Where would you live in the UK for space, QoL and schools?

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Both our work is now going to be remote, though might need to be in London eg once a month.

We live in a lovely area currently, lots to do when it's not covid, schools are good. We have close friends who we'd miss and they are all walking distance away.

We need a bigger house for various reasons and it's going to be a huge step up in house price where we live, and only a tiny bit of extra space for that (house maximally extended).

Have always fantasised about moving somewhere semi rural and now it's a possibility. I imagine myself in a house that friends can easily come and visit for the weekend as there is lots of space. So perhaps not so far away from London that it's onerous to drive for the weekend.

What would you do and where would you go? Budget around £1m and the potential for 5 bedrooms. The ideal would be somewhere close to nature but also need state schools and ideally somewhere the kids don't need us to ferry them around once they are old enough to see their friends alone.

Do I want too much?
WWYD?

Bump

Vale of York/Harrogate/Ilkley

Kent.

Hampshire.
None of that 11+ rubbish.

Thanks. I love Ilkley but it's a bit far from family to be ideal.
Whereabouts in Kent and Hampshire?
Agree with @TeenMinusTests, I don't like the idea of 11+

I would come to the north east - direct train to
London.

Westfield, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-77172363.html

This is in Gosforth. Good schools, close to town, close to the beach and close to county. Get the direct train to London when you need to.

Hants. Depends on budget and length of commute to London I guess.
I live in South Hants in the Winchester-Romsey-Chandlers Ford triangle which has a number of good secondary schools and good access to a variety of 6th form colleges. New Forest nearby.

Actually that's a good point. Hants schools almost all don't have their own 6th forms. You have to make an active choice over what you want to study next and choose accordingly. If you don't like that model (it has pros and cons) don't choose Hants.

Hampshire - Winchester, Chandlers Ford, Petersfield, Alton or even Lymington if you fancy being by the coast and in the New Forest.
Kent is very much 11 plus - the county is selective. No grammars in Hampshire and non of the angst. All the places I’ve said above have fantastic state schools.

Gloucestershire? A can go as rural or semi rural as you like. There is a grammar system but with £1m if you moved to Cheltenham you could get in the catchment of extremely good comps.

We moved from SE London to West Kent about 12 years ago and I love it! We live in a large village with a wonderful community feeling but respect for privacy. State schools are great, and although it is an 11 plus area I think the local comprehensives are really good.
The countryside is amazing - we have lots of walks and cycle routes on our doorstep yet we can get on a train and be in London in 40 minutes.
I feel very lucky.

Warwickshire or Leicestershire. Easy direct train routes to London.

Worcestershire, love it, but I miss the coast so much

Maybe Hampshire? Towards Winchester is lovely as is the New Forest. Not so far from London and also you get more visitors when people stop off/divert on their way to and from trips further West.

Thank you all. Lots of votes for certain areas, Hants in particular.
Winchester looks expensive though even with what I would class as a good budget.
Like the idea of having visitors en route, but would hope to have visitors in our own right as well
Food for thought.

There seem to be a lot of us Hampshire advocates on here, but you’d get a lot of nice house near Romsey, and depending on where you went, access enough to public transport for your children to grow up.

Have recently moved for more space.

Turns out I really, really miss having a social life that is within walking distance. Or a short drive, possibly. It's hard not knowing anyone/ having to make friends again. I wish I had factored that in a bit more.

What area are you - is there anywhere close enough by that you could maintain some of your current life?

My friend has just moved to east Sussex (not Brighton) and is loving it there. Good QoL she thinks. And people always want to visit the coast.

Ive just moved to Bournemouth and I think it offers all those things

What are the prices like in Alresford (just north of Winchester)?

Agree Romsey should be within budget, though not many 5 bedroomed houses. There has been a lot of development in recent years, some of the new housing isn't within 'easy walking' of the town centre or the secondary schools.

Not sure about the recommendation for Leicestershire, have family there and it's always seemed a bit boring (but ready to be convinced by those with more experience), and it's MILES from any coastline.
Would you think the SW was too far? Good trains from Exeter. And it seems most of London are trying to move here at the moment!

Cardiff. Lived there until quite recently and wish I could move back.

In Winchester and Alresford you’ll struggle to get a 5 bedroom house for £1m. Possibly one with a very tiny garden and small bedrooms or needs a lot of work. Have a look at Chandlers Ford. Brilliant state schools and within easy reach of Southampton and Winchester for teenagers - though it is more leafy- suburban than rural.

Pirbright on the Surrey /Hampshire border. Or the New Forest.

I would love to be able to afford a property in either of those places, sadly it’s not meant to be for me but do have a look because they are beautiful parts of the country, good luck to you OP

Edinburgh. For that budget you could live in the catchments of a great secondary.