In his global compilation of top urban green spaces, The Guardian‘s Rowan Moore highlights Hampstead Heath, a historic sanctuary in London tracing back to the Middle Ages. Its allure lies in vast heathlands, ancient forests, and panoramic skyline views, actively promoting physical activity in the bustling city.

It is everything that people say it is, a powerful illusion of rustic nature within a metropolis. The view of the city is part of the experience, making it a place to escape, look back and reflect. Perhaps for this reason it has inspired artists, poets and visionaries, such as Constable, Keats, and the semi-criminal American tycoon Charles Tyson Yerkes, who was inspired by a visit to the heath to build much of what is now the London underground. But for vigorous campaigns in the 19th century, the heath could have been lost to housing.