Cambridge villages with teens?

[Mumofboys8]

Hi there
We are relocating and wondering if the community would give me some insight into living with teens in Cambridge.
We wanted to live in one of the bigger villages and looked at Histon and Girton but properties go for way over the asking price which was a shock!

There are a few places in bourn and Caldicot and I was wondering if they are a) nice places b) places where teenagers live.
We visited this week but it was super quiet and I’m worried our boys will be bored and lonely.

Where do teenagers socialise in Cambridge? What type of entertainment options are there?
What are the essentials we need to know about the house market situation?

Any insight gratefully received?

In villages depends what is in the village worth checking clubs at school, some schools have gyms / swimming pools open late which kids go to or a gym. Some have air cadets (can fly a plane), navy cadets, army cadets. Often youth buses in villages and skateparks in some. Or they go into Cambridge and there is more there or occasionally down to London. Often go to friends as well or meet up in a park. Rowing clubs in Cambridge if sporty. Further out house prices get a lot cheaper but its linked to commute to Cambridge and commute to London. Definitely worth checking what is in a village though as can vary a lot, some there is nothing and some are centres of activities.

Most of the villages around Cambridge are still rural at heart. And yes, expensive because of that.

All I can suggest is that you don't exclude the other side/s of the city. Try out towards Royston, a bit further off the main drag, for affordability. But they are villages. They don't have a roaring night life, all rely on the bus routes.

Thank you both.
Do either of you have experience of Bourn?
Also, we forgot to ask about broadband connection 🙄 how is the broadband speed?

Sorry don't know it. We live in a village and internet is excellent here, think there's a site you can check by postcode online. There is an issue with state school place availability so would check that, generally a village with a secondary in will have more to do for teenagers than a village without. Some villages are full of elderly who moan about the youth of today, if you go somewhere with a school there tends to be more families which balances it out more. If you can get on the village Facebooks you can see what its like. They are very pretty though and very safe.

My parents live in Kingston which is one village over. I grew up there and went to the primary school in Bourn. There is a large new town called Camborne next to Bourne now and they are building another huge village or small town called Northstowe nearby. Broadband speed at my parents is slow.
All the villages are very quiet if you are used to any sort of urban setting. The buses are very sparse and I think expensive. I think teenagers will mostly want to get into Cambridge for social life as they get older. On the plus side the schools are great. And the sixth forms in Cambridge excellent. My auntie says Ely is nice and definitely more buzzy than it used to be. My dad says Caldicote is expensive. My cousins all moved to Hardwick which is near Comberton and on main road into Cambridge and they all seem happy. Remember though there are still social problems in the country including a lot of drug use. I live in London for the sake of clarity so much of this information is hearsay.

Eek don’t move to a village with teens, unless you like being a taxi service, until they pass they driving test. Villages are great when kids are little, but a total pain and boring for teens. Been there done that.

Villages including Bourn have bus services but they’re not that good unless you are at Cambourne or village where the bus goes onto Cambourne such as Hardwick or Highfields Caldecott ( I’m sure I’ve misspelt that). Not necessarily where you’d want to be.
I don’t think Bourn has a village shop but it dies have a doctors, a pub/restaurant and some barn thing maybe with cafe.
Drugs and county lines are a serious problem on this side of Cambridge - I can’t comment on other areas. But some children will remain blissfully unaware of this.
Villages with trains to Cambridge may be worth exploring but the station is a little walk from centre of City.

Bourn is pretty sleepy and bus connection not brilliant. Lovely place but you will definitely need to be running lifts! You could look at Hardwick which is close enough to be inside the city bus fare zone or even cycle distance from city if kids are confident cyclists, and the village has lots of families (though all the kids bus to Comberton for school and it’s not exactly a bustling scene for teens).

Thank you for your responses, it’s helpful to get a range of opinions.

We live in a village with teens and they both like living here, moved from by London and they both much prefer it as its safer. The drugs issues were so much worse by London that here. Its still something to be aware of but as long as your kids are warned and sensible its not something would be overly concerned for and same issue in pretty much every school.

Advantage of a village is house prices can be half what they in Cambridge and certainly we have the picturebox cottage and beautiful garden which means kids can have all the pets they want, super safe so can go out running and see deer etc on route. We have a school in the village so they walk there in 5 mins and gym is here they go to, 2 x cadets. But you do need to consider how you child will get around and what there is to do. For us its about one lift a week so totally manageable, rest of time its village based or go on bus. So best to have village with things to do / school in and check bus timetables and reality. The odd village is on the train line into Cambridge like Melbourn / Meldreth which has a school to 16 with a swimming pool and shop but not a massive amount there. Saffron Walden a bit further out is lovely and a town with a great secondary and a short bus / cycle ride from Audley End station from which there are fast trains into Cambridge and London and beautiful cottages, waitrose, cafes, sport centre, events, small cinema, gardens and might be worth a look if you would consider that far out. Central Cambridge would be perfect but £££.

I don’t think Bourn has a village shop but it dies have a doctors, a pub/restaurant and some barn thing maybe with cafe.

Bourn does have a village shop and post office. It's also got a butchers/greengrocers/deli and a bakery, Plus a pub, two cafes, an Indian Restaurant, and a bar at the Country Club which serves light meals.

I think you need to factor in a lot of driving in the evenings if you move to a village.