Considering moving to Cambridgeshire

[Splash48]

Hi,

Need honest advice PLEASE !!! We are considering moving out of London to Cambridgeshire. We have 3 kids under 5 and DH has to travel (drive occasionally) to London. We have looked online and have considered Caldecote and Doddington primarily for access to schools and property within our budget. Can you please suggest if either locations are suitable and including activities for kids around. Alternatively, we are open to suggestions in and around Ely.

[Inforthelonghaul]

Ely is a fab place for a young family, there is plenty to do and it’s really friendly. Transport links are pretty good and you’re only an hours drive from the Norfolk coast too. Personally I’d stay away from Littleport but some people like it. You will easily get a big 4 bed on one of the estates alongside the A10 with a £500k budget and all the schools are good.

[thetrolleywitch]

Ooh, I'm excited by the Ely mumsnetters! My contribution would be that it's worth trying to live in Ely and fairly centrally (one of the areas suggested by a PP, Stour Green etc.). I personally think it's really nice to live within walking distance of the town. Some of the areas just outside or on the outskirts are cheaper but so far from the centre that you might as well live in a nice village if you have to drive in anyway.

[GinDaddyRedux]

The poll results say it all really.

[EmmaGrundyForPM]

I would choose Ely over St Neots any day. Is your dh likely to be going to London every day when things are back to "normal"?. Many people like myself are being told we will probably predominantly wfh even when the office reopens. In which case the longer commute might not be an issue.

[loutypips]

For those saying about the traffic in Cambridge, even when it's bad, it's still better than London traffic!
I'm not so familiar with the northern part, more the southeast. Would you consider Suffolk? Or villages off the A11 rather than the A14?

[EmmaGrundyForPM]

@loutypips if her DH needs train access to London then Suffolk doesn't really work.

[loutypips]

Friends regularly get the train from Sudbury to Liverpool Street. I think it's about 1h20m?

[Splash48]

@Coughsyrupsucks - thanks, we did wonder why the houses on Ely road were more appealing (price wise). Get the point re: ferrying the kids...i still sometimes feel i work for uber part time :)

@Backtobackagain - thanks and will look at areas around St. Neots too.

@MrBennsshop - that's helpful to know. It wouldn't matter for us two but with kids it changes everything. So, will keep that in mind. We loved a beautiful house on Ely road but i guess we will have to keep looking.

[LegallyBlue]

We were living in Surrey and wanted to move to Cambridgeshire but ended up first moving to Biggleswade just over into Bedfordshire - great commute to London and it actually felt very Surrey-like at times too. We loved St Neots but found that the commute wasn't ideal so never went for it. We ended up buying a place in Bedford (on the Bedford/Kempston border) and absolutely love it - we never thought we would end up here but, honestly, it's just the best. If schools are a concern for you, then Hitchin might be a good move as the school there is Outstanding - also, a great commute into London from there. So, not Cambridgeshire itself but some other similar/viable options.

[Whatafustercluck]

I live in Peterborough - house prices lower than nearer Cambridge, some nice areas and right in the mainline into Kings Cross. Good facilities for families. But it's widely regarded as the devil's arsehole among Cambridgeshire people - and with some good reason I suppose.

The closer you are to Cambridge, the higher the house prices of course - but you'll be rewarded with some beautiful towns and villages. Depends what you want really.

You could look at Huntingdon area for a compromise on price - Godmanchester is nice and likewise some nice villages in the area between Huntingdon and St Neots.

I've worked and commuted widely in Cambs and now commute (in normal times) to London from Peterborough. There are some really nice places and different options around here.

[hellsbellsmelons]

Buckden is a lovely village not far from St Neots.
I love visiting there.
Where Henry VIII sent Katherine to get her out of the way.
The church is gorgeous.

[DIKateFleming]

Waves at the other Ely MNetters. I live in one of the old people villages, it’s not actually that bad. You have to be able to drive, public transport is minimal, I used to live in a Cambridge necklace village, i find people in here more genuine and supportive, but quieter and far less likely to make a noise about being helpful and supportive.

Ely is getting a bit trendy, lots of vegan stalls on the market, plus great cakes and coffee. Have a look at George’s Bakery on Instagram for proper cake porn. Train links to London are good, driving is more of a pain as you have to get over to the A1 or M11, but you get a lot more house and land for your money. Especially in the villages, very large gardens are not unusual or expensive

[Whataboutnodontyouunderstand]

I lived in Ely for years, reliable train station and public buses. Ely is lovely not strictly 'older' as some would say haha pubs are full of young life on a weekend, they have the new build leisure park, cinemas, gyms etc honestly lovely. Schools are okay, wouldn't right it off as an option but is quite expensive

[countrygirl99]

Katherine died at Kimbolton Castle, just up the road from me. Lovely place but trains are Bedford or St Neots. I have family in Chatteris, that is very Fennish, Ely is much nicer.

[Splash48]

Thank you everyone for all your feedback and comments. We are now actively looking at properties and calling up schools to see if there are spaces starting next term. If at all i need more advice on specific streets / schools etc. i will re-post. In the meantime, stay safe and keep smiling :)

[MinnieMountain]

Highfive @Whatafustercluck. I live in Peterborough as DH is from there. There are some genuinely nice bits Woodston and living close to the centre means we don't need to drive.

Isn't Ely really cold in the winter?

[Mummyshark2018]

Have you looked at Cambridge itself? There are a few 4 bedroomed house for sale under 500k

[DIKateFleming]

What’s your budget? I have friends in Littleport, definitely true you end up coming into Ely for lots of things. It does always have potential, but should be nicer than it is given it’s on the mainline into London. Although they have changed the timetable so I think it’s now one every 30 mins from Ely, but one an hour from Littleport, as some now terminate in Ely. The children I know from Littleport go to primaries and secondaries in Ely

[birdling]

Hello Buckdenites! I grew up there and really miss it. Buckden is lovely.