Living in Forest Hill

Forest Hill is a steep, leafy suburb on the ridge of hills south-east of Dulwich, and its best-known institution is the Horniman Museum, whose collections range from natural history and musical instruments to an aquarium. The museum's hillside gardens, with a bandstand and one of south London's best views towards the City, are free and busy with local families.

The area's green character extends beyond the Horniman. Sydenham Hill Wood and Dulwich Wood, remnants of the ancient Great North Wood, are within walking distance, and many streets have mature trees and large gardens. The hills are part of the appeal and a genuine obstacle: walking or cycling home from the station can be hard work.

The housing includes large Victorian villas, many divided into flats, Edwardian terraces and some interwar and post-war blocks. It often offers more space for the rent than Dulwich or East Dulwich nearby, which explains the steady arrival of young families and couples priced out of those areas. Local shops and cafés gather around the station and along Dartmouth Road, where the restored Victorian swimming baths are a local landmark.

Forest Hill station is on the Overground, running up through Surrey Quays and Whitechapel towards Dalston and Highbury, and Southern services to London Bridge in around fifteen minutes. That makes east London and the City accessible, but the West End and west London are slower, typically requiring a change. The South Circular road cuts through the area and can be congested, and evenings revolve around a handful of pubs. Forest Hill suits people who value green space, larger homes and a relaxed pace, and whose commute fits the Overground or London Bridge.