Love where you live? Please recommend me somewhere in England!

[shouldHAVE]

We're a forces family who've been on the move for 20 years. We're not planning to settle anywhere for a while yet, but would quite like to buy somewhere that we could move into if we decided to. The trouble is, we have absolutely no idea where to settle! We're both from completely different places and have no ties to either.

Our perfect place would be Bath, but we just can't afford it. We want somewhere with a country feel, but not far from facilities like decent shops/restaurants/cinema etc. We've lived in: Wiltshire, Dorset. Bedfordshire, Warwickshire, Staffordshire, NI, Yorkshire and Germany. We also like York/Harrogate, but ideally I'd rather be south.

Our budget is up to £350k, but having looked all over, we're lucky to get a small 3 bed for that, which is devastating.

If you think you live somewhere or know somewhere that may fit the bill please help.

[FiveGoMadInDorset]

I you like Dorset then somewhere like Sherborne, Wimborne and Dorchester fit your criteria

[user1470849338]

I know you said you'd prefer down south, but up north will get you a hell of a lot more for that! I live in North Tyneside but Northumberland is more rural. You're still ~20mins from the city centre, similar distance to the coast and you're right in the countryside. Not too far from an airport either.

On the downside the North Sea is always grey and it is cold up here. You probably won't be able to rent it as easily either. I'm from Ireland and it took me a while to get used of living over here, I love it now though if I could change anything it would be just the weather, that bloody North Sea and set a flight to Derry!

[shouldHAVE]

I love Dorset, particularly the places you mentioned, but think it may be just too much in the sticks for us... or at least for DH.

[shouldHAVE]

user, that's more our neck of the woods and would rather avoid it - purely because of the cold and that constant east coast wind!! I do love Northumberland though, and it does crop up on my searches now and again. It's definitely tempting when you see what you can get for your money.

[UntilTheCowsComeHome]

Shropshire? Shrewsbury is a gorgeous town with loads of great restaurants, shops etc. Lovely countryside all around and easy to get to Birmingham and Manchester and London by rail.

You could get a gorgeous house with your budget.

[GemmaB78]

What about East Devon? I lived there for a few years and loved it. Exeter is a stunning city with plenty going on, but the coast, East Devon and Dartmoor are close by. London is approx. 2 hours on the train. The only problem will be property prices. We currently live in Hull. I'm not a fan (!) but property is ridiculously cheap!

[Kaisha02]

What about Oxfordshire? We have a gorgeous 3 bed cottage for £325k within a ten minute drive of a great town.

[LittlePickleHead]

What about a market town with easy access to Bath? You could get a lot for your money in Chippenham, and it's only 10 mins on the train to Bath.

[LittlePickleHead]

Although I'd also second Shrewsbury, it's lovely!

[shopaholic85]

I was going to say Bath (we love living here) until I read your second paragraph. If you really like it though, I think you could get a doer-upper on your budget. Worth leafleting the streets you like as there is a huge supply and demand problem. Good luck with the search.

[PurpleDaisies]

We're buying a four bedroom family home in a lovely village just on the border of North Somerset for £340k. Only 15mins to Bristol city centre, 40mins to Bath.

[BobbinThreadbare123]

For £350k you'd actually get something rather lovely in the Lake District...

[user1471549018]

You get a lot for your money in Lincolnshire and the weather is nice, but transport links aren't great. We have family there and have talked about moving there one day to get a much bigger house with land. Lincoln itself is a beautiful city, similar in some respects to York imo. I do think we'd miss living closer to a bigger city like we do currently though.

[FiveGoMadInDorset]

Dorchester has had a massive development in the last couple of years so new restaurants, shop and cinema

[MrsSpenserGregson]

East Dorset coast. A few nice towns here with plenty of life, next to the beach and also near the New Forest and countryside

[Diddlydokey]

Leamington Spa

[Northernlurker]

York, forget about it being the North. Great quality of life and your budget would get you an ok house.

[shouldHAVE]

GemmaB, not sure I'd convince DH to venture into Devon, and I'm not willing to venture into Hull (sorry to offend people from Hull, but it's not for me). Good point about London though - 2 hrs or under on train would be good.
LPH Chippenham would do, it's on the watch list, nothing decent within budget at the mo.
Untilthecows I've actually just been to Shrewsbury recently and did like it. Will take a look.
Kaisha I love Oxfordshire, but didn't think I would get a thing within budget... any suggestions of possible areas?
PurpleDaisies off to study the map for potential north somerset areas...
user I've actually been studying within a 3 mile radius of Lincoln today! Absolutely amazing what we could buy there, and had it recommended by many friends, but I've never actually been. Think I need to pop over for a visit.
FiveGoMad Very true about Dorchester, I have actually sampled the new stuff, a great improvement.
Diddly I love Leamington Spa and actually have some family live there, but have never seen anything decent within budget.

I took a look at Hale/Altrincham yesterday (inspired by housewives of Cheshire and was surprised that I could actually afford something half decent.

Thanks everyone so far!

[TwllBach]

Does it really have to be England? I live in north wales and it's just perfect. I live in snowdonia atm but lived on Anglesey for 10 years and both or beautiful! Plus cheap houses!

[TwllBach]

And only an hour from Cheshire

[MarshaMallow84]

I've lived all over, including abroad but we've been in York for over ten years now as we love it so much. Just couldn't ask for a better place to raise a family. Although you've expressed reservations about it being up north, it's less ban 2 hours on the train into st Pancras, and easy enough to hop onto the motorway and be anyway in England (or Scotland!) in a few hours. Do it! You won't regret it!

[CMOTDibbler]

I live in Worcestershire, and its great - you can be in Birmingham or Bristol within an hour, but fabulous countryside on your doorstep

[shouldHAVE]

TwllBach Never been to North Wales, but it's not on the cards .
Marsha I think I'd only go that far north for York or Harrogate. The traffic puts me off, but tbh I don't think there is anywhere that doesn't have a traffic problem. I love the village feel of Fulford, any other recommendations?

[shouldHAVE]

CMOT was curious about Worcestershire, it's not somewhere you hear much about, I only ever pass it on the M5. Any recommendations of places to look/avoid?

[Mrsladybirdface]

No better place than Cheltenham...a mini Bath in fact! Great facilities...can get to bristol and Birmingham in 40 mins..direct trains to lots of places.

Have the literature, jazz and science festival. Great places to eat...minutes from great country walk.