Hampstead Heath

Hampstead Heath is a large public heath in north London. It has been a gay cruising ground for well over a hundred years; historians and the press have written about it many times, and it is still the outdoor spot most Londoners would name. The rest of the Heath is ordinary parkland used by families, swimmers and dog walkers, so respect that. Cruising itself is not a crime in England, but sex where the public can see it can lead to arrest for outraging public decency or exposure, and in a public toilet it is a specific offence. Robberies and homophobic attacks on men in London parks do happen. Keep your phone charged, carry little, tell a friend where you are, and report incidents to the police or to Galop, the LGBTQ+ anti-violence charity.