

Somebody I went to school with, Jonathan James, co-wrote an excellent book about this line called "Northern Wastes". Well worth a read if you can find a copy. Years ago, I managed to walk through the south tunnels and get onto the High Level platforms. I got caught by an LT staff member but rather than a clip round the ear I got a cup of tea and a guided tour instead.

Ah yes...The Boss of all disused railways. One of my favourite walks in London along with River Lea and Outer London Orbital path.

Yay! Another Day, Another video with Geoff and Victoria (in an Invisibility Cloak)!

A summer holiday in 1984 playing along it with bikes and friends. It was quiet and desolete. Everyday was warm and fun.

Thank you for bringing back memories for me. I lived 5 minutes from the old Crouch End station from 1996-2000, and regularly did the Parkland walk, including once late at night back from Finsbury Park when Sting was headlining a festival. You could have mentioned that the Railway Tavern used to be at Crouch End station and was moved down the road (I understand). Also, Bob Dylan stories abound in Crouch End...

Igrew up near cranley garden station in the early 1950s. Isaw steam trains in action on this line. This lead me on to a lifelong interest in trains,which in turn lead me onto a fifty year career on the railways

This is one of the best walks in terms of how many remnants remain.

Very interesting - one of my favourite disused railways! I've walked or cycled it numerous times.

That bridge over Stanhope Road (5:23) will soon need replacing, as hinted at by the slightly worrying looking industrial jack holding it up!

Thanks for re-igniting my fascination at trains Geoff

Always a joy to watch these videos. 😍🤗

Thanks so much for this. I lived for a time just off Stanhope Road and discovered it then c.1990. It's biggest appeal is being able to walk a good distance away from the traffic. Not many places offer that opportunity. I wouldn't be keen on all the joggers now who have taken over. On a walk I like to meander and trundle along with no particular place to be, but the footness brigade disrupt that vibe for me. As for the jogger with the buggy - no comment.

Great video! last walked along here in 2002. I should go and do it again sometime!

I walked this route with my wife and daughter last Sunday before I had ever discovered this wonderful set of videos. We walked it to check it out for a family walk for my 60th birthday at the end of this month as my father-in-law now uses a mobility scooter. I said I wanted to celebrate my big day with a family walk followed by a good old fashioned boozy pub lunch. Can't wait!

Thank you for this. I moved from N London and walking the old railway in part regularly (quite recently) it was wonderful walking with you in my mind through Highgate woods and Cranley Gardens tunnel to the best view bit- felt nostalgic and a little home sick. Will do it again someday with my dog I hope.

I absolutely love Parkland Walk! Living in Ally Pally, its a great space for a run or walk. Crouch End station definitely a highlight with the view from Muswell Hill too.

Once again, beautifully filmed!

Thank you for such a great video. A vivid fan of your KZfaq blog from country Georgia 🇬🇪

I use to play there as a kid in the late 70’s / early 80’s and would enter via Milton park N6. My friends and I created treehouses, tunnels and cycle tracks on the embankment which the council eventually ruined by installing steps. In 1977, the embankment caught fire. Privileged to have explored the tunnels and Highgate station.

"... you come out at Cranley Gardens." aaaaaaand, moving swiftly on >>>

Walked this today, absolutely brilliant!

This videos given me the impetus to get up early and do this walk before the I head down to the Emirates tomorrow. Looks a great way to work up an appetite for lunch at the Arsenal Cafe

Bonus facts: (inhales)... If you go to the West Side of Highgate Wood there is a green metal fence and a large gap between the fence and the houses. That gap is where the line used to run through Highgate Wood. The Highgate northern line depot is at the sight of the junction where the Alexandra Palace branch broke off. The sight of Cranley gardens station is now a school. At east finchley there are 4 platforms because the outer tracks are used by the northern line through trains but the centre tracks were used by trains going from central London to Edgware via Highgate using both the parkland walk line and the mill hill to Edgware line. (BTW I know all this because I'm a local and a nerd)

Yay! Another episode! Thanks Geoff for these, and what a way to end the series!

I remember walking along this line when it was an unofficial footpath in the late 1970s as a young kid. It had a bit of a reputation then for undesirables.

Been looking forward to this one, I grew up at the top of Crouch Hill.

Geoff; me and my gf were lucky enough to see you recording this episode. Was fun, thanks. Great job!!!!

Two of my close friends have moved from Crouch End to Berlin this weekend, and this video brings back a lot of memories of walking these paths when visiting them.

Your original Parkland walk video was a major factor for me to visit London a few years ago. I loved the Parkland walk with all its railway-related stuff on the way, and the view from Alexandra Palace over London is astonishing. Thanks for redoing all the lost railways!

You've made this north Londoner in exile very happy! Great video as always, Geoff.

Hurray for bonus episodes!

You know its warm when Geoff rolls his sleeves up.

I remember part of this was used in an episode of Grange Hill in the 80s when they did a sponsored walk

Thanks Geoff for this incredible video (and incredible series). As a local who has walked the parkland walk so many times I have still learnt new things from this video. One thing that I noticed recently that you hadn’t mentioned in the video is that after the platforms at crouch end station and under the bridge where there is a slope (which I always loved to run down when I was little and sometimes still do) there is a tree growing out of a brick and if you look very closely you can see that there is also a piece of (what looks like) rail submerged in the tree- which I just find so interesting as I wouldn’t expect there to be this small bit of rail halfway up the slope, and I can’t understand what it could be for, but it looks to me like it must be rail.

It looks a beautiful walk now but I can't help but think how useful this line would be now with all the events at the Ally Pally. Difficult to get to by tube and the trains aren't particularly frequent, so would be useful to have particularly late night service that went right up to the palace.

Thank you Geoff for this interesting selection of lost railways. The Parkland Walk one was interesting as I was born near Crouch End so I know that section of the walk. I`ll look forward to watching the bonus videos

I used to walk into the Highgate Tunnel from the southern side in the mid 90’s from Finsbury Park. The Green Man sculpture at Crouch End station had just been installed.

Well done Geoff, you have excelled yourself with this series

I THINK, with the word 'obliterated' finally turning up, this might well be the bingo episode.

The one we've all been waiting for!

Great video with so much to see. Put on my list of places I'd like to walk.

Amazing done! Thx! Greetings from Tricity in Poland :-)

Hey Geoff. I've cycled through the 3 bridges in Hanwell. It's a fantastic spot on the old railway down to what used to be Brentford Station and the rail yard by the Thames.

Whaaaaaaaaatttt BONUS EPS 🤯

I went on this walk myself a few years ago, lovely scenery so close to central London.

I used to live on Crouch Hill. I remember the day the bridge over the Parkland Walk collapsed (early 1995 iirc) and the road was closed for weeks while they built the new echoey bridge

The Alexandra Palace looks interesting. Thank you, Geoff, for showing us the hidden nuggets of London.

Love this walk. Made the trip into London a few years ago and walked the opposite direction for my Birthday. I grew up with a similar Railway Walk here in Milton Keynes so I've always been fascinated by these walks. The Wolverton to Newport Pagnell Railway walk is well worth your time if you're ever this way. Wolverton is a Railway town and there is still plenty to be seen along the walk, and in Wolverton itself.

2:04 I like how you paused while the lady ran past with the pram

Hi Geoff! Just wanted to say that I find your videos - and I've watched most of them - thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable! It's just amazing that there's so much undiscovered railway history out there! Keep up the god work!

As a northerner, I love London and it's transport system and history. This has to be a favourite of your lost London railways series, great work!

Great episode, Geoff. Many thanks.

Walked many of the old lines in London and yes this is by far the best. Been a great series looking forward to the next one.

Great tour of a line that looks to be one of the casualties of the Beeching cutbacks around 1964.

Lived on Avenue Road in Crouch End in the early 00’s and the Parkland Walk went right past the back of us. Happy memories

So interesting to watch these videos. Looking forward to the two bonus episodes. So many new ideas for my London bucket list and I’m just waiting for the day my next visit to London is possible again.

Always thorough and informative, geeky and sufficiently nerdy, always a terrific job. Well done!

My all time favourite walk

I'm a south London lad - but moved to Stroud Green after college and fell in love with North London - Not just with this nature walk but the whole area - so beautiful! I would walk around the streets enjoying the different styles of houses! Great memories brought back by this video! Thanks!

Welcome back to Haringey and Alexandra!

One of your best Geoff and I've seen many

This walk reminds me so much of the "petite ceinture" (small belt) one circling Paris inside its outer ring road, except that the Paris one kept almost all its original railway instalments (stations, signal boxes, platforms, foot bridges and access walks), plus one of the two tracks is just covered in sand and removable cladding allowing the line to be easily reuses with a minimal labour just in case... and all the tunnels have remained open meaning that there's a full continuity all along (on a par with the original historically first conversion of this style in the world- the "coulee verte" (green lane) renamed "promenade plantee" over the viaduct theni in a trench between the old Bastille station and the Bois de Vincennes, opened in 1995

Reminds me of a trip my girlfriend and I made in the early 50s. Steam hauled (N2) High Barnet to Southend via Highgate and Finsbury Park. Wish I could remember more about it now!

The best till last! Epic video with some good puns and seeing Highgate was impressive, I have walk some of the Parkland Walk myself from Stroudly Green to Crouch End but would love to go back thee again to walk the.... almost the entire line.

That is a very informative video I hope to walk that route one day.

The Northern line running all the way up to Ally Pally would have been so unbelievably convenient. The present-day concert venue is brilliant, but getting to or from the venue is a PITA.

Love your lost railways

My school is next to the second part of the parkland walk and by that I mean it is 30 seconds away. I bike ride through there to get to Alexandra palace with my school and I never knew about this railway. I will try doing a bit more looking round on the trail and tell you if I see anything else hidden on the path

Great video Geoff. Has to be my favourite lost railway. Need to visit it one day and it’s not too far from me.

Absolutely fantastic short. I am so glad I found it and watched it. I have lived both at Crouch End and Muswell Hill (behind Alley Palley) and cycled both sections - Parkland Walk South - very many times - mountain biking. I loved the area and knew something of it but due to your thoughtfulness in this documentary - you have finally filled in the blanks. Thank you so much

Love this. I recall travelling by steam train from Highgate to Alexandra Palace with my Mum one time, probably in 1954.

This is one of my favourite walks in London. It is brilliant because it is A: a part of London’s History (a good subject for an episode of Unfinished London) and B: forms part of The Capital Ring.

It's a nightmare to cycle along. This isn't to criticise the pedestrians, but it's just so busy!

@Geoff Marshall Another fascinating piece of London's railway history! Compelling watching. Thanks for all the research, and great presentation and filming - looking forward to the bonus videos.

Well researched as ever. Walk from Gillespie Rd nature reserve to Finsbury park. Then short walk to the line itself via the park. Then up to Highgate. Then Church Bottom Wood (don't you dare give me any of that royal crap), soon to Highgate Wood to rejoin at Cranley gardens to the finish. Miles and miles of no traffic. In London!!! Ancient woods, a railway... Arsenal , this is all the planet can offer...go!

Great video Completed many times However your video has made the walk much more interesting with all the information Many Thanks 👍👍👍👍

I remember walking up that path in the mid 80's, it looked the same, I am surprised it was only recently abandoned

love this series Geoff, something magical about lost railways. Keep em coming!

I have no idea how I stumbled across your videos a few years ago - I'm not that big into Trains, and I live in Canada; but I love watching the adventures you get on, and learning about how a really old transit system evolved and continues to evolve. Weirdly, while watching DownieLive today doing a tour of Vancouver's SkyTrain system, he mentioned you and how you should collab. And I could not agree more. When the world turns the right way around, come for a visit!

Excellent video Geoff. Very interesting. Thankyou 👍👍👍👍👍

In some ways its sort of sad to see all the grand schemes that never got to happen. The Northern heights scheme would probably have benefited the area these days.

Have done this walk God knows how many times, I know every inch of it, nice video Geoff

Im not a massive fan of trains and railways and undergrounds but i thoroughly enjoy watching you and the information you give is fantastic! Im a massive history nerd and world war 1 and 2 are my passion. I was wondering, if in the future you could combine stations and railway lines with there part in that timeline, the blitz, shelters, yards, ect.. would be great! Thank you for your hard work and keep it up 👍🏻

KZfaq user 'Michael Berg' has uploaded a computer simulation video of a train journey along the Parkland Walk from Finsbury Park to Alexandra Palace. Probably the closest you'll get to experiencing what it was like to ride a train on the line when it was running.

Wow! London is an entire frontier unto itself. I don't know how it can all be managed.

I remember as a young boy, standing at the train spotters point watching the express trains heading north. The bridge at the start of this video was on the same level as the rail bridge that went to Highgate and beyond. Trains were running then, but I think only to reverse into the carriage sidings on the up side of the main line.

First walked this in 1985 Saw crouch end from a no.41 bus when I was bunking school and a few weeks later, walked it

I wish I could travel to London to do these walks!! From the penal colony of Australia!!!!!!

Finally! 😁👍🏼

Yes, it is coming back now. As a young lad, I was mugged along the northern part a few times. Good times!

Excellent stuff again Geoff! My dad lived in Hornsby then Finsbury Park in the late 70s so Ally Pally was a frequent destination. We did explore the old railway back then which was a deal less easy to negotiate from what I can remember back then, and definitive a bit more hazardous, but one could also say more “hands on” 😆 There was an awful lot of railway furniture all over the place, though by the time I finally got around to revisit the place in the early 2000s, it had changed almost beyond recognition, though obviously having a familiarity with the route helped prevent me being disoriented! 😜 Great to see there are still remnants laying around though. Crouch End was one of the most exciting things possible to junior school Tim! 🤓 Cheers mate, glad to see there will be yet more to come 🍻🍀👍

“The Goods Office” used to be called “The Triangle”, a nice restaurant. I had some great meals there in early 2000’s.

Awesome Video

This is your best one so far. It must be really something to walk the old platforms at Crouch End. Unfortunately I cannot do this living now near King's Lynn. But I can watch your excellent presentation - three times so far- and imagine what it would be like to ride the train to Alexandra Palace station. Great stuff !