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?!

What’s your budget? Some of the places suggested have some of the highest house prices in the south east.

Plus some of these areas (Bucks) have grammar schools. Is that an issue?

Summertown outskirts of Oxford? Know Marlow which is lovely but watch you aren’t too near High Wycombe.

it depends where you need to go for work? That’s a very large search area. I’d agree with others that Leamington Spa and Market Harborough both meet your brief.

Yes - budget! Friend has just brought last month outskirts of Gerrards Cross a 3 bed for £740k. Street parking only

I don’t know Alderly Edge but based on your wish list…

West of London: Henley-on-Thames, Marlow, or perhaps smaller try Goring & Streatly?

Alternatively Amersham can be reached and the very end of the met line (zone 9) and I gather footballers and bankers live there. It’s lovely and has beautiful countryside despite being on the tube.

My childhood home is Bramhall, v close to Alderley Edge, beautiful place, miss it so much!

Woodstock, just outside Oxford (home of Blenheim Palace). Other cotswold villages also good options. You probably need to do a few weekends exploring.

Bramhall is not that close, to Alderley Edge but it's not far.

Marlow does not border High Wycombe. @PropertyD . The nicer part is the other end though.

Yes, it’s pretty close 👍
I spent most weekends in Alderley edge as a late teen

Chesham isn't all that great. It's ok.
The Chalfonts are nice but no station.

As you have kids, Wokingham. Some of the best state schools you will find. Or Twyford- a bit more rural. Henley is also nice but pricey.

It’s close

As others have said - Beaconsfield, Marlow, Henley, Berkhamsted, St Albans, Wokingham, Chalfonts....

I don't know Cheshire so it depends on your budget (these areas are very expensive), schools (local, private, grammar), business (some of these towns are way too busy for me) and what you are looking for in terms of a town and culture.

I know the area but they're a few miles apart.

About the same as Marlow and High Wycombe or Gerrards X and Slough.

It doesn't border? Well it kinda does it you don't count the M40.....

A few miles apart is close…

Tell that to GX residents.

Wallingford, Amersham, Harpenden

Beaconsfield is rather more than " reasonably affluent" though, it regularly tops the list of most expensive towns in the UK. Gerrards Cross isn't that far behind, as is the rest of South Bucks. If budget is no object, Amersham sounds like a perfect fit; it's in the Chilterns AONB, with miles of walks in all directions. It has a very beautiful old town, and a very useful newer town (Amersham on the Hill) with every convenience you're likely to need day to day including both Waitrose and M&S Foodhall, several independent boutiques, loads of hairdressers, and an absolutely absurd number of coffee shops. Last count was 14 within 5 minutes walk, though they've recently opened a gelato brunch place so might be more. There's also a train station which had Chiltern line trains to London in 34 minutes, and the Metropolitan (tube) line in 50-something. Best bit is you only pay underground prices whether you take the train or the tube, so it's about half the price of Beaconsfield or Gerrards Cross. Also marginally cheaper to buy houses, at least up top. They are building an Aldi down the bottom though, which you may appreciate, or not...!

Little Chalfont down the road is cheaper, and also has the cheap station. And an amazingly good bakery. Less quaint though, and fewer walks. Berkhamstead might also be a good fit, everyone I know who's lived there absolutely loved it, but I'm not sure on prices. Chesham ok, but bit 'rougher'. Chalfont St Peter good, but no train station. Slough, Aylesbury and High Wycombe much cheaper - for a reason! Thame and Wendover are lovely, but quieter and further from town. Marlow's nice but very 'polished' these days, and very busy in summer. Traffic's hideous on the bypass though, and about to get much worse. Useless station only goes to Maidenhead though, so getting in and out of London is a pain. Henley similar, though I personally think it has a better vibe than Marlow. Both also extremely expensive.

😂😂

St Albans, Harpenden, Hitchin, Tunbridge Wells, Seven Oaks and Berkhampstead may all fit the bill.

Henley is lovely but the traffic can be horrendous.

But snobby for me and full of artisan bakers and gastropubs.

Luton 😂(but it does have an airport)

Amersham, Chalfont St Giles, Beaconsfield, Chorleywood. I think your biggest challenge is a nice village with lively restaurants and amenities + not an eyewatering house price ( if you live in or near Alderley they won't be as much of a shock). Many places will be just a bit quieter.

In this area, I don't think there is an exact match for Alderley/ the golden triangle. On the upside the weather is warmer down here. I find Oxford over rated and just awkward to navigate. Leamington is nice but there not much around it unlike some of the other villages people have mentioned.

If you have family up North it might be worth thinking about motorway and train networks for visiting family. Also Airports - Heathrow is really handy for some of these villages.

I miss the laughing reaction!