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Original poster

Can I find the Holy Grail near Bristol?

64 replies

Buffythechillislayer · 21/07/2020 23:53

I'm originally from Cardiff but have lived in Hertfordshire for years. Lockdown has made me realise that I don't want to be so far from my family, especially as my sister is just about to have a baby.
I'd love to move to Cardiff but my husband wants to stay in England so we've decided to look no more than 40 mins max from the Prince of Wales bridge.
But I don't even know where to start!
We have 2 boys - so good primary and secondary schools are important, as are amenities for the boys - cinema, swimming, parks etc.
My husband will still need to commute to London once a week.
We love country walks with nice pubs and I love a pretty town centre with independent shops I can mooch around.
I run a travel business from home so good networking opportunities, local co-op spaces and nice coffee shops are also on my list, as is being no more than an hour from a beach!
I'm not asking for much Grin
We have approx £400k for an attractive 3/4 bed with not much needing to be done to it.
All suggestions welcome.
Thanks x

OP posts:
TheFaerieQueene · 22/07/2020 10:11

Damn. I thought this might have been a monty python thread.

ilovemydogandMrObama · 22/07/2020 10:13

@TheFaerieQueene Grin - that would be in the Feeder Wink

GarkandGookin · 22/07/2020 10:26

Yate/Chipping Sodbury.
There is a railway station and the M4 is nearby. Lots of house building so prices slightly less silly than in the prettier villages. Shops, leisure centre, schools, cinema etc and reasonable links to Bristol (the centre is within cycling distance).

Original poster
Buffythechillislayer · 22/07/2020 20:19

Thanks all. As I've always wanted to live by the sea I'm going to start with Portishead and Clevedon.

OP posts:
BoreOfWhabylon · 22/07/2020 20:24

Try Severn Beach/Pilning area.

Idontkowmyname · 01/08/2020 11:23

@Buffythechillislayer how is the house hunting going?

Original poster
Buffythechillislayer · 01/08/2020 20:26

[quote Idontkowmyname]@Buffythechillislayer how is the house hunting going?[/quote]
Thanks for asking. We've just appointed an estate agent for our house in Hertfordshire and hope it will go on the market next week. Then we will find somewhere to stay for a few days so we can look around the towns we like the sound of. At the moment we are checking out houses on Rightmove mainly in Portishead, Clevedon and the Uphill part of Weston Super Mare.

OP posts:
Idontkowmyname · 02/08/2020 08:29

@Buffythechillislayer that’s great you’re just about to go on the market. Hopefully you get a “good feel” for the areas when you visit and get a sense of where can feel like home. Best of luck with it all.

OldFloweryCardigan · 02/08/2020 08:38

My husband only agreed if we stayed in England. He always does this little groan when we cross the bridge, as if the natives will eat us or something

I would have LTB long ago for that alone Smile

MsTSwift · 02/08/2020 08:43

I would look at places on that train line - Bath is gorgeous Chippenham cheaper and also on the train line

Thesunrising · 02/08/2020 08:48

Nailsea

Original poster
Buffythechillislayer · 02/08/2020 09:36

Chippenham is out for personal reasons. We will visit Bath while we are there but I've always wanted to live by the coast so we will see.
My husband's work are being a bit of a pain, saying they don't want him to go in to London on set days. Instead they will call him in if they need him. This is worst case scenario for us as buying a short notice train ticket is obviously far more expensive than being able to buy them far in advance.

OP posts:
MrsMoastyToasty · 05/08/2020 01:04

I would suggest one of Bristol's satellite towns with a station - Nailsea (near Clevedon), Yate, or Keynsham (between Bristol and Bath with direct trains to Cardiff).

2Kidsinatrenchcoat · 05/08/2020 01:10

@reefedsail

What about Stroud? Never been, but it always seems to get good write-ups on here.
Stroud is good, doesn’t have direct trains to Bristol but does have direct trains to London
MsTSwift · 05/08/2020 07:00

I’d avoid Weston super mare though stick to porttishead or clevedon.

Wolfgirrl · 05/08/2020 21:44

Clevedon is nice, it has character that Portishead doesnt. I would hazard a guess schools are better in Portishead though. Bath is architecturally beautiful but gives me the creeps for some reason. I think because it is sort of set in a dip and it always seems damp and shady? Bradford on Avon is absolutely gorgeous and would be my pick, but it is more expensive than even Bath and the roads look a nightmare! So overall I would go with Clevedon, maybe Ashton (part of Bristol technically but gorgeous & very green, on the outskirts).

Kittytheteapot · 05/08/2020 21:55

When we moved so my husband could take up a job in South Wales, we had pretty similar wants as you. I wanted to stay in England, wanted good schools, decent every day facilities e.g. shops, swimming pool, etc. Husband needed good transport communications. We both wanted countryside and small town life. We chose Thornbury. I know you said it doesn't have a train station but there is a decent ish bus service to Bristol Parkway. The only thing I would say it doesn't have is access within an hour to a decent beach, but I suppose that depends on what you classify as a good beach.

goose1964 · 05/08/2020 22:00

There's a big problem with Portishead, try getting out during the rush hour. Basically there's one road out and no train although they've been talking about reopening the line for about 10years.

HelloDulling · 05/08/2020 22:03

Oh, come to Cardiff. Penarth if you want the sea.

steppemum · 05/08/2020 22:22

wrt train to London.
You can go Bristol-London
You can also go Cheltenham-Stroud- Swindon-London

Might be worth looking at that line.
Bristol-London is the most expensive line int he country, the Swindon-London part of this being the pricey part.

Original poster
Buffythechillislayer · 07/08/2020 12:52

@Thesunrising

Nailsea
What's it like? I've seen a house there that looks promising.
OP posts:
Original poster
Buffythechillislayer · 07/08/2020 12:52

@MsTSwift

I’d avoid Weston super mare though stick to porttishead or clevedon.
Why if you don't mind me asking? I've seen a house I really like in Weston Village.
OP posts:
Original poster
Buffythechillislayer · 07/08/2020 12:54

@HelloDulling

Oh, come to Cardiff. Penarth if you want the sea.
Would love to. I showed my husband a house near Roath Park yesterday and he said if I showed him another in Wales the move was off!
OP posts:
Original poster
Buffythechillislayer · 07/08/2020 12:55

@Kittytheteapot

When we moved so my husband could take up a job in South Wales, we had pretty similar wants as you. I wanted to stay in England, wanted good schools, decent every day facilities e.g. shops, swimming pool, etc. Husband needed good transport communications. We both wanted countryside and small town life. We chose Thornbury. I know you said it doesn't have a train station but there is a decent ish bus service to Bristol Parkway. The only thing I would say it doesn't have is access within an hour to a decent beach, but I suppose that depends on what you classify as a good beach.
Thornbury is on our list to look at as well. Are you happy there?
OP posts:
devildeepbluesea · 07/08/2020 12:56

Tbh your husband sounds like a bit of a tosser. I second Monmouthshire, or Penarth. But if you're content to go along with him despite his having no good reason, what about Cirencester? 1.5hrs from Cardiff. I know. I'm from Cardiff and commuted daily from Ciren for a year.