"Caterham - Where London Meets The Downs" Caterham by L_Strey

Caterham is a unique district where two worlds collide, the border between the seemingly endless suburbs of South London and the wild, towering hills of Surrey.
As you travel south through London the hills start to make their presence felt almost immediately after inner city areas like Brixton and Peckham. The first slopes are heavily urbanised, with districts like Forest Hill and Sydenham full of Victorian houses clambering up the hillsides. Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood provide a spectacular panoramic vista with the twin radio masts at the summit visible for miles and miles around.
After low-lying Croydon, the North Downs start their rise in earnest, with bigger houses and leafier streets around Coulsdon and Purley climbing vertiginous hillsides. There are more and more parks, commons and woods amongst the urban sprawl - such as Kenley Common (site of the famous Kenley Aerodrome), the eerily deserted Coulsdon Common, and Riddlesdown which overlooks the heavily built-up Bourne Valley. Caterham lies at the head of the valley, the last section of low land before the North Downs become virtually impenetrable.
There are two main approaches to Caterham from Central London: one is along the Bourne Valley via Godstone Road (the A22/B2208) whereas the other takes you over Caterham-On-The-Hill and down sharply into the valley (the B2030). Both roads converge at the centre of Caterham next to the railway station where trains from Central London terminate.
As well as the many parks and commons in the vicinity, and the wide range of shops and facilities, Caterham is an ideal starting point for more adventurous climbers and walkers. Gravelly Hill, the highest point of this section of the North Downs, lies approximately two miles south of Caterham. From this spectacular spot the North Downs Way stretches east towards Canterbury and west towards Guildford.

• Pros:Interesting, dramatic scenery, best of both urban and rural worlds
• In a nutshell:The edge of civilisation!