Tuesday 6 March 2007
Herne Hill, South London
A schizophrenic south London suburb squeezed in between hip, edgy Brixton and salubrious, family-friendly Dulwich. South of the overground station, a string of upmarket shops selling everything from diminutive ballet costumes to premium pastries leads into tree-lined, gentrified, Edwardian roads. North and west of the tracks is the rolling greenery of Brockwell Park and a gritty residential area dotted with lively and scruffy eateries and drinking holes. Often crowded and unreliable trains run into the City and Victoria from Herne Hill station. Cycling the 5 miles into town can be a better bet. Less densely-populated than sloaney South West London and with a cluster of sought-after schools in neighbouring Dulwich, Herne Hill has recently seen an influx of prosperous families, pushing up house prices at a rapid clip. 6/10