Muswell Hill - any views?

[Ilikechicken]

Hello. Dh and I are thinking of moving to muswell hill. I don't really know the area that well - I've been to look round the broadway and read some things online which all seem positive. Does anyone have any info or views good or bad! Thanks x

[Laquitar]

The area is lovely and mainly safe.

Lots of young families and groups to go with small children. Cafes too.

Nice cinema.

No tube, lots of traffic.

Very £££

[takeonboard]

I don't know the area personally, but I know lots of people who do or have lived there and love it. They say its very family friendly, good schools, shops and parks.
Transport isn't good though that is reflected in the relatively (for London)lower property prices.

[belsize77]

I know it pretty well. What sort of thing are you keen to know specifically and where would you work/need to get to?
Generally agree with Laquitar. I wouldn't have lived here without children but it is very good if you do have them and better than the relatively nicer places nearby where I used to live.

[Guitargirl]

Very nice area. Assuming you have children, just check first to make sure wherever you move to is within catchment of the schools you like, there are SO many families with young children.

[southeastastra]

i was there today and really don't get the appeal, roads looked crammed with parked cars, lots of hills to knacker your clutch and the most ridiculously hilly car park

crouch end is nicer imo

[WoodRose]

Takeonboard - "relatively lower property prices" Hmmm, I think you will find that property isn't that cheap, thanks to the proliferation of outstanding state primary schools and sought after secondary schools. Transport isn't as grim as it seems. You have the choice of a lovely walk through Highgate Wood to get to Highgate Staion (Northern Line) or a pleasant walk through Alexandra Palace to get to the over ground station at Ally Pally (Finsbury Park, Moorgate, Kings Cross). Lots of green space and loads of child based activities. People are quite laid back and very friendly. It is also very dog friendly so may not be your cup of tea if you or your child(ren) are not keen on canines. To be honest, Muswell Hill feels more like living in a village than a city. Impossible to make a quick trip to Sainsbury's because you bump into so many people you can stop and chat to en route.

[Witchathulu]

I used to live in MH as a kid and I loved it - we had the last terraced house before the red brick school on Tetherdown. I had Harry Blech's daughter teach me piano around the corner (think she's still there) and caught the C2/4? bus to secondary school every day. I loved it. Parks, shops, lots of stuff for kids to do - if it's anything like how it used to be, go for it!

[ChildoftheMonkeyBasket]

It is a fabulous place to live, & I agree with WoodRose it is more like a village than the city but you can see London and access so very easily so you get the best of both worlds. Schools, primary and secondary, are fantastic and mainly outstanding, this is reflected in the very high house prices. The catchments are tiny so if you have children and want to get them into the state schools you have to be very careful where you choose to live.
The parks and woods nearby are fabulous, it really is a wonderful place to bring up children.
Transport is fine you just have a nice walk/bus ride to which ever station you need to get where you are going, Highgate, Bounds Green, Ally Pally or Finsbury Park.
However, in parts parking is shocking but not as bad as Crouch End or Highgate as MH does not have residents parking restrictions in place. Few houses/flats have off street parking if that is important to you.
I would not want to be anywhere else, I love it and will happily live in a flat despite the fact we could afford a house less than a mile away, just outside MH!

[fromheretomaternity]

I live in Muswell Hill and second all the opinions above, it's very green, child friendly, nice shops, and plenty of good stuff to do nearby.

Just a plug for the area I live in which is towards the Alexandra Park end of Muswell Hill (Grosvenor Road / Alexandra Park Road / etc). It's a little bit further from the main shops (15 min walk / lots of buses), but I am near a fab primary school, Rhodes Avenue, and a very good secondary, Alexandra Park. I'm 2 mins from one park and 5 mins from Alexandra Palace, we have a row of local shops with all the essentials and including a lovely deli, I am 15 min walk from an Overground station and 15 min from an underground (Bounds Green), and property prices are cheaper than Muswell Hill proper, so I managed to get a decent house with off street parking for the cost of a tiny terrace near Tetherdown school.

[belsize77]

I probably pass you in the shops fromheretomaternity!

[Laquitar]

I've just noticed your title : 'MH- any views?'
Actually the view from some parts is fab as it is on a hill and you can see all London.

fromhere your location sounds v.good, i think that side will go up in value and i agree it is nice. I wish i could afford it.

[Ilikechicken]

Wow ! Thanks so much for the info.

Yes - I was originally thinking highgate but mh seems more family friendly, the woods seem great for little people and high st has lots of useful stuff.

We had a look at a couple of places between the broadway and highgate tube, one on woodland rise and one on woodland gardens. Appealing as less of a walk to the tube and near the woods. However, does anyone know what school that would be in the catchment for? Thanks again oh wise mnetters !

[fromheretomaternity]

[emanuela]

Hi ilikekitchen, unfortunately woodland ride and woodland gardens are in the catchment area of st James (if I remember correctly) which is Church of England and they are very strict. I was looking at MH myself but the incinerator put me off (if you know what I am talking about). What about something in The catchment area for Tetherdown?

[Ilikechicken]

Thanks emanuela. Luckily am a churchgoer so c of e not a prob necessarily - is st James meant to be any good? Yeah had heard re incinerator but doesn't bother me tbh - Pinkham way/Conley hatch lane a way away. Thanks for the info

[fromheretomaternity]

Have heard St James v good but it's one form entry so be careful - if there's a lot of siblings one year you'll need to be v close to the school. Check out the primary admissions booklet on the Haringey website which has all the distances offered (you can email the council with the address of any house you're looking at and they will tell you the exact distance to schools).

[Ilikechicken]

Thanks fromhere. I've looked at the booklet. It only has distances for those oversubscribed. Do I take it then that st James wasn't oversubscribed? Sorry - so v unfamiliar with these things!

[emanuela]

Ilike, St James is VERY oversubscribed. Just to give you an idea, in 2011 out of 30 children, 17 were siblings, 13 qualified under the church commitment criteria and zero based on distance. Out of curiosity (I am very nosy), did you go and see the two double fronted houses in woodland rise and gardens? What do you think of them? I have looked them up online and they look very nice.

[Ilikechicken]

Thanks emanuela. Im confused as to why they didn't appear in harringays booklet. Yes - we looked at both houses. Neither right but I do like those streets.

[emanuela]

I think it is because they are voluntary aided school. Of course you could consider private in Highgate Village (Channing or Highgate), although the commute by public transport from MH.

As for houses, what about the two in Church Crescent (I am obsessed with property)?

[Ilikechicken]

Oooh haven't seen those. Shall have a look now. Yes like the look of channing and highgate schools but aren't these really hard to get into prior to 11?

[emanuela]

Not too difficult, these 4+ assessments are a bit of a lottery as it depends on how they feel on the day. Alternatively you can send them to a pre-prep until 7 and they can sit the7+. Have a look at the avenue in Highgate

[twinmumPS]

Hi there, we are looking to rent a house for our family in Muswell Hill. We were about to rent a large one in Osier Crescent but heard concerns around safety. Is Churston Gardens in N11 (near St Martin of Porres primary) safer? I am pretty new to muswell hill and would like to know if there is any bit I should actively avoid. Huge thanks.

[800msprint]

You might get into highgate primary from where you mentioned. It's a lovely laid back school.