Advice relocating to Cambridge

[Fransfever]

Good evening lovely ladies,

Thank you for taking the time to read this. My family and I are relocating to Cambridge later this year for my husband's work and I need some advice on where is nice to live.

It needs to be easy to get into town (unfortunately we don't have 6 figures to buy there), decent amenities, good nursery and schools. We have a 2 year old and a 5 month old.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, I've only been there once before and wasn't looking at it as somewhere to live so my knowledge is next to nothing!

Thanks again

Morning!
To give advice it would Be helpful to know your budget, how many bedrooms, where in city your DH will be working and how far he would be willing to commute

I've heard excellent things about Girton nursery. Villages along the busway would be a short drive to Girton. The busway is quite a quick route into town or you'd not be far from the A14. www.thebusway.info/

Just so you're aware traffic in Cambridge is a nightmare. Journeys which take 20-30 minutes at quiet times can take an extra hour at rush hour. Hopefully the extra lane on the A14 will help.

Whereabouts in town will he be working and suggestions can be made based on how long it takes to get that part of town in the rush hour. Eg. AZ and Addenbrooke's are one side of town, Microsoft near the station etc?

You may also want to look at primary schools you might like for the 2 year old because before you know it they are there!

The guided bus runs from St Ives which is a really nice little riverside market town. It has a range of primary schools and nurseries and good shops, including Waitrose and Morrisons, for day to day needs. It's pretty too and house prices are reasonable compared with Cambridge where they're insane.

Yes, we need more info especially your budget and needs/ wish list.

I second Girton nursery!! It's great! (Make sure you get the right one!!! - here is an important difference between Girton nursery and scallywags Girton. Scallywags is awful! Scallywags - No warmth/care and miserable children! Quick staff turnover, lots of agency staff (who will tell you the truth about what goes on if you ask them). On the other hand - Girton nursery - staff very warm, caring, happy children, lovely lovely staff, lots going on, safe environment, friendly, long term staff and staff who return after leaving because they love it) - We've used several different nurseries for a number of reasons - but Girton by far the best (Scallywags by far the worst!)

University of Cambridge Primary school also pretty good reputation and most kids happy there I've heard, although Girton Primary also getting a bit better in recent years.

Haha, easy to get into town! Traffic in Cambridge is a nightmare. Can your husband ridre a bike? Ultimate it comes down to what type of lifestyle you want and how much you can afford. In your place I would probably move outside of Cambridge to a town along the train line if the station is not to far from your husband's office.

Thanks everyone, yes budget would be useful to know. Thinking about £550k for a 4 bed family house.

My husband's new office is a 5 minute walk from the train station.

Your help is so appreciated.

Waterbeach or ely ? they both have train stations and the commute is short.

£550k for a 4 bed family house - good luck with that

I suggest you look at places on the busway as the buses go to the train station so that would be the best way for your husband to get to work.

He’s going to have a very very long cycle if you want a 4 bed house on that budget.

Ah yes somewhere with decent trains to Cambridge would be a good option too.

One of the villages just outside Cambridge could work. I live the other side of the A14 and work not far from where your husband will be. It takes me 20 mins on a bike. The schools are excellent though I don't know about nurseries personally my friends rate them. I live in Histon though it's not exactly cheap here it's a great village with a butcher, a library, many pubs so I never feel I have to go into Cambridge other than for work.

For 550 you could probably get a 4 bed in waterbeach and that's ideal for the station. The new Cambridge North station is good but you'd struggle to get 4 beds near that now for 550.

Just checked rightmove and there are 15 4 beds in WB under 550. Nice village.

Great info, thanks. Still at salary negotiation stage so hopefully might be able to squeeze some more out of them.

I'd love to say that DH would cycle to work, but he even drives to the corner shop which is 2 minuets away 🙄!

A big part of me wants to apply for Location Location Location, and get Kirsty and Phil on the case hee hee.

I'm really looking forward moving this way, but also a little anxious. I've already completely relocated to somewhere I don't know in the past 3 years and it's tough. I hope that this relocation is the last. And just as I feel settled in Stamford, we're off again!

If your husband works in Cambridge, even if he doesn't cycle, he will have to get out of the driving habit.

There is no parking

Ely is lovely. All the primary schools are good and there are a couple of outstanding nurseries. It is small but not too small and a very easy commute to Cambridge via train. Your money will go a lot further. Feel free to PM if you would like more info.

I would second looking north of Cambridge at places like Waterbeach and Ely. House prices are much more reasonable and both are very nice to live in. Do not even think of driving to work in Cambridge - the traffic is awful and there is nowhere to park.

I am not exaggerating!

If you decide to look outside Cambridge, there is a good train route to Royston stopping at some nice villages on the way. Royston itself is a decent town for young families and much more affordable than Cambridge.

Ely's beautiful, I'd live there in a heartbeat.

That's definitely doable on a £550k budget. Any outlying village around here is good.

There are currently 51 four-bed houses available in Cambridge itself for that budget - you won't need to move to an outlying village at all!

I think I'd prefer a village outside and a bit more room though. And in Cambridge there is still the issue of how her dh will get to work if he doesn't cycle.

You should get something between Royston and Cambridge for that money - near the trainline and there's the A10 cycle route between the two. Melbourn (large village), Foxton, Fowlmere, Meldreth all have schools and playgroups/preschools. Don't live north of Cambridge if the workplace is to the south.