List of highest points in London facts for kids
Did you know that London has its own "mountains"? Well, not exactly mountains, but high natural points! This article lists the 21 highest natural spots within the 1,569 km2 (606 sq mi) area of Greater London, England. Each of these spots is at least 100 metres (about 328 feet) high.
Most of these high points are found on natural ridges. A ridge is like a long, narrow hill or a raised strip of land. There are six main ridges in London where these peaks are located. Four of these ridges even stretch beyond London's borders! These include the Blackheath Ridge, parts of the North Weald Ridges, the North Downs ridge, and the Grim's Ditch ridge.
The highest natural point in London is Westerham Heights, which stands at 245 m (804 ft) (about 804 feet) tall. For a long time, this was the highest point in London, even taller than any buildings. But in 2012, the amazing Shard London Bridge skyscraper was finished. It stands at 309 m (1,014 ft) (about 1,014 feet) and is now the tallest structure in London!
Contents
London's Highest Natural Points List
This table shows the highest natural points in Greater London, ranked from tallest to shortest. You can see their names, which London borough they are in, their exact location using an OS grid reference, and their height in metres and feet.
| Rank | Name | London borough | OS grid reference | Height |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Westerham Heights | Bromley | TQ436564 (51°17′17″N 0°03′36″E / 51.288°N 0.060°E) | 245 metres (804 ft) |
| 2 | Sanderstead Plantation | Croydon | TQ343618 (51°20′20″N 0°04′19″W / 51.339°N 0.072°W) | 175 metres (574 ft) |
| 3 | Stanmore Hill | Harrow | TQ164934 (51°37′37″N 0°19′05″W / 51.627°N 0.318°W) | 152 metres (499 ft) |
| 4 | Big Wood peak north of Manor Hill/Corrigan Avenue Rec. Ground | Sutton | TQ282598 (51°19′19″N 0°09′36″W / 51.322°N 0.160°W) | 150 metres (492 ft) |
| 5 | Arkley | Barnet | TQ219956 (51°38′42″N 0°14′17″W / 51.645°N 0.238°W) | 147 metres (482 ft) |
| 6 | Highwood Hill/Moat Mount, Totteridge Fields | Barnet | TQ218941 (51°37′55″N 0°14′24″W / 51.632°N 0.240°W) | 145 metres (476 ft) |
| 7 | Harrow Weald Common | Harrow | TQ149931 (51°37′26″N 0°20′24″W / 51.624°N 0.340°W) | 145 metres (475 ft) |
| 8 | Hampstead Heath: West of Spaniards Road ‡ | Camden | TQ264869 (51°34′01″N 0°10′37″W / 51.567°N 0.177°W) | 137 metres (449 ft) |
| 9 | Highgate: Gatehouse, North Road to Hillcrest, off the top of North Hill | Haringey | TQ282878 (51°34′26″N 0°09′00″W / 51.574°N 0.150°W) | 136 metres (446 ft) |
| 10 | Shooter's Hill | Greenwich | TQ438765 (51°28′08″N 0°04′16″E / 51.469°N 0.071°E) | 132 metres (433 ft) |
| 11 | Pinner Hill | Harrow / Hillingdon | TQ107916 (51°36′43″N 0°24′04″W / 51.612°N 0.401°W) | 126 metres (413 ft) |
| 12 | London part of Woodcock Hill north of Scratchwood | Barnet | TQ201953 (51°38′35″N 0°15′50″W / 51.643°N 0.264°W) | 125 metres (410 ft) |
| 13 | Harrow on the Hill (occ. Harrow Hill) | Harrow | TQ153874 (51°34′23″N 0°20′10″W / 51.573°N 0.336°W) | 124 metres (408 ft) |
| 14 | Bournwell Hill | Barnet / Enfield | TQ256976 (51°39′47″N 0°11′02″W / 51.663°N 0.184°W) | 115 metres (377 ft) |
| 15 | Sydenham Hill (Crystal Palace) | Lewisham / Southwark | TQ340721 (51°25′55″N 0°04′19″W / 51.432°N 0.072°W) | 112 metres (367 ft) |
| 16 | Westow Hill (Crystal Palace) | Bromley / Croydon / Lambeth | TQ337707 (51°25′08″N 0°04′37″W / 51.419°N 0.077°W) | 110 metres (361 ft) |
| 17 | Forest Hill | Lewisham | TQ350735 (51°26′46″N 0°03′47″W / 51.446°N 0.063°W) | 106 metres (348 ft) |
| 18 | Orange Tree Hill, Havering-atte-Bower | Havering | TQ512930 (51°36′54″N 0°11′02″E / 51.615°N 0.184°E) | 105 metres (344 ft) |
| 19 | Muswell Hill | Haringey | TQ283896 (51°35′24″N 0°08′53″W / 51.590°N 0.148°W) | 105 metres (344 ft) |
| 20 | Woodcock Hill, Harefield | Hillingdon | TQ067915 (51°36′43″N 0°27′32″W / 51.612°N 0.459°W) | 103 metres (338 ft) |
| 21 | Ferny Hill (Enfield Chase) | Enfield | TQ280979 (51°39′54″N 0°08′56″W / 51.665°N 0.149°W) | 102 metres (334 ft) |
‡ This point in Hampstead Heath is the highest spot in Inner London. It was also the highest point of the old County of London.
High-Up Settlements in London
Some towns and villages in London are built on these high natural points. Let's explore some of the highest settlements, grouped by their London Borough.
Bromley's High Villages
In the Bromley area, the hamlet of South Street is the highest settlement. It sits at 220 metres (722 ft) (about 722 feet) above sea level. This area is close to the Surrey Hills AONB, which is a special protected natural area.
Other high villages nearby include:
- Horns Green at 216 metres (709 ft) (709 feet)
- Berry's Green and Biggin Hill, both reaching 190 metres (623 ft) (623 feet)
- Aperfield and Single Street, both at 180 metres (591 ft) (591 feet)
- Luxted at 177 metres (581 ft) (581 feet)
Croydon's Elevated Areas
Outside of Bromley, the highest settlements are Sanderstead and Selsdon in the Croydon area. Sanderstead reaches 170 metres (558 ft) (558 feet), and Selsdon is just a little lower.
Barnet's High Spots
Arkley in the Barnet area is built up to 147 metres (482 ft) (482 feet). Its neighbours, Monken Hadley and Chipping Barnet, are both 131 metres (430 ft) (430 feet) high. Barnet Gate is also high at 129 metres (423 ft) (423 feet).
Other Notable High Settlements
- The Vale of Health is a small area within Hampstead Heath in Camden, sitting at 130 metres (427 ft) (427 feet).
- Harrow on the Hill in Harrow is 124 metres (407 ft) (407 feet) high.
- Shooters Hill in Greenwich reaches 120 metres (394 ft) (394 feet).
Many other settlements also have parts that are over 100 metres (328 ft) (328 feet) high. These include Upper Sydenham, Upper Norwood, Chislehurst, Highgate, Muswell Hill, Hampstead, Harefield, Northwood, Mill Hill, Whetstone, Stanmore, Carshalton, Coombe, New Addington, and Purley.
See also
- List of highest points in the United Kingdom
- List of tallest buildings and structures in London
