moving to Bedfordshire

[ska]

we're considering a move away from where we are now to Bedfordshire. Not 100% certain about it but lots of reasons for us to make the move. We currently live in a lovely friendly village with great school and wondered what villages in Beds are like. Need somewhere very friendly to newbies! Any MNers have recommendations? I'd be so grateful otherwise it's sticking a pin in the map!

[iota]

hi take a look at teh meet-uo threads- quite a few peopel on here from the Bedford area

[ska]

did try that but there are so many messages and can't work out how to filter. Am a newbie on here really. just want ideas of where to phone estate agents!

[girrafey]

hi there. bedfordshire is actually quite big ( only found this out in the last month or so after living 15 mons away most of my life!!!)
i live in st. neots which is on the border of bedford and cambridge, lovely place. it is a river side town with villages surrounding it. takes 15 mins to bedford town. ( which personally i never go to) milton keynes with their huge shopping centre is easy to get to now as they have opened a new bypass last month.
the proper small village between st. neots and bedford is great barford. used to nanny for a family there and it is very nice. post office, little shop, pub, restaurant and park etc. very friendly and only ten mins or so into bedford.
sadly i dont really know much about the other side or town of bedford but from the look of the meet ups that is where most fo them are based.
if you want any more info please feel free to ask. may i ask if it is just that part of bedfordshire? as there are lovely little villages around me. hth

[ska]

Amyjo thanks for the reply. We have visited St neots and also st ives which are quite near and lovely. we're thinking about a move to be nearer my step children who have just been moved to toddington - we have them mid week and at weekends and are struggling with our now 2 hour return trip. if we move i want it to be somewhere really nice and friendly so we can settle in quickly., we have a 7 yr old dd. we had been really settled where we are up til now. want freindly school, friendly mums and nice surroundings. can't bear to be worse of than we are now (in nice vilage with lots of friends)

[ska]

bump

[springer72]

There are some lovely villages in Beds. We're in a village just over the border from South Beds in North Herts. Just steer clear of places like Luton and Dunstable.

[ska]

defintely going to do that! just want somewhere friendly if we have to move. at the moment the journeys 3 times aweek are a complete nightmare with my little one in the car for 2 hours at least a trip. what village are you in (just give me postcode?)

[edam]

Hi Springer wonder if you are in the same place as me, beginning with H?

[redclover79]

Hi
We moved to beds from n.herts 18 months ago. We're in a small town and I wasn't sure when we first arrived, but now I really like it round here!! I'm not sure what village life is like around these parts but I have to say people are much more friendly and relaxed round here than they are in north herts. I work in a supermarket part time and 95% of the customers are friendly (civility seemed a stretch in herts), I would say a good proportion come from local villages.
My impression of the villages is they are proper communities, not many 2nd homes or commuters IYSWIM. And the best thing about the villages is there seems to be loads of roadside veggie stalls selling local produce etc. We never saw any of that in n herts and we love it!! People seem quite community minded. Oh and schools her are on the lower, middle and upper system

[MascaraOHaraIncredibleSheHulk]

Toddington is lovely, I'm that side of Beds.. lots of nice little villages round there. Feel free to email me, my address is MascaraOHara@ hotmail co uk

There are a fair few of use spread around beds, luton, dunstable etc so you should be fairly well covered for help if you keep this thread bumped

hth
Moh

[ska]

Thanks I will. We're still in the thinking stages but I think it has to be done. Lats night spent 2 and a half hours in the car and it was hell. Moving seems to be the only answer really. Heard of Hockliffe (near Leifghton Buzzard?) try ing to multmap routes to dh's work atthe moment to see which places are possible

[hugeheadofhair]

I used to live in Beds for 18 months only. I remember Hockliffe from driving through (A5 goes right through) on the way to a great childrens' farm on the outskirts of L.B. Didn't appeal to me very much, but then again, did not see much of it apart from the A5. Around Woburn and Woburn Sands seems very nice (although perhaps pricy)

[MascaraOHaraIncredibleSheHulk]

Hockliffe is OK, on A5 as said.. near Mead Farm which is fabulous for young children.

Is there a reason you want to be around Leighton Buzzard? Aylesbury is nice but the other side of LB, Stoke hammond is nice got a pub right on the canal.

Woburn Sands has a fairly good primary school as does Bow Brickhill - you're moving more toward MK with these ares but would be about 20min drive from Leighton Buzzard.

[ska]

no we need to be nearish to toddington and near enough for dh to continue to work in central herts. need good local school and friendly place. not too big though (toddington seems huge to me & really buy road after our tiny village) and would love bigger garden so we can be more self sufficient (grow own verg etc?). price is important! would prefer to be nearer herts border but worried about busy M1. really just casting sround to find out more about what is out there.

[MascaraOHaraIncredibleSheHulk]

OK well Toddington is nice and friendly too, eaton brey/bray? is nice and so are the tiny villages out toward whipsnade zoo.

Great Missenden is lovely

but remember once you get into the chilterns you are in computer belt and the prices rise dramatically.

[IdrisTheDragon]

We live in Bedfordshire (just) having moved here from North Herts (Letchworth) 18 months ago.

DH and I are both commuters, but we are nice really .

[MascaraOHaraIncredibleSheHulk]

OOPS 'computer' belt ha ha ha of couse I meant communter belt

[MascaraOHaraIncredibleSheHulk]

no I didn't mean communter belt... oh FGS you know what I mean commuter

[rockchicken]

DP & I have lived in a village in Bedforshire for about 5 years after moving from North Herts and love it. People seem more friendly and relaxed as redclover said, and less competitive. Our village is near both Luton and Dunstable probably about 15/20 mins from Toddington throught the lanes. I was worred about being so close to Luton, but to be honest feel safer here than in our prevoius house as the neighbours are so friendly. Just getting my head round the school system as DD starts reception next year, but both lower schools in the village are excellent. HTH

[ska]

thanks for all the advice. will look around estate agenst at weekend and report back! commuter belt means higher prices, right?

[ska]

rockchicken, are you near the flightpath of luton?

[rockchicken]

Yes, quite near but it doesn't bother me although some people find it a disturbance. When the planes take off in this direction they are further over the next village, so we don't really hear them. When they are comming into land they are a bit closer, but the engines aren't so noisy. DD is turning into quite a plane spotter, can already tell an Easyjet from a Ryanair and she's only 3!

[IdrisTheDragon]

We moved to Bedofordshire as prices were much cheaper than Hertfordshire. We're about 3 miles away from Hertfordshire, but have much more house for our money than we would have got in Herts.

[Nani40]

Hello Friends,
I have been living in Bedford for two months only.I am looking for a job as a nanny.
I have a certificate III in Children's Services and very good referencies.
I would like to work in Bedford.
If you are interested please reply.
Thank you
Regards
Liane Graham
[email protected]

[ska]

we have finally found somewhere! in mid beds near flitwick - anyone near???