Tell me what it’s like to live in Highgate / Muswell Hill

[Wheretolive4]

Considering moving (with young children) to the Highgate side of Muswell Hill.

Anyone got experiences of living there? I have done a lot of school research already, but now I’m curious about the people.

My worry is that it’ll be a transient neighbourhood and I’d like to put down proper roots. Where I live now is very transient and people move away a lot!

My other worry is that I won’t make friends!

Are the people friendly?

And is it a good place for kids to grow up? I know schools are good etc but I’m more thinking of still having some green around etc.

I like the Highgate side because it’s still close (ish) to the tube. The rest of Muswell hill doesn’t seem well connected enough, but perhaps I’m wrong.

It is between there and Dartmouth Park type area.

My friends who live there love it. Always extolling the benefits of the strong community, and they think it's a great place to bring up children. People stay there for a long time...

Thank you, lmcneil003! That’s good to hear! It’s so hard to make a choice with young kids and wanting to put down roots. I don’t want to get it wrong and move again!

Wherever there are undivided houses in London you’ll find a long term community. Stamp duty for a seven figure (or more!) stops people moving.

I love this area and would move there in a blink if I had children, or a dog. I’m guessing you’re looking at houses on the Vale side and I’m really jealous.

That’s actually good to hear because I have kids and a dog!

Yes the Vale side. Not much coming up that fits, and am still a bit nervous about it (love our current london place, and the value has rocketed since I bought it 15 years ago - which is the only reason I can afford Muswell Hill - but it’s too urban and too transient for life with small kids, perhaps).

Am also just bumping this for the night crowd

It's great! Muswell Hill better for families, I'd say, as pp said community quite stable.
Highgate poss better as a single or couple, retirees too - a bit more squashed in and shops/cafes are small and fewer, but very charming - I love Highgate village and also the more earthy Archway too, next door - would def live in HIghgate. MH is more practical for day-to-day with kids, more (lively) suburban.

Thank you catiskit! That’s really useful to know. As I had preferred Highgate in terms of its proximity to the heath, pretty High street etc. But interesting to know Muswell Hill is more family friendly!

What’s the general vibe of the people like? Artsy? Wealthy city workers?

I brought my children up in Muswell Hill, we moved away 7 years ago, but are now thinking of buying a flat in the area, but probably on the Highgate side to be nearer the tube (or Archway).
MH has a huge amount of family’s and we still have loads of friends there. I think it’s a very friendly place with a good community feel.
You say you’ve researched schools so I hope you know about the tiny catchment areas and the massive pressure for places in the private sector?

OP, not wealthy city workers, that's Hampstead etc. It's more relaxed and there is some boho element, but not especially 'artsy' or 'cool'' overall. Nice without being 'naice'.

Lovely area take it from me!

That’s great to hear, Itscoldouthere! Do you mind me asking where you moved to when you left?

I have DC down (with a place) at two (hippie-ish? So not so mad oversubscribed!) private schools - one in Muswell hill and one in Golder’s Green. I’d rather not spend that money or do the travel! But they’re a just-in-case they don’t get a place at state school. Annoyingly, the part of Muswell Hill we like best seems to be a bit further away from the good schools.

I also worry a little about that - as friends with older children tell me - community comes from school being nearby, and the fact that the small catchment means that all their friends live really close etc etc., and the ability to walk to school.

We’ll definitely be stretching ourselves with this move - both affording the house, and paying for school fees if we don’t get state school - so I’m feeling quite worried about it all!

CatAndHisKit - that sounds good! I (now) live somewhere that was very artsy, but money took over. As fashionable as it is, I’m ready for something calmer and greener! Although am worried I’ll miss the artsy vibe. Tricky!

@Wheretolive4 we moved out of London (for various reasons) about an hour North, my then teenaged DC went to a very hippy private school after we moved.
I do agree that your children’s friendship groups are very linked to school, we lived really close to the primary school and they then walked to Secondary (Fortismere) which most children did, of course there were always the few who worked the admissions system a bit to get places and then moved further away, but most were reasonably local.
I would say that it has got a little bit more moneyed in MH, but it’s still quite liberal, socially minded, I don’t think it’s really arty or trendy.
I have friends in Dartmouth Park and I’d say it’s more monied there, but also more political/socially aware than MH.

One thing to think about is transportation. Traffic can get bad, the bus from MH to the tube can take between 10 mins and 30 depending on the time of day.
If you live in Highgate and send your DC to school in Golders Green or MH you may spend quite some time transporting them.
I’m only thinking of this as when we moved a did a daily school run and it became such a chore, how I missed them just walking to school!

Hi! We live in Muswell Hill (Highgate side). We have one child who attends a local preschool and who will be attending a local primary soon. MH is so beautiful and we feel so lucky to live here. People are nice and there is a good sense of community here. Local primaries are decent - we visited many but the catchments are tiny. If you need more info let me know x

Itscoldouthere - that’s what a feared about schools and needing to be close by! Because I don’t like how tricky it is to get around in most of Muswell hill - the part that is actually in a school catchment (ie: not near Highgate station) - I’m struggling with deciding whether or not the area is right for us... (I have a big group of friends in south east London and we both commute centrally to work.)

I think I’m looking for this golden thing that doesn’t exist - community feel, liberal, good transport links (don’t have to be perfect), largely non-transient community, great schools... arg!

summer - do you mind me asking which school? The roads I like seem to be in the catchment of nothing except church schools and DH and I are both atheists

Hi!
Tetherdown primary is our nearest primary. St James’ too but yes it’s COE. Muswell Hill primary potentially.

You can use this to see: www.haringey.gov.uk/sites/haringeygovuk/files/distance_of_last_child_offered_miles.pdf.
There is also an option to calculate the distance from your home to the school.

From what I gather many people use the local primaries so that the kids meet the local friends. Later on some choose to go private.

Of note, buses to Highgate tube are frequent and fast. But in peak hours you are better off walking down!

@Wheretolive4 that’s a tricky one, we moved to MH from Dalston the summer before DC1 started school (it was a school based move) but I also stopped working full time in central London. My DH used to work in central London but cycled or ran most of the time which worked for him, but I would have found it difficult going into town every day, especially as we lived on the other side of MH not near the tube.
I think though, most people make good friends once your children are at primary school, regardless of where you live, you end up doing the odd school social or meet others through after school club stuff so you can easily become part of the community through you children.
I still see my MH mum friends for drinks and our eldest is now 22 😂