Hills but stuff to do too?

[ocelot41]

Hi Herts posse,

I can't stand living in SE London any more ( am from Up North and have a serious hankering to look out at hills, space and the calmer attitude that goes with them). Alas DH's job is welded to London and always will be. So we are looking for good compromise options. We had been looking at Kent but the hothousing that goes on around grammars has put us off and the Eurostar is ££££££ for commuting (need to be at KX).

The thing is, I haven't got a clue where to start looking, can you advise me? We love the outdoors but used to live in Brighton so quite like a more inclusive, tolerant community - DH emigrated to this country and I am bi - so we wouldnt feel comfortable with some of the UKIP conservatism which goes on in some rural areas.

We have one DS who is currently primary age and good state schools ( primary and secondary) are really important to us and as DS is an only, being in or able to get easily in to a town where there is a lot to do would be good as I don't want him to be lonely just because I dream of waking up to hills!

I quite like St Albans but it is ££££. Keep seeing Hitchin mentioned a lot too - any other suggestions folks?

Wendover? Berko? Any of the villages round there?

I'm from the North too! I live in Hemel Hempstead and HATE it. So don't move here lol. It's very soulless imo. We are moving Hatfield/Welwyn way to be closer to in laws who live in a village nearby. Also v close to St Albans.

However, if we weren't moving that way we would go towards Tring. It's quite pretty! Hatfield and Welwyn are on the KGX line, berko, tring and hemel are Euston.

Not sure on schools etc as LO is under 2. But for things to do we have a nembership for whipsnade, wendover woods has a gruffalos child trail over winter, we do dog walks at hartwood forest in sandridge, verulamium in st A (inn on the park is lovely too), ruislip lido isnt far. Hatfield house, stanborough park in WGC is pretty big, OH did sailing on the lakes there when younger and theres a v clean stream running through for summer splashing.

Thanks!

Hi ocelot..

Hitchin, letchworth and baldock are all great hertfordshire towns with beautiful countryside close by.

All these towns I mentioned above have train stations with good London Kings x links

X

Hitchin is lovely and you can commute to Kings X although it's the slower train and not many per hour. Some people drive and park at Stevenage as train from there is great, fast train is 20 mins and quite a few to choose from at rush hour. St. Albans lovely but expensive (broadly comparable to parts of London I'd say). Lots of villages to check out if that appeals.