Chesterton - travellers site in Fen Road

[Gimboid]

Hi, we're buying a house along Water Street and were wondering if anybody has any experience with living in this area of Chesterton and if there is any trouble due to the travellers site at the end of the road? It seems a nice area during the day but of course without knowing the area, it's difficult know if it's something to really worry about or will affect us in any way. Everyone I speak to grimaces when I explain that there is a site nearby but I'd really appreciate any views on whether this is anything to worry about. Thanks.

Someone will probably be along who knows better than me, but I have a good friend who lives off fen road and they haven't mentioned any problems at night. I have also cycled to see them lots of times in the evening and never found it particularly dodgy. I think the area does have a bit of a reputation for not being massively nice though and the one thing I would say is that there are ALWAYS people driving like absolute knobs along fen road, I don't know if they are people from the travellers site, but I have heard others moan about the same thing.

I live in Chesterton and often walk by the river alongside Water Street. It seems fine and I do like some of the houses - lucky you!! I think people are often very prejudiced against the traveller site- without good reason. Yes, Chesterton does get some boy racers on occasion - but I don't think that is just a Chesterton issue! Don't panic and good luck with your move.

We lived on Green End road for 10 years until the end of 2009 - the bit near Chesterton High Street.

We didn't have any direct trouble in relation to the travellers' site. I would agree with SummerLightening that there is a fair amount of boy racing down the end of Fen Road. And lots of skip lorries.

Sometimes the general population of Chesterton is a bit lairy on a friday/saturday night - we seemed to be on a route home from the pub and heard some interesting exchanges with the windows open in the summer. But it doesn't make the pubs unfriendly; in my pre-small child days, we used to enjoy pints at the Green Dragon in the Summer and food and music at the Haymakers.

And I met and got to know lots of lovely mums in the area whilst I was on maternity leave and it was easy to walk to town/cycle to work.

We moved to a village last year to get away from the heavy traffic and because I wasn't convinced by the Shirley School but I know they are making lots of changes/ trying hard to make improvments.

good luck with the move. are you moving from another part of cambridge or new to the city?

Like AuntieBulgaria, I have heard that the Shirley School has improved massively in the last few years. I also have frequented the Haymakers and the Green Dragon on occasion! Enjoy the lovely river walks.

Thanks all for your comments we are new to the area so really appreciate your views. We've visited the Green Dragon a couple of times whilst viewing the house and it really does seem a nice place. We currently live in a very quiet cul de sac in a fairly small town so Cambridge is going to be a big change but one I'm definitely looking forward to. I'm going to visit Shirley to see what it's like once we move and have already had some good advice in another thread about the school.

Right Gimboid my friend, we need to get things geographically sorted!
Water Lane leads to Fen Road which is a through road and thus busier than Water Street which you say you are moving to. [I have just walked to and from Tescos by the river so have checked my road names out!]. BOTH roads are fine but Water Street is very quiet traffic wise as it is not a through road. You will just get residential traffic and the occasional beer delivery to the Green Dragon pub. People like me will walk down the road to cross the Green Dragon bridge to walk along the river to Tescos/Grafton Center/Town one way or Fen Ditton village the other.
Chesterton is a funny old place. Round the centre plus Water Street etc it can feel quite villagey and you will find people friendly/ using the local paper shop etc.
Try and relax about your move! Good luck.

Thanks HouseTooSmall but it's definitely the bit of Water Street leading into Fen Rd that we are moving to (it starts at Water Lane and becomes Water St), there is another bit to Water Street which is where the Green Dragon is and that is a dead end. Seems a strange way of naming the roads, it's going to be confusing when people visit!

The road names are confusing and I have lived in Chesterton for many years!
As I said before, both roads seem ok to me.
I'll have to look at the road signs again some time!