Highgate’s West Cemetery is the famous half of the cemetery and for the first time since the 1970s, they are going to open it up to people – without going on a tour.
Normally, access is only possible by guided tour, but what they will experiment with next weekend is letting people in to wander around freely at will – so long as you stick the paths that is.
The West Cemetery is home to the most impressive architectural features of Highgate Cemetery — the Chapel, Colonnade, Egyptian Avenue, Circle of Lebanon, Terrace Catacombs and the mausoleum of Julius Beer.
This is still an operational cemetery and they ask that visitors respect the privacy of those visiting graves by moving away from the area and keeping noise to a minimum. They also ask that you don’t take photographs of recent graves, or of anyone visiting them, which is perfectly sensible advice when visiting any cemetery.
Timed entry is between 10:15am and 3:45pm on 11th and 12th July. Tickets cost £10 per adult and must be booked in advance here – if for some reason you don’t see the questions that should pop up, then read the H&S briefing here.
Tickets will not be sold at the Cemetery. Do not turn up without a ticket as you will be refused entry.
Its been some years since I was at the Highgate Cemetery Western section, though I used to go often in the 80s and 90s to both east and west sides. While I did go on tours, I recall being able to wander freely around the overgrown west side. When the west side first reopened it was very overgrown, though thanks to the volunteers the pathways became increasingly walkable.
This is by far the most atmospheric of all the London cemeteries that I have visited, particularly around the top of the hillside where the Egyptian tombs are located. Its definately worth a visit, though I always like to pop over to the east side to see Karl M.