Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want a house with walks 'from the door'?

220 replies

VanityWitch · 07/12/2020 18:59

Not through busy roads?

DH thinks this is a wild expectation. I think it's common in lots of areas.

We are considering moving further out from London. We are in the Home Counties having moved out once already. I want proper countryside. He thinks this is some crazy and impossible dream Xmas Hmm, city boy Xmas Grin!

Budget is £400k-ish to be comfortable. Up to £500k if we were feeling a bit more daring. Anywhere in the south half of England really.

AIBU?

OP posts:
Crazzzycat · 07/12/2020 19:34

I live in a town, but mountains, sea, woodland, river and and farm land walks are all within walking distance. It’s bloody steep though!

XherdanShaqiri · 07/12/2020 19:36

@Blondiney as I read it I guessed at Marple, not sure if that helps Smile

Original poster
VanityWitch · 07/12/2020 19:37

Oh this is all very reassuring!

I think pubs and restaurants are lower on my list now that I've coped so long without setting foot in one, except to get takeaway coffees.

OP posts:
Blondiney · 07/12/2020 19:37

[quote XherdanShaqiri]@Blondiney as I read it I guessed at Marple, not sure if that helps Smile[/quote]
It does! Thank you Flowers

CaptainMyCaptain · 07/12/2020 19:38

I live on the very edge of a suburb of a middle sized town. I can access country walks with only 5 minutes down a not too busy road at the beginning. No roads to be crossed. There are lots of places like that round here but we're not in your desired area.

HitthatroadJack · 07/12/2020 19:38

YANBU

plenty of similar properties in Kent, in Sussex, still easily commutable to London.

The only issue is the very real risk of a new estate popping up and destroying what was countryside. It's happening everywhere unfortunately.

Ellmau · 07/12/2020 19:39

Romsey in Hampshire - parents live there and can do several nice everyday walks from their door, plus loads more if you drive a bit. But you've still got amenities of all kinds, and 45 minutes drive to beaches and the New Forest.

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 07/12/2020 19:39

My parents live in a small town off the Thames. There are plenty of nice places to walk around them but their town has a high street with all the necessities you could need. It’s also a short drive from a much bigger town (where DH and I live) with large supermarkets and a train station with direct trains to London. You can also be on the M4 within 15 minutes and then it’s an hour and a half drive to London.

Notcontent · 07/12/2020 19:40

I think having somewhere to walk from your front door is so important. I currently live in London and so have both shops and some nice parks very close by. If I moved out of the city, I would definitely want to have some lovely country walks from the door.

I briefly lived somewhere where there was nowhere to walk without getting in the car and really hated it.

GalesThisMorning · 07/12/2020 19:40

I have what you're looking for... it's in Snowdonia National Park though Grin

I grew up in a big city. Living with mountains and woodland literally at my doorstep is immensely good for my well being. We also had a relatively easy time of it during lockdown because of the space around us.

Twickerhun · 07/12/2020 19:41

It’s the only thing on my list after the absolutely min number of bedrooms. I like a nice house but I prefer a house I can get away from - lockdown has confirmed this as being essential

PrayingandHoping · 07/12/2020 19:41

I live in a Home Counties village and have walks from my door.

Depends how big a house u want though in regards to your budget...

BecomeStronger · 07/12/2020 19:41

This is my dream too, I don't think you need to be too remote to achieve it. My sister has it in the Cotwolds, she lives on the edge of a large town. The place I've got my eye on borders a Country Park and is on a bus route.

Nonamesavail · 07/12/2020 19:41

Suffolk 200%

mumsiedarlingrevolta · 07/12/2020 19:42

We have it and I appreciate it sooooo much.

We are in a busy tourist town with a Castle-but with glorious walks there as well as the Thames minutes away with fantastic walks and lots of other woods and parks for exploring-all straight out of my front door.

Lockdown has served to remind me how very much I love living here.

Honeyroar · 07/12/2020 19:44

We have it, but are up North (somewhere already mentioned). I couldn’t be anywhere without open countryside and walks on the doorstep.

yeOldeTrout · 07/12/2020 19:44

walks from door is one of my top 'must haves'

I would hate to be stuck with always using car

Even in big cities I would find ways to walk, though, it's only very busy roads backing onto farm land that tend to be truly impossible for walking from doorness

LindaEllen · 07/12/2020 19:49

My childhood home (that my mum and brother still live in) had so many walks. Once you were out of our little estate there were fields and lakes etc and it was so beautiful.

I took it for granted until I moved in with DP a few years ago, but didn't really realise how much I missed it until lockdown. 'Exercising' and walking round here is just grey and miserable, but if I was at my mum's I genuinely think I'd have lost weight instead of gaining it. I used to walk 10 miles every Sunday, and shorter walks in the week!

MLMsuperfan · 07/12/2020 19:51

I'm in a London suburb (Zone 6) and from my front door I have two green walks of both about 3/4 mile (which is 30 mins there and back).

wheretogothisyear · 07/12/2020 19:52

@MaverickDanger sounds ideal to me, where do you live ?

Keratinsmooth · 07/12/2020 19:53

Surrey, Sussex, Kent, Hertfordshire are all options for what you want. We are in Surrey and the commute into the city is easier than going across London when I lived there.

KarlKennedysDurianFruit · 07/12/2020 19:53

Live by the sea! We have some beautiful parks , historic buildings and walked gardens etc within walking distance but also the coast, even in the bitter cold I love walking along the beach. It's also livelier in summertime than very rural countryside. My parents' home, where I grew up had bridle paths just outside of the estate through farmland then into a huge country park which I really enjoyed and we still do those walls now when we visit.
I lived in a suburban new build area when I bought my first flat and hated having to drive anywhere to have a nice walk.

Scarby9 · 07/12/2020 19:53

I have it.
So many wonderful walks straight from my door in either direction and the coast is also only 10 minutes drive away.
My village also has a garage with a Spar shop attached, a fish restaurant, a tea room and a fish and chip takeaway, a gairdresser and two churches. We coped well in lockdown.
However, I am in Yorkshire, so not that convenient for someone wanting to stay near London.

ivykaty44 · 07/12/2020 19:54

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/82972711#/

30 minutes drive to rugby station and 1 hour trains to London

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/100449212#/
pretty village with many lovely walks from the doorstep, 5 minutes drive from pretty rural town

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/98653415#/ lovely rural village with many many walks and rides

or

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/74919657#/ town house with many walks, castle and easy walk to town and train station. great road links and great schools