Cheshire but down south?

[Cheshirequestions]

Hi all, posted here for traffic.

We (couple in our 30s plus DCs under 5), currently live in Cheshire and absolutely love it here. We’re close to Alderley Edge high street and I love that we live somewhere that feels fairly rural whilst also having so much within walking distance. We have a lovely mixture of chain and independent restaurants/cafes, and have a local train station. Plus we’re only 20 minutes away from Manchester.

I know it’s not to everybody’s taste, but we love the vibe here and are really sad to be leaving.

We need to be somewhere in this circle ideally. We are completely newbies when it comes to this area - are there any places here that are like Cheshire?!

I live in a Market town called Thame. It’s the perfect balance between rural and city life. Can get into Oxford by bus really easily and our high street has a fabulous mix of independent and chains. There is a station 1 mile away. My advice, which is what I did when moving out from London, get a short list and just visit them.

Beaconsfield fits. Quick train to London but nice rural area and very good high st. Also gerrards cross is similar.

Loads of lovely places in your circle and much nicer than Cheshire IMO

Also came on to suggest Gerrards Cross or Beaconsfield. Both are upmarket and reasonably lively, affluent villages / small (ish) towns, with a not dissimilar feel to AE (though no flash car meets, snd perhaps slightly less "showy" than AE can be - though often is not). Both have a similar positioning with respect to London as Alderley Edge does with respect to Manchester.

Luton is exactly like Alderley Edge, maybe a little more cosmopolitan, and the houses are cheaper too. Good access to highly rated international airport, just like you're used to. You'll love it there!

Upton-cum-Chalvey. It's got a fast train to London, and it's easy to get to Oxford from there. Windsor and Eton are nearby for celeb spotting and coffee shops..

Not bothered about the flashiness, we just like that AE is upmarket and has a really nice high street with lots going on unlike lots of places these days.

Thanks for these suggestions - will take a look.

What places would you recommend?

Right at the north of your circle, I would choose Market Harborough

Luton.........🤔

Ohhhh, you fibber!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Why?? Take no notice OP.

I think it's called a joke....

How about Marlow in Buckinghamshire?

Not a very good one if the OP spends hours looking through the internet at properties on the back of what she thinks is a genuine post.

Henley, Marlow, Wallingford, beaconsfield, Gerard’s cross.

Chesham and Amersham are nice. Near to the areas of outstanding natural beauty in the Chiltern Hills but still quite lively, good links to London and large towns. Good schools.

I think you are best looking in the south and south west of your circle. Assuming you have the cash...

I like Kenilworth. Not a massive high street but plenty going on and you've got Stratford upon Avon, Warwick and Leamington spa for bigger places. Or Birmingham not that far either for city.

Second on my list would be Thame as well other Oxfordshire towns.

Closer to London, I like the area around bushey. Not rural but nice green spaces and obvs London close by.
Happy house hunting!

Well I thought Luton was funny 😁

Beaconsfield. Berkhamsted. Tring. Thame. Henley. Marlow.

St Albans on your outer ring? Easy access to London, Watford, airports, good schools.
Where exactly do you need to get to so we can advise on transport etc.

I hope this is a joke 😆.

@shimasu , I don't think OP would spend minutes looking at properties in Luton never mind hours.

Leamington is lovely- more going on than Alderley Edge more like Wilmslow size but much prettier. I don't know Bedfordshire well but Hampshire is lovely lots of nice small towns (and as pp says generally a nicer area rather than AE which is lovely but not as many other nice places around!)

Leamington Spa is great, or for a more traditional rural market town then Market Harborough takes some beating.