Living in Putney

Putney is defined by the Thames. Its embankment, west of Putney Bridge, is lined with rowing clubs whose boats are carried down to the water every morning, and it is the starting point of the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race each spring, when the riverbank fills with spectators. Pubs and restaurants along the river make it one of the pleasantest waterfronts in south-west London.

Putney High Street, running uphill from the bridge, is a busy shopping street with chains, cafés and a cinema, and it carries heavy traffic; the side streets are quieter and residential. Putney Heath and Wimbledon Common lie to the south, and Richmond Park, the largest of London's royal parks, is a short bus ride or cycle away through Roehampton.

The housing includes Victorian and Edwardian terraces, many split into flats, large mansion blocks, riverside new builds and, towards Roehampton, large post-war estates. Putney appeals to a slightly older and more settled crowd than Clapham: professionals in their late twenties and thirties, couples and families, and people who row, run or cycle.

There are two main transport options. Putney station has frequent South Western Railway trains to Clapham Junction and Waterloo, taking around fifteen to twenty minutes; East Putney, on the District line's Wimbledon branch, runs across the river towards Earl's Court and central London; and Putney Bridge station, just over the bridge in Fulham, is also on the District line. Journeys to the City and east London are slow and usually need a change. Putney suits people who want river, parks and a sociable but calm neighbourhood, and whose work is in the West End, Westminster or south-west London.