London is a Forest: Honor Oak Park to Deptford

A-B walk from Honor Oak Park overground station to Deptford national rail station

Following the route from my book, London is a Forest, this longer walk takes in several of south east London’s fascinating green spaces and a rich sample of its remarkable trees.

The tone is set with a steep climb up One Tree Hill to visit the Honor Oak, from where a fine view of London can be had. We descend to Brenchley Gardens, a former railway line before entering Nunhead Cemetery, one of London’s Magnificent Seven. From here we visit Telegraph Hill before descending to the Thames flood plain at New Cross.

After admiring the New Cross Gate Giant redwood, the route takes us through New Cross before we arrive at Sayes Court Park, the last remaining remnant of diarist John Evelyn’s garden where an old and storied mulberry tree grows. From here it is a short walk to Deptford station where there is ample opportunity for refreshment at Deptford Market Yard.

Walk details

Start 13:30, Honor Oak Park overground station
End 17:00, Deptford national rail station
Duration: Approximately 3.5 hours
Terrain: Fairly strenuous, some unpaved surfaces, approximately 6 miles
Places are limited to 15

If you are interested in trees or London, then these walks are for you, they cover aspects of the city that you may not have come across before, and introduce you to remarkable individual trees and dozens of species and cultivars that grow on our streets and in our public spaces. All the walks in this programme are led by me, Paul Wood. It’s a way to share my knowledge and passion, and, I hope, to show you London in a completely new way: through its trees.

I have curated each walk to both show off an interesting part of the city and to highlight some interesting trees. Some of the walks have previously featured in my books either in part or whole, while others are completely new.

Places are limited to 15 people, and are of varying length and difficulty. Some are short and sweet, lasting an hour and a half, while others may take up to two and a half hours. While they follow urban routes, some are more strenuous than others, and while they are open to all, I have included details of each walk’s accessibility and terrain. I am happy to answer any questions you may have about the walks, what we will cover and the routes. You can get in touch with me through my website.

About Paul

Paul Wood is a London-based writer, blogger, photographer and tour-guide. He has written three books about trees and urban nature in London:

London’s Street Trees (Safe Haven 2017, 2024), London is a Forest (Quadrille 2019, 2022) and London Tree Walks (Safe Haven 2020), he is also the editor of the Great Trees of London Map (Blue Crow Media 2021).

Over the past three years he has been researching and writing a new book entitled Tree-Hunting: 1,000 Trees to Find in Britain and Ireland’s Towns and Cities, to be published by Penguin in 2025.

You can find Paul on most social media platforms as @thestreettree, you can visit his website at thestreettree.com, and you can follow his weekly accounts featuring a great British or Irish tree on Substack at thestreettree.substack.com.

A large Caucasian Wingnut grows at the end of his street.


Terms and Conditions
Attendees must have a valid ticket for the event. Please ensure you have purchased a ticket in advance, we may not be able to accommodate you on the day if you do not have one.
Please wear suitable clothing and footwear. Some ground may be uneven.
Please do not bring dogs.
In the event of a bad weather forecast or very wet weather on the day, the event may be postponed or cancelled.
Specifically, if strong winds or gusts are likely to exceed 30mph then the event will be postponed or cancelled. If temperatures are forecast to exceed 30ºC at midday, then the event will be postponed or cancelled. If thunder and lightning or sustained heavy rain is forecast, then the event will be postponed or cancelled.
If the event is cancelled, full refunds will be offered to attendees.
Tickets are refundable up to 48 hours before the event. After this time, if you are unable to attend, let me know and I will release your ticket and offer a refund if it is sold.