Forest Hill, a fairly pleasant suburb located in the south of London, is perhaps a little less foresty nowadays than when it originally acquired its name. However the area does still boast more trees than you'd normally expect to find in the suburb of a major city, giving the place a relaxed feel. Somewhat less surprisingly, the hills in the area have all remained intact, providing local residents and visitors alike with some marvellous views back to Central London and further south into the suburbs and into the countryside beyond Croydon.

Forest Hill's History

Forest Hill only really came into being as a 'proper' town in the middle of the 19th century - prior to this time, the area was home to just a very small local population. The forest was used to supply timber for the nearby docks at Deptford. Various methods of transport were devised to reach the area (including canals and an 'atmospheric railway' that used a method of vacuum power to propel the trains!), but it was only really with the advent of the railway, built along the original filled-in canal, that the area became increasingly inhabited. The rich Victorians initially came to live here, using it as a retreat from the hustle and bustle of Central London and this accounts for the large number of Victorian houses in the area.

Some of the areas around Forest Hill have rather unusual provenances. Honor Oak Park, and Honor Oak Road which links it to Forest Hill, is rumoured to have acquired its name following a visit to the area in 1602 by Queen Elizabeth I, on which occasion she apparently stopped for a picnic by an oak tree. The amusingly named Horniman Museum - which surely must be the most amusing name in the world for local sniggering schoolboys - came into being when renowned tea merchant Frederick Horniman donated his collection of African art to Forest Hill in 1901. Further details of the Horniman Museum can be found below.

Places of Interest

Spectacular Views

Being situated on top of one of the highest points in South London gives Forest Hill some rather unique perspectives on the rest of the city. If you're feeling in an athletic frame of mind, a walk up Canonbie Road - Forest Hill's very own tribute to the hills of San Francisco - will reward the slightly breathless observer with a truly spectacular panorama across central London, stretching from Battersea Power Station in the west right the way across the iconic buildings and structures of London to Canary Wharf and the Millennium Dome in the east. Although a fantastic sight at any time of the day, the view when darkness has fallen over the city is especially breathtaking.

The Horniman Museum

One of London's best-kept secrets, the award-winning¹Horniman Museum boasts a wide variety of collections of artefacts and artwork, with a particular focus on natural history (over a quarter of a million objects in their collection!), world cultures (80,000 objects) and musical instruments (over 7,000 items). The museum also features an impressive aquarium² stocked with over 100 varieties of fish, and an extensive (16-acre) and very beautiful set of gardens. In the summer, the gardens are particularly pleasant to pass a few hours in, especially on days when open-air concerts are performed in the bandstand.

The Horniman Museum underwent a complete refit and refurbishment in the early 2000s, creating a new museum space that's light, airy, interactive and anything but stuffy and dull. Access to the museum is free of charge, except for special events and temporary touring exhibitions that do sometimes charge a small fee.

Food and Drink

Just as you'd expect in the suburb of a major city, you'll always be able to find something to eat at the usual predictable fast food outlets. In recent years, however, Forest Hill has expanded the number of 'nice' local restaurants to visit; ranging from Thai ('Latitude') to Chinese ('Tse's'), good pub grub (at the Dartmouth Arms) to perfect 'full English breakfasts' (at the Westbourne Cafe).

Of course, when it comes to pubs, bars and other such watering holes, finding a 'good' venue is often largely down to each individual's own personal preference. Having said that, there's a decent atmosphere at The Hob, a venue just over the road from Forest Hill train station that also boasts a 2am late licence and live comedy on Saturday nights. As part of the Hobgoblin brewery chain, The Hob is also a good choice if you enjoy real ale and home-made cocktails. Another good choice for beer connoiseurs is Question, the new name for the long-established Malt Shovel pub, which can be found on Dartmouth Road. If you're after a clean, cheap venue for a quick pint, then the Wetherspoons Pub opposite the Sainsburys supermarket in Forest Hill town centre is worth a look too.

Travel

The nearest tube to Forest Hill is... a heck of a long way away, as this is South London and tube stops are rarer than hen's teeth in this neck of the woods. The quickest and easiest way to reach Forest Hill is to go to London Victoria station and take one of the overland services to Forest Hill train station - it's only four stops and 15 minutes away, and there's normally a train every ten minutes or so.

If you don't fancy taking the train, buses that go through Forest Hill include the 176 (to/from Oxford Street) and 185 (to/from Victoria Station). Other more local buses passing this way are the 356 and 312. Another good alternative service is the P4, which travels between the tube at Brixton and the Docklands Light Railway at Lewisham, stopping directly outside the Horniman Museum and the nearby Dulwich Picture Gallery (well worth a visit too!) as well.