I appreciate that it’s a very open question but after some general recommendations for nice places to live in South London. I’m going to be working in ‘South Thames’ for next couple years and intially I need to choose* which area to work in: West, South and East broadly speaking. I know a few areas but after an overview of somewhere decent to live and then I can try and form an idea of where to choose. Somewhere that has decent amenities, good transport links and relatively nice to live in. Rent about 800-1000 pcm for 1 bedroom, zone 2 or 2/3.

This is the slightly useful map of how south thames is broken up (it’s all a bit arbitrary)

Thanks in advance, vague and crappy question I know.

Only thing I’d suggest is that you visit the areas first – I use to often drive through South London (going through from Waterloo to Weybridge and Sutton) – there were many areas where I seemed the only white man…

I reside in Wimbledon, lovely place with very good links to town. Got the common and Richmond park close by and 15 mins to Waterloo, plus distric and/or Northern Line depending where you live.

£1k a month is certainly doable.

b r – you must have been terrified! A lucky escape!

Anyway, South London’s rubbish. I’d go for East, off that list. North is even better still. 🙂

There you go and thats a decent spot.
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-28603963.html

Cheers for the posts so far, keep them coming. I was hoping to get a chance to drive around but got assigned south thames on Friday and have to select an area by tomorrow and choose jobs by friday!

Clapham? Both the Clapham Junction and Northern line side have nice bits and are well connected

Steve, cheers Clapham (and Putney) both possibles at the moment.

Only thing I’d suggest is that you visit the areas first – I use to often drive through South London (going through from Waterloo to Weybridge and Sutton) – there were many areas where I seemed the only white man…

What a sublime example of casual racism.

MrSmith – Member

Only thing I’d suggest is that you visit the areas first – I use to often drive through South London (going through from Waterloo to Weybridge and Sutton) – there were many areas where I seemed the only white man…

What a sublime example of casual racism.

You mean they are all tourists?

Have you just got your F1 post?

There are plenty of fine places in south london to live, indeed i live here now and still love it after 7 years. If you are working at King’s / Thommies or Guys then i would say being close by is fantastic. Elephant and castle has the best links – on every bus route, 2 tube lines and an overground and is fine. It has a bad rep but i’ve lived here 7 yrs problem free. It’s about 5-10 minutes from any of the above hospitals on bike and is dead cheap for Zone 1. It’s also a 20 min walk to all of the southbank (waterloo / westminster / tower bridge etc)

Failing that Brixton, has ok links (1 tube line and an overground)and has a fairly decent vibe – nice restaurants in the old indoor market.
Vauxhall and Kennington are a bit dearer and slightly further away than E&C. Camberwell green / peckham rd is getting trendy but has crappy access (only buses). Streatham is a bit of a hole and i wouldn’t bother (although some bits edging onto the common are nice). Herne hill / Tulse hill have overland trains and buses which are ok in the wk but infrequent at times at the wk end, have some friends live out there and they like it. If you want to go further out east Brockley and Greenwich are quite nice, New cross has a slightly bohemian trendy vibe and quite nice ladies (Goldsmiths art college is there). If you are inclined to go west it’s more expensive than east..If i were you i’d avoid clapham like the plague, it’s way overpriced and quite a good place for muggings as all new londoners move there. Your best bet is go visit lots of areas, get a feel for it and decide what you want (location vs amenities vs cost vs overall vibe) and make a decision from that. All areas have good and bad bits so go with an open mind… But most of all good luck!

You mean they are all tourists?

They are all thieving cleaners or dole scum aren’t they? 🙄 🙄 🙄

(x3 roll eyes just in case you think I meant that)

I’m going to be working in ‘South Thames’

Does that mean you’ll be working at multiple sites from that map? Based at a single site on a single day or visiting multiple. Are you going to be driving round or taking public transport? Might depend on whether you’re better off basing yourself in London or outside.

If you want mtbing look for somewhere near a line that can get to Dorking.

There is a yahoo group (london calling?) that often meet up on the train to ride the surrey hills.

Marp, just got deanery on Friday- need to rank the areas for tomorrow then jobs for Friday!

Damn had pencilled in Clapham as decent links to Ashford and Croydon.

I’m thinking of trying to do F1 in a DGH to get more experience* then F2 in a teaching hospital?

*I’m not sure if it’s a myth but keep hearing that teaching hospitals are difficult to get opportunities and experience and would rather be better prepared for F2 when people actually expect me to be able to do something!

EDIT: Simons, one site for a year then another for a year. Broadly speaking one ‘in’ London and one ‘out’

Not sure what you do, so from a purely living and cycling perspective – I’d go for something south of Richmond Park – positioning you nicely for the various parks round that way, the Thames path, the Grand Union canal at Brentford, plus the riding out to the South Downs and train links or easy driving to Dorking or Swinley, as well as the easy access into central London. So anywhere from Merton round Sutton up to Twickenham. I think you’d be able to get a (fairly nice) 1 bed for 1K in that area.

Fontmoss, that was the ne piece of advice my uncle and cousin gave me (cabbie and met police officer respectively) when i moved to London. Have a few friends doing their pre-reg at KCH and still struggling to get opportunities (very dog eat dog), so i reckon going for a DGH is a good bet at least till you get a few more hours under your belt.

If you wanted clapham junction way then parts of wandsworth and balham are quite nice and easy to get to clapham junction from. The northcote rd area of clapham is nice but pretty expensive. Depending on the region you went for i would be tempted to go further out where the access to riding is better and you can hop on trains to get everywhere. Sutton / merton would be good as mentioned earlier for access but not exactly the bright lights of London…(if you were after that)

Cheers, yeah balham, east dulwich seem worth a look.

I think I’ll rank west then south then east and see what happens

Cycling can’t be a priority really, otherwise I should have gone back to Scotland

Woking is a good central spot for Tunnel Hill, Swinley and the Surrey Hills, although not the greatest town…

Wife 1 bed maisonette rents out for £785 pm and a monthly rail ticket is something like £280, trains are 30 mins to Waterloo, and last train back is 1.05am. That train will cover Clapham and Surbiton as well I think.

If you are outside of London it is worth looking at those last train time, as some of the stations aren’t very good.

I’d move back to Putney tomorrow if I’d got the chance.. Loved it there.. Great place, handy for everywhere, & had a great vibe about the place.

Beckenham. Decent area, 15min to Victoria, 10min ride to the bridleways. I like it 🙂

Cheers, yeah balham, east dulwich seem worth a look.

East dulwich, nice but pricy, good for Herne Hill and cyclo cross in the winter. Balham used to live there when it was rough and full of toms – nowadays it’s clapham overspill, vibrant, lively and is well connected both on tube and BR so a big improvement. As you head down the tube; Tooting Bec nice bits, commom, lido, etc but not much actualy there – close to balham and wansdworth common, Tooting Broadway – bustling lots of restauarants (mainly indian) colliers wood – bit of a non event, south wimbledon – very good, short walk to town centre, bars etc, Morden bit depressing, old people, buses and not much else in the centre but lots of housing stock so may be a reaonable base. Surbiton may be worth a look bit furter out.

Forest Hill always seemed OK to me. Would you consider living that far out?

Forest hill may be ok.

Ok I’m going to submit the area choices, job choices are open until 25th and we’re assigned on the 17th April so I’ll no doubt revive this thread at that point. Thanks again to everyone.

What a sublime example of casual racism.

Not really, just a fact – but tbh most of inner London/large cities are the same; especially during the day.

Simons, one site for a year then another for a year. Broadly speaking one ‘in’ London and one ‘out’

Difficult then without knowing which sites you’re at. Anywhere in South London will be an easy bike ride to any of the London hospitals but you could end up with a really shitty commute for the second year if you don’t have easy access to the right train line out of town (then again, commuting against the flow is much more pleasant and I *think* they let you take bikes on the trains but not sure).

Brixton is kicking right now (though I’ve been here *cough* years and it always has been). Cool but still with a bit of an edge. Clapham Junction, Putney, Wimbledon have a very different vibe. Depends what sort of nightlife you want.

I used to live in East Dulwich. Nice area with some nice houses and I liked the village part and the green areas around the school and golf course but a bit of a PITA to get into the centre or west as it is all bus routes. Brixton really does have a vibrant scene and the links are much better. Personally I always liked Clapham there was also a nice restaurant/bar scene but a bit more up market and also a good links to the centre but also out to the South Downs by train for the cycling.

Not really, just a fact – but tbh most of inner London/large cities are the same; especially during the day.

Then why say that then? And why would that be an issue?
Oh I see it was just in case the OP had dark skin and fancied some company. 🙄

Then why say that then? And why would that be an issue?
Oh I see it was just in case the OP had dark skin and fancied some company.

Who said it was an ‘issue’? Just pointing out something that the OP will see on his ‘tour’.

Would you point it out if he was Black/Asian?

Who said it was an ‘issue’?

Well you did really, by making it your only comment – despite having apparently driven through South London “often”. Was it really the only thing you noticed ?

Was it really the only thing you noticed ?

No. Its also a 5h1t hole.

Just moved down to Teddington – doesnt get any better ….
2 good parks on your doorstep, lots to do and London just far enough away !

Richmond / Teddington area is well worth a gander …

Agree with lasty, Teddington, Twickenham area is nice and not too far away from central london.

Used to live on the south side of Clapham Common. Good rail and tube links, decent choice of local bars and restaurants and easy riding distance into Central London. Not cheap now but generally a decent area to live. Like a lot of south London a complete pig to get out of town by car though – sometimes 90 minutes to the M4 / M25 on a Friday afternoon.

If you don’t mind being a bit further out: Epsom. You won’t feel like you’re ‘in London’ (Good or bad depending on how you view it), but you have a choice of two train lines to either Waterloo or Victoria in 35 mins, good rail connections to almost anywhere in the South East and are only a couple of stops from Dorking in the other direction for Surrey Hills biking goodness.

You’ll also get a lot more for your money.

£1000pcm in Clapham will get you sod all. I was paying £1200 for a 1 Bed back in 2004.

Thumbs up for epsom from me.

£1000pcm in Clapham will get you sod all.

This. As we found out last year when we were looking, it’s unlikely you’ll get anything from Clapham to way past Richmond for under £1000.

Streatham hill to crystal palace should be a goer though.

Like a lot of south London a complete pig to get out of town by car though – sometimes 90 minutes to the M4 / M25 on a Friday afternoon.

Bloody hell, I did Chippenham to London one evening, leaving at exactly 4.00pm, ticket into King’s Mall car park, Hammersmith at exactly 5.30pm!
I do love London, but I couldn’t cope with that. 😀

I do love London, but I couldn’t cope with that.

We lasted 6 months for that very reason!