Villages in Cambridgeshire... HELP!

[Scoutingincambs]

Hi all,

I've been on here scouting a few areas in the past, but the posts seem a little outdated so thought it was worth posing the question again. Myself and my partner are looking at relocating from Essex to Cambridgeshire in the summer of 2020 (plenty of time to find the perfect place I hope), however we know very little about the area.

I commute into London maybe 1/2 times a week, so not too often, but means we need to have a decent train station near (somewhere you can actually park at). We've seen St Neots, St Ives, Huntingdon etc, but wasn't a big fan due to the size of the towns. Additionally, we weren't big fans of the immediate outskirts such as Eaton Socon.

Instead, we were much more impressed by the smaller villages such as Fen Drayton, Yelling, Toseland etc, but I don't know if they're out of our budget or if there's any similar places anyone would recommend?

We're interested in a detached house for up t £450k max, but not interested in a new build. Want to be slightly north of Cambridge, but also open to west of Cambridge.

Any ideas would be much appreciated!

Another point to mention, we don't need too much going on! A local pub or two, would probably be enough for us!

Histon
Impington
Milton
Waterbeach
All in easy distance of Cambridge North rail station. Trains into King's Cross & Liverpool St.

You seem to be looking a long way west, considering that you're then dismissing Huntingdon & St Neots, which are on the East coast mainline.

Or Ely - get more house for your money & trains through Cambridge.

Histon
Impington
Milton
Waterbeach
Ely

or - in a different direction -

Barton
Comberton
Foxton
Shepreth
Stapleford
Newnham

Many villages are so close they are suburbs on some levels - Newnham, Milton

Close to St Ives....Bluntisham, Earith, Colne, Somersham. All are nice friendly villages with a nice pub in each.

I know you said you've been to Huntingdon. Did you check out Godmanchester? Its a town but more like a village. Buses to train station or you can drive. (My son gets the train to school) Whilst they are pushing the new builds at the moment, there are houses in your budget of the older variety :) Four pubs. Decent schools if that's something you would want in the future.

£450k for a detached house isn't enough in some of the places mentioned but is fine in others.

Elsworth is a lovely village west of Cambridge with 2 pubs. You can get to St Neots railway station for travel to London. However houses rarely come up there.

If you are happy to go north of Cambridge I would suggest the Offords. Great pub! If you're happy to go west I would look at Great Gransden although it's a bit pricey.

Another option is Gamlingay which is a large village and a bit cheaper. It's slightly further to the station at St Neots than Gransden but not hugely so.

Houghton and Hemingford Grey are both lovely traditional villages very close to Huntingdon - but they are pricey. You could look at some of the Fenland villages further out in Huntingdonshire, where you'd get more for your money. Upwood and Bury, on the outskirts of the (itself very small) market town of Ramsey, also Wistow and Warboys. All within 30 mins of Huntingdon station (perhaps a little more in rush hour?). Good luck with the search!

You said you will commute to London weekly but where will you both work the rest of the time? That has a big bearing on where it's sensible to live.