Hello all, my husband and I will hopefully soon be moving to Forest Hill and I was wondering if anyone could suggest any good running routes around the area (preferably not too hilly or along any very busy roads). I'd be wanting to do approximately 5-mile runs so was wondering of there were any particularly nice places to run where I wouldn't have to keep doing 1/2 mile loops

Thank you!

I tend to run a loop round the both camberwell new cemetery and Honor Oak rec ground (behind HOP station) Then you can run out past the cremetorium, turn right, over the bridge and turn right following Garthorne Road, which will bring you back to HOP. That is quite a nice run.

Hi Dana,

There are plenty of good routes around Forest Hill. With plenty of parks it is easy to avoid busy streets, and a bit more difficult to avoid hills.

I have a 3 mile circle route through Crystal Palace Park from home but my hubby goes much more varied and different distances. Inside Dulwich Park the inner circle is completely flat and just over a mile long (good if you are doing interval training)
Peckham Park has a 10k race that is only 2 laps and has one gentle hill.

Hubby has 10k run from home to Crystal Palace Park, through Sydenham wood (or down College Road) round Dulwich Park and back home. It is hilly but he loves it.

Local running clubs that I have heard of: Dulwich Runners, Dulwich Park Runners, Crystal Palace Fun Runners and Crystal Palace Triathletes
They use local roads and parks so good way to find out new routes is to join one of them.

I really enjoy that loop through Dulwich Wood and College road, though the track from Sydenham Hill station to the pub at the top is a real lung buster!

Another good run east of the tracks is through the Linear Park to Blythe Hill fields (or on to Hilly fields via Ladywell if you are feeling up for it).

I'm really enjoying all this advice as I tend to run to and from the gym.

Trouble is I live right down Stanstead Road and the route that offers the most distance is uphill to Blythe Hill Fields, Downhill to Gladiator Rd and onto HOP high street. From there its uphill AGAIN as far as One Tree Hill before finally flattening out and turning down hill at Honor Oak Road down to the petrol station and onto London Road and the gym.

It's two miles that feels a lot like five. But for all the effort, you have some lovely views and fairly quiet paths