Lady’s Pretty Guide to Forest Hill, London

There’s only one London neighborhood with a walrus. I know, I know. It sounds odd. But if you know what I’m talking about, you already know which part of the city I’m referring to. If you don’t, you’re going to want to get to know Forest Hill, London.

Forest Hill, London

Down in south London, Forest Hill is east of Dulwich and East Dulwich, and south of Peckham and Nunhead.

It’s a residential area with a celebrated museum, elegant Victorian houses, red phone boxes, and great independent shops and restaurants. As the name suggests, its height means it has views of the London skyline, too.

How to Get to Forest Hill

While not on the tube, Forest Hill has its own train station and is served by a number of buses.

There are a lot of trains from central London stations that run through this neighborhood, and it’s on the Overground network as well. That means getting here is easy and there’s no excuse for staying away.

Things to Do in Forest Hill, London

Once you’re in the area, there are tons of things to do in Forest Hill. I like to start on the streets around the station, which is where many of the neighborhood’s shops and restaurants are.

The intersection of London Road, Dartmouth Road, and Devonshire Road is buzzing with coffee shops, pubs, and places to browse and buy.

One of my favorite cafes in Forest Hill is Canvas & Cream. This place has great decor and a secret garden out back.

I love the little nooks with sitting areas full of armchairs and fireplaces, not to mention the terrace where I like watching the world go by.

Around the corner, St David Coffee House is a good place to get a caffeine fix. Its big outdoor table is perfect on sunny days, and I love how the green vines climb up the facade of the shop.

Once I’ve had my coffee, I like walking down Dartmouth Road in Forest Hill. There are more cafes here, and lots of shops selling everything from antiques to home furnishings.

Side streets with names like Bird-In-Hand Passage delight the eyes, and the library is a treat of a historic building. There’s even a pub in the old post office.

Street Art

Dotted throughout these buildings and streets is some of London’s famous street art.

From colorful walls outside Forest Hill station to murals tucked away around quiet corners like Havelock Walk, it’s fun to seek out the area’s many examples of it.

Horniman Museum and Gardens

Beyond the high street, Forest Hill is best known for its museum. If you’re wondering what the aforementioned walrus is about, this is where it comes into the story.

The Horniman Museum and Gardens is a world-class museum that opened in 1901 to house the collections of Frederick John Horniman.

The museum started with his internationally important anthropology and musical instrument collections, and has expanded over time.

Free to enter, today it’s home to an aquarium, butterfly house, animal walk, music gallery, world gallery, nature trail, and more.

But the real star is the walrus. Killed in the 19th century, this poor creature was stuffed in every skin fold until it looked like a walrus-shaped balloon.

This is probably because over a hundred years ago few people had actually seen a live walrus. The taxidermist likely didn’t know what it should look like, so stuffed it until every bit of skin was taut.

The Horniman Walrus is not only the museum’s most famous resident, but also a symbol of Forest Hill. It’s even on the sign for the neighborhood under the railway bridge.

The actual building was designed by Charles Harrison Townsend in the Arts and Crafts Movement style, and is still eye-catching today.

It’s surrounded by 16 acres of manicured gardens with flower beds that change colors and styles throughout the year. There’s a beautiful conservatory on the grounds, as well as sweeping lawns with views of the London skyline.

Sunday Market in Forest Hill, London

In fact, one of the best views of London can be seen from the weekly Sunday market at the Horniman Museum.

The area around the bandstand is beloved for its weekend food stalls, which sell local produce, seasonal fruits and vegetables, artisan bread, chocolates, homemade jams, cakes, and other prepared foods and drinks.

It makes Sunday mornings and afternoons great times to go to Forest Hill.

Green Chain Walk

If you’re like me and you tend to eat more than you should, you’ll be happy to learn that Forest Hill is on the Green Chain Walk.

This 50-mile (82-kilometer) route stretches from the Thames to Nunhead Cemetery, going through as much parkland as possible along the way.

The Horniman Museum’s gardens are among the many wooded areas and parks along the Green Chain Walk.

It’s easy to pick up the trail here and follow the signposts south to Crystal Palace or north to Nunhead. There are maps online if you want more guidance, too.

If you go north, you’ll pass next to one of Forest Hill’s most photogenic sights. The red phone box, New York taxi, and vintage car combination outside K Libretto and Daughters butcher shop on Wood Vale are a trifecta for Instagram.

Forest Hill

But with so much to see and do in Forest Hill, there’s little temptation to leg it out of the area. I hope you enjoy exploring this part of London as much as I have. And when you go, don’t miss the walrus.

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