London is a city of views — from Hampstead Heath to Greenwich Park, everyone has a favourite. But we bet you didn't know about this one, just minutes from the end of the Jubilee line.
Sat right on the very fringe of London are Wood Farm and Stanmore Country Park. The top half of the site is home to one of the most underrated views in London.
Perched atop the meadowland is this spectacular panoramic view of the capital. Granted, the sights are quite far away (you're in Stanmore, after all), but the lovely folk at Harrow Council have installed a sign to point out all there is to see.
Whilst a foggy day might see you struggling to distinguish much more than neighbouring Wembley Stadium, clear skies mean there is much more to take in.
From Alexandra to Crystal Palace, and pretty much everything in between — nearly every piece of the London skyline is visible from here. It might not pack the same punch as the more touristy inner London viewpoints, but not many views rival it in sheer scope and quantity of things to see.
While the view is the main attraction, the surrounding wildlife is the cherry on top. Natural pathways swoop through the scrubby grassland (a haven for nesting warblers), and grasshoppers hum amongst the greenery.
Most remarkable, though, is how deserted the place is. Come on a weekday afternoon and you're quite likely to be able to enjoy the view all by yourself... well, that's if you don't count those taking it all in from the comfort of their bedroom window.
Once a farm, and then a landfill site, the area was previously inaccessible to the public. It was handed over to the council in 2012, with a small parcel of land being sold off for redevelopment into housing; the proceeds of which went towards funding its transformation into the remarkable green space it is today.
Now connected to Stanmore Country Park below, the site represents one continuous natural space for local residents to enjoy. It's the perfect little retreat: a world away from the city, yet somehow perched right on its doorstep.
The Wood Farm viewpoint can be found at 17 Wood Ln, Stanmore HA7. There is a car park on site. Alternatively, it's just a short walk north of Stanmore tube.
