With its leafy streets, attractive period properties, thriving arts scene and family-friendly community ethos, I think Forest Hill represents suburban south London at its finest.

In addition to great transport links with the city, the area is blessed with abundant green spaces, two nature reserves and loads of independent shops, cafés and galleries. And with a farmers’ market, it’s very own aquarium and 16 acres of landscaped gardens, the much-loved Horniman Museum feels like the cherry on the Forest Hill cake.

Read on to discover why this artistic part of London is so popular with creatives and may just be the capital's next hip destination.

Typical housing stock

Forest Hill is full of interesting architecture and charming period properties, including converted flats, Victorian cottages, twenties semi-detached houses and Art Deco flats*. One particular gem is Havelock Walk, with converted industrial mews houses that are now home to many local artists. Some more modern apartment blocks can be found around the station.

Transport links

Whilst Forest Hill was already popular with young families, the extension of the Overground in 2010 cemented this pocket of south east London as a desirable location for city workers, with journeys to Canary Wharf now taking just 20 minutes*. Beyond the city, the Overground continues to Hoxton and Highbury & Islington – which is ideal for hipsters and those working in the creative industries. There’s also a mainline station with regular trains to Victoria and London Bridge.

Forest Hill has great road connections, mainly thanks to the South Circular which passes directly through the area. Buses from Forest Hill serve a large part of south east London, and there are a couple of more central routes including the 176 to Tottenham Court Road and the 185 to Victoria.

Drinking and dining

I love the range of quirky, eclectic and independent eateries on offer in Forest Hill. Canvas & Cream is a vibrant restaurant, community space and gallery with onsite studios for local artists. Bona serves up authentic Neapolitan sourdough pizzas, The Guava Kitchen specialises in plant-based cuisine with a tropical twist, and Babur is a popular Indian restaurant that has been delighting locals with its creative cooking since 1985.

canvas & Cream serving Beavertown Brewery - a colourful combo!

In terms of watering holes, The Signal pub’s program of comedy nights, live music and pub quizzes make it something of a Forest Hill institution, and I love that the local Wetherspoon’s pub, The Capitol, is set in a 1920s cinema building.

Shopping

I’m a big fan of supporting local businesses and shopping at independent stores, and Forest Hill certainly has plenty to choose from. I recently met local shop owner Anna, proprietor of greengrocer and zero waste store Beetroot & Beans, an eco-friendly homeware and gift shop Magazyn 105; Anna loves the area so much she even has a Forest Hill tattoo!

Everything in the elegant second-hand bookshop Leaf and Groove has been donated by the local community and all profits go towards the volunteer-run Forest Hill Library – more on that below. Stag & Bow is a relaxed community craft store and workshop space that offers classes in crochet, needle felting, embroidery and more*, while The Butchery has now opened a permanent branch in the area and is popular with those looking for sustainably sourced meat.

Located in the tranquil museum gardens and open every Sunday from 10am – 3pm, the Horniman farmers’ market is a lovely spot to pick-up your weekly essentials direct from independent and local producers. Items such as fresh fruit, vegetables, cheese, bread, cake, meat and street food are available, alongside body care, clothing, jewellery, design and craft; most are locally produced, ethical and many use environmentally friendly materials, natural and organic ingredients. My wife and I are regulars at the market and find it a great way to while away a lazy Sunday afternoon!

Parks and green spaces

Forest Hill locals are spoilt for choice in terms of outdoor space: not only is the area leafy and picturesque, it also boasts several parks, gardens and even two nature reserves, Dacres Wood and Devonshire Road, where you can nestle into an oasis of calm amongst the protected wildlife.

Mayow Park is a hive of activity in the summertime, as locals gather to watch weekend cricket matches and play tennis on the park’s two courts. At the edge of the Forest Hill, Blythe Hill Fields park has sweeping views of the city skyline, or you can take in the iconic vista over London from the top of One Tree Hill.

And let’s not forget that the Horniman Gardens in the grounds of the museum offer no less than 16 acres of award-winning formal and natural landscapes – including a sound garden, a bee garden and meadows. More on the museum itself below.

Arts and culture

There’s a thriving arts and culture scene in Forest Hill, with a number of galleries and studios found along Havelock Walk. Other regular events include a food fair, fashion week and film festival. Forest Hill Library is popular with young families for its diverse family-friendly events including film clubs, badger spotting trips and origami classes*. Although it was closed during the whole of the lockdown period other than click and collect, it’s now open Mondays to Thursdays and Saturdays, and soon hoping to open on Sundays and Fridays as well. The library is run by community group V22 with support from Lewisham council, so it really is a lovely local affair.

A friend and I were recently lucky enough to catch Sydenham Artists Trail which is running from 11–19th September. Over 100 artists are exhibiting, and we loved meeting and chatting to local artists Philippa Tunstill and Elizabeth Chisolm. The trail is a wonderfully vibrant place to discover, meet and support local artists and it has a fantastic community vibe.

The brilliant Horniman Museum is a prized Forest Hill landmark, with a world-famous taxidermy collection, a mix of objects ranging from Asian puppets and Haitian voodoo altars to musical instruments, and a giant stuffed walrus. There’s also an aquarium, a farmers' market in the gardens on Sundays and outdoor concerts in the summer. What’s not to love?! The museum itself is set in a Grade II listed Art Nouveau building, while the onsite Centre for Understanding the Environment (CUE) was constructed from sustainable materials, is insulated with recycled newspaper, and even has a grass roof. It’s well worth a visit!

Schools

Forest Hill’s primary schools are a great draw for families: all are judged to be ‘good’ or better by Ofsted and they are spread throughout the area, so most families get the chance to send their children to a popular school. For secondary education, options include Forest Hill School for boys and Sydenham School for girls which focuses on science, maths and technology.

Local council

Forest Hill falls mostly within the borough of Lewisham, which is currently Labour controlled.

Estate agencies

The agencies in Forest Hill are clustered round the station and include Winkworth, KFH, Hunters, Leaders, Stanford Estates and Acorn. Also worth note are local lettings specialists, Daisy Lets.

The demand for properties in Forest Hill is high and house prices are rising, so it’s especially important to get a comprehensive survey or valuation before making a property purchase – and this is where I can help!

For a more comprehensive list of Forest Hill agents check out:

Surveys and valuations

If you’ve already got your eye on a property in Forest Hill and are ready to take the next step, I offer a wide range of independent and cost-effective residential surveys and valuations. As a residential chartered surveyor and RICS registered property valuer with more 20 years’ real estate experience across London and the south-east, I know that buying property is one of the most important decisions most people ever make. That’s why I’m passionate about taking the stress out of the survey and valuation process and helping people realise their dreams, whether that’s a treasured new home or the next investment property.

Contact me today at roo@rmsurveyors.co.uk or by phone on 07957 606886 to have an informal, confidential and no-obligation consultation about your requirements.

“I would wholeheartedly recommend Reuben. He did a thorough job on my homebuyer’s survey and, importantly for me, took the time to talk me through it. He genuinely cared about helping me make the right choice on my purchase which was a comfort for me on such a big decision.” – Property buyer in south London

Forest Hill Area Guide | RM Surveyors

With its leafy streets, attractive period properties, thriving arts scene and family-friendly community ethos, I think Forest Hill represents suburban south London at its finest.