Areas like Didcot...

[Hannibalism]

Currently living in London but considering moving out, ideally somewhere a bit cheaper.

Didcot ticks a lot of our boxes and feels almost perfect, but can anyone recommend any similar areas we should check out?

The must haves:

• Good public transport connections (we don't have a car) ideally within 60-90mins of London by rail
• Generally walkable - shops, gp, vet (schools aren't a concern - no children)
• Safe, fairly quiet (what others might call 'boring' is fine by us!)

Lots of suggestions require a car! The OP doesn't have one.

Therefore towns with easy transport links appear necessary. Not 20 mins in a car to a station!

Didcot isn't that great. There are other places with stations such as Newbury that are better. Bicester is now sprawling but ok. Aylesbury is similar. Wendover is much nicer - just avoid HS2. Amersham ok too. Tring is a distance from its station and Thame even further. Get a bike? Moreton in Marsh is lovely but not many trains and slow. Maidenhead is ok too and anywhere on Liz Line has fast links.

However I could not imagine living in any of these places without a car. The countryside and places to visit would all be out of reach so totally negate the reasons for being in such pleasant areas. With a car your world opens up.

Moreton in Marsh is lovely but not many trains and slow.

There is generally a train every hour to Paddington and the station is in the town centre so easy to walk to, along with shops, bank, cafes, GP, vet etc. The journey time to Paddington is 90 mins which falls within the OPs brief.

Yes I know M in M well but a train once an hour is not very many when compared to, say, Tring or even Aylesbury. Other towns do have more trains. Much nicer place to be than some towns of course but we've also had trains cancelled so it's not a great rail service. I cannot imagine living there without a car! Look at what you would be missing!

My non driving sister lives in Wendover, having moved out from London and loves it. Marlow / Bourne End / Henley have bad train links.

Princes Risborough

I was also going to suggest Wendover (if only because of Rumseys 😊)

Wendover is a lovely village, has a train station, close to High Wycombe, the high street has a fair few independent shops, very nice eateries, good schooling, lots of outdoor space.

I have friends in Wendover and they are very happy.

Also have friends in Tring - similar village feel, and definitely worth considering.

I wouldn't say Henley has bad train links. Very short train journey to Twyford then fast train into London on the Elizabeth line.

However, it may be too expensive for OP if they are considering Didcot as an area.

There's lots of ex London folk in Wendover. Everyone likes Wendover.

Chippenham definitely seems a good option, will look into Newbury and others too - thank you!

Cholsey. Good railway to London etc. Bus service every hour. Tesco express, excellent butchers that also sells fish,fruit & veg. Hairdressers and a barber both unisex. Pharmacy ( wonder if the gorgeous pharmacist is still there!) Medical practice is in Wallingford (walk,bike,bus taxi) along with dentists. Wallingford also has more shops.
Excellent socially, lots to join and very community minded. There is also a library up near the rec.

@Hannibalism yes both Chippenham and Newbury are easy without a car for London . Newbury is a more attractive town - the difference from Chippenham is that Chippenham is easy into Bath or Bristol or Cardiff for easy days out.( evenings too for Bath and Bristol for gigs etc) Newbury is only really easy into Reading without a car for trips out ( or London obviously) . Depends if you want to be doing a lot more than hanging round Newbury at the weekend.

I've actually lived in the other areas people suggest like Tring,berkhamstead , wendover etc and they work far better if you have a car if you want to get out and about- as an example when we lived in St Albans ( which is no cheaper than London these days) we used to end up going into London most weekends because whilst St Albans was pretty nice, I didn't really like anywhere else round it for just pottering on a big scale that I could get to 'without a car' - this started working out quite pricey at about £18 each every time. We were in same position as you OP - neither drove at that point. Whereas it's roughly £7 return Chippenham to Bath - much more doable on a regular basis and even cheaper for 2 if you have a'2 together pass'

It's just something to bear in mind I feel- it's a very different situation if you have cars that some OPs don't add into the equation- however if you don't plan on leaving the area much even at weekends then no denying Newbury is more attractive as are some of the other towns people mention ( although will be more money to buy or rent than Chippenham) however Chippenham season ticket will be slightly more if you are actually 'commuting' most days. .

Not having a car limits most outings though. Why live outside of London and not be able to enjoy the countryside? Msny smaller towns do have very decent walks in lovely countryside. Berkhamsted, Tring and Wendover especially. Definitely Newbury. If you just want cinema and pubs - most bigger towns have these. I know very few people who don't drive but they enjoy where they live for other reasons, eg clubs available and walking in the countryside. I know hardly anyone who goes to pubs these days for drinking. Meals yes.

I live in a village quite near Didcot. DIdcot is OK, but I think I'd feel very restricted there without a car. Yes it's got all the basic facitlities and yes you can get to Oxford/Didcot/London quite easily by train. But there isn't very much there and I think you'd always want to be getting out. There is nice country side and villages not far away but you'd struggle to really make the most of them without a car. Personally I'd look for somewhere bigger and more interesting if I was car-less. I think the lack of charm and interest would be more of an issue if you couldn't easily get out.

I live 25 mins from Didcot and it's not pretty. I could live there but not without a car.

I used to work across South Oxfordshire and of all the towns and villages, Didcot is the one I would avoid the most, sorry op...

Is there any reason why you couldn't get a car, @Hannibalism ?
I tried to suggest places where you wouldn't need one, but unless you live in a town or village with excellent transport links, you are limiting yourself if you don't have one.

Without meaning to be horrible to people who live there, it's really... bleak. There are some nice estates, but I can't imagine living there voluntarily if you don't have children. Or at all, really. Abingdon, Chippenham, or Oxford would be so much nicer.

What's your budget? Do you need a garden?

Chippenham is fabulous!!
Very safe/sensible but not quite boring. M&s food, river walks, cinema etc
Easy to bath or Bristol on the train for more things to do and only an hour to London.
House prices are good for what you're getting.
Strongly recommend!!!

Winchester?

Caversham is walking distance to Reading train station - 22 mins on the fast train to Paddington or the slow train to Waterloo, as well as the Elizabeth Line. It has a nice selection of restaurants, coffee shops etc, is by the Thames and is walking distance to Reading town centre for bigger shops

I’m curious about what the OP decided as I am in a similar situation at the moment. I’m surprised no one on here mentioned Basingstoke because that’s also on my list.

Basingstoke is a bit of a shithole!