Welcome

After a properly hot spell, things are cooling off with a few showers around, which is exactly the weather for planning a walk.

This week we have three Finchley dog walks to try, a packed run of June events as the summer season gets going, and word that a new Waitrose is on its way to North London.

Grab a cuppa and enjoy.

🐕 3 Finchley-centric Dog Walks

It's been a scorcher of a week - and with it cooling down, perfect walk-planning weather. There may be a little drizzle, but I'm sure many of us will head outdoors, with dogs in tow.

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Here are 3 dog walks to try out in Finchley this week. Why not meet up with friends or family and enjoy all that Finchley has to offer? But keep your dogs on a lead for these ones:

1: Folly Brook Circular. A beautiful 9.0 km loop around Barnet, starting at West Finchley station. It’s moderately challenging, but you’ll be immersed in nature. It winds past Dollis Brook and Folly Brook, and snakes through the serene Darland’s Lake Nature Reserve. And watch out for those tricky mud patches after it rains, as it can get a bit…mucky.

2: Dollis Valley and West Finchley. Explore 11.6 km of Finchley’s landscape. Beginning near Barnet Playing Fields, this walk keeps you in touch with nature. Check out the wildflower meadows and grasslands. The path is mostly level, so it’s good for a casual walk with buggies. Keep an eye out for cyclists at some points on
the route.

3: Highgate Woods. This is a 70-acre wooded wonder that was once part of the ancient forest of Middlesex. It might be near the start of the A1, but once you get under the trees, you become oblivious to the traffic. 71 species of bird have been spotted here.

And of course, you don't have to be a dog-lover to enjoy the great outdoors. All good for humans too; the Folly Brook Circular is considered moderately challenging for walkers, hikers and runners. 🐕

Events

ARTS

Saturday 6th June

​HGS Art – 2026 Art Fair | Sat, Jun. 6 | 11:00 am to 5:00 pm | Fellowship House, 136a Willifield Way, NW11 6YD | Free | HGS Art's eighth exhibition and sale showcases over 20 local artists across painting, sculpture, jewellery, photography, silk painting, textiles and glass. Refreshments all day from the Women's Institute Finchley, plus free activities for children. Free entry and free parking, Saturday and Sunday.

Sunday 7th June

​London Festival of Architecture 2026 at St Mary-at-Finchley | Sun, Jun. 7 | 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm | St Mary-at-Finchley, 26 Hendon Lane, N3 1TR | Free | Visit the Grade II* listed church and churchyard, the oldest building in Finchley. Join heritage tours and 'Churches Count on Nature' activities for 'Love your Burial Ground Week', and view the historic sundial featured on BBC Antiques Roadshow.

​Open art spaces King's Cross | Sun, Jun. 7 | 11:00 am to 6:00 pm | Coal Drops Yard, King's Cross, N1C 4LW | Free | This vibrant open space is transformed with original works, 56 independent makers and hands-on experiences.

COMMUNITY

Sunday 7th June

​Picture the Heath | Sun, Jun. 07 | 10:30 am | Keats House, 10 Keats Grove, NW3 2RR | £20 | Win up to £500 plus other prizes by exhibiting your artwork, including 'En Plein Air' painting and drawing inspired by Hampstead Heath and the surrounding area.

NATURE

Saturday 6th June

​Community Gardening | Sat, Jun. 6 | 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm | St Mary-at-Finchley, 26 Hendon Lane, N3 1TR | Free | Help conserve the churchyard, home to seven Grade II listed memorials. Take part in 'Count on Church' and 'Love your Burial Ground Week' nature activities.

SHOPPING

Tuesday 2nd June

​Finchley Vintage & Collectables Roadshow | Tue, Jun. 02 | 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm | St Mary's Church Hall, 30 Hendon Ln, N3 1TR | Free entry | Get free valuations and cash offers on the day. A team of vintage experts gives an in-person appraisal of your valuables, followed by a no-obligation offer with immediate payment on the day.

Saturday 6th June

​Table Top Sale | Sat, Jun. 6 | 10:00 am to 2:00 pm | St Mary's Church, Church End (top of Greyhound Hill), Hendon, NW4 4JT | Free entry, book a table for £15 | A friendly welcome for everyone and great bargains. Refreshments available. Donations welcome towards supporting the church. To book a table email.

SUSTAINABILITY

Saturday 6th June

​Herbs & Heritage | Sat, Jun. 06 | 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm | Finchley Memorial Hospital Community Garden | Free | Plant herbs to take home and uncover the history of the Finchley Memorial Hospital community garden.

​Cycletastic - Fix, Learn, Ride at Clitterhouse Farm | Sat, Jun. 06 | 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm | Clitterhouse Playing Fields | £5 | Friendly DIY bike repair sessions: bring your bike and use Cycletastic's tools, stands and spare parts with guidance from experienced volunteers. Punctures, brake adjustments or a full tune-up, they will help get your bike back in shape.

Sunday 7th June

​Monthly River Clean up - Clitterhouse Secret River Sweepers (SRS) | Sun, Jun. 07 | 11:30 am to 3:00 pm | Clitterhouse Playing Fields, NW2 1AP | Free | Calling all river heroes. Litter doesn't belong in our river, and together we can change that. Join a two-hour-ish clean up of the river at Clitterhouse Farm, with a chat, tea and cake on top.

Events - Book Ahead

Sunday 21st June

​East Finchley Festival | Sun, Jun. 21 | 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm | Cherry Tree Woods | Free | A gorgeous local festival with community performances, stalls, a parade and great bands. The Fortunistas, made up of many Finchley locals, are playing for the first time.

Tuesday 23rd June

​Earth Fest | Tue, Jun. 23 | 106 Arlington Road, Camden, NW1 7HP | Free | Earth Fest is a vibrant, free-to-attend celebration of sustainability, with live music, hands-on workshops, family-friendly activities and inspiring brand showcases that make sustainability accessible, engaging and fun.

Saturday 27th June

​East Finchley Open Artists - Open House | Sat, Jun. 27 | 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm | Multiple locations | Free | Open House weekends run 27/28 June and 4/5 July. Discover local artists' work as they transform 11 homes across East Finchley, Central Finchley and Muswell Hill into vibrant galleries. Begin at the All Saints Church group exhibition and meet featured artists.

Local Lowdown

Opening

• Good news for north London food lovers. Waitrose is set to open an 18,000 sq ft store in Cricklewood this autumn, on the former Galtymore Ballroom site. It comes with a basement car park and sits minutes from Cricklewood station, bridging the gap between Brent Cross and West Hampstead.

Budgeting

• Energy bills are climbing again, with the price cap rising 13% from July, roughly £18 more a month. Citizens Advice Barnet, where fuel debt is now the second most common problem, has shared advice on getting support. Contact your supplier early and do not suffer in silence.

Governing

• Barnet's election ended in a dead heat, with Labour and the Conservatives winning 31 seats each. After a deal with Tory councillors, Labour has retained power as a minority administration, with leader Barry Rawlings re-elected. Expect the new council to take on a slightly bluer hue.

Rebuilding

• A derelict slice of Underhill could come back to life. The former Quinta Youth Club on Mays Lane is up for sale, and residents are racing to submit a community bid before October. A local campaign to save and rebuild it as a community hub is gathering pace.

Uniting

• Barnet is set to receive new support for bringing people together. The Government has pledged £500,000 over two years to fund community cohesion work across the borough, following recent tensions. The money will back engagement, community safety and programmes in schools and with young people.

The Finchleyite: David Bone

David Bone has been part of Barnet Market for 65 years, starting as a seven-year-old helping his father on the family stall.

Since then, he has become one of the market’s most familiar and trusted faces, known by generations of traders and customers for his reliability, warmth and dedication.

Still working through all weathers, and even while undergoing cancer treatment, David continues to serve the community he has helped sustain for more than six decades.

His family’s stall helped shape the market’s history, growing from its early days at the old cattle market into a cornerstone of local life.

That lifelong service has now been formally recognised with David receiving a Barnet Lifetime Achievement Civic Award last month.

Editors' Note - From Tessa

Had a brief visit to the beautiful Sedona last week.

Red rock for miles. If you're ever thinking of heading to a desert - highly recommend.

Also, let us know about local events or local news. We curate our content to keep it a 5-minute read, so can't include everything we're sent.

You can now get a guaranteed (paid) listing for local events or local lowdown/news items.

​And email us with any projects or ideas you'd like us to write about.

Tessa Davis Sasha Frieze