Mill Hill Village, along the Ridgeway, still has its village pond, its weatherboarded cottages and views across open fields, and it's hard to believe central London is only ten miles away. Mill Hill School has stood on the hill since 1807, and the area is home to several other independent and state schools with busy sports calendars, along with Saracens' stadium at Copthall. Minibus hire Mill Hill customers book is mostly school fixtures and trips, rugby match days, weddings and runs up the A1 and the M1.
Mill Hill sits in the west of Barnet borough, between Edgware, Hendon, Totteridge and the green belt, with the A1 and the M1 running along its edges. From our base in SE1, it's about fifty minutes to an hour outside the rush hour, up the A41.
Minibus hire Mill Hill for school fixtures
Mill Hill School, its prep school Belmont, and other independent and state schools in the area play rugby, hockey, cricket, football, netball and tennis against schools across London, Hertfordshire and beyond. Saturday fixtures often start early, and midweek fixtures need teams collected from lessons and brought back before the end of the day.
Teams travel with their kit and their teachers, and the driver waits for the final whistle. Mill Hill School's grounds cover more than a hundred acres, with pitches, a theatre and a sports centre, and the drop-off point depends on the activity. Fixture lists for a term can be booked in one go. Schools also book us for music and drama competitions, field trips, university visits and residential trips. Minibus hire Mill Hill schools book for a busy Saturday often means several vehicles going to different venues at the same time.
Saracens at Copthall
StoneX Stadium, at Barnet Copthall, is home to Saracens, and on match days the roads around Copthall, Page Street and the A1 are busy. Supporters' groups, junior rugby clubs and hospitality guests book us to get there and home. European fixtures and London derbies draw the largest crowds and need more time.
We'll check the arrangements for coaches and minibuses for the fixture and agree a meeting point for after the final whistle. The Copthall complex also has a leisure centre, a pool and an athletics track that host school championships, swimming galas and club meets.
Mill Hill Village and weddings
St Paul's, on the Ridgeway, and the other churches in Mill Hill host weddings and christenings, and couples hold receptions at golf clubs, hotels and country venues in Hertfordshire. Mill Hill's restaurants on the Broadway suit a rehearsal dinner or a family celebration. The village pond and the old Three Hammers pub nearby make a pretty stop for photographs.
The minibus collects guests from homes and hotels, drops at the church, carries on to the reception and does the late run home. The Ridgeway is narrow with limited parking, so we'll agree a drop-off near the church.
The A1, the M1 and the airports
The A1 and the M1 both run along the edges of Mill Hill, and Luton Airport is about thirty to forty minutes away outside the rush hour, via the M1. Stansted is about fifty minutes to an hour via the M25. Heathrow is about forty to fifty minutes, via the M25 or the North Circular.
For families and school groups flying out together, a minibus from the door saves the drive and the long-stay car park. When a group flies home, we track the flight and meet them in arrivals. Students heading back to university can share a run with their belongings, saving parents the drive.
Parks, walks and the green belt
Mill Hill Park, Arrandene Open Space and the Totteridge Valley have walks across fields and woodland, and the Dollis Valley Greenwalk passes through the area. Ramblers can be dropped at the start of a route and collected at the finish. Arrandene's meadows are full of wildflowers in early summer, and the views across the Totteridge Valley are some of the best in north London. The RAF Museum in Colindale is about ten minutes away, and Moat Mount Open Space, on the edge of the green belt, suits a school nature trip or a scout camp day.
Fiveways Corner and the Ridgeway
Fiveways Corner, where the A1 meets the A41, is one of the busiest junctions in north London, and Apex Corner, further north, is busy too. The Ridgeway and the lanes around the village are narrow, with tight bends and parked cars, and some school entrances are on lanes that are difficult for larger vehicles. Mill Hill Broadway is busy with buses and shoppers, and the station bridge there is a pinch point. Give us the school or the address, and we'll check the approach before the day.
For minibus hire in Mill Hill, call 020 7183 0567.