anyone help pls with areas to live W.Surrey/S.Bucks/N.Hamps./E.Berks - schools/towns/quality of life

[MissChief]

Just had "serious discussion" with dh and we've decided to look ahead to our next move and would really appreciate any help from others! Since making interim move out of London 2 years ago not quite settled in new town mainly due to its poor state school provision & quality of life locally (it's noisy - under flightpath, loads of cars everywhere, narrow streets, not enough green going on, not restful..).

We basically need the following:

1. to be within 45 mins commuting distance of Staines, Surrey
2. to have access to v good state schools - primary & secondary 2)to be ideally v nr to smallish town (by car or on foot) - with decent stuff going on such as cafes/shops/cinema/theatre/park
3. to escape the Heathrow flightpath! 4)to find somewhere where c.£500k gets you an oldish semi or detached 4-bed house of decent size with garden & parking
4. to find some peace & quiet! Maybe village location

If you're still with me so far is this too much to ask?? Any suggestions of where to look/places to avoid??
TIA!

Hi FN - that's not fair, confusing the issue now! Looks lovely! Amersham area still on the cards but love the old town too much but know I couldn't afford to live there (except in a 2 bed!). Thx for yr e-mail by the way - that date you suggested would be great! I'll reply properly anyway..
Ks - you're ex of Chiswick then? Never really been, twas south of the river so hung out in Greenwich, The cut, South-bank areas like that..

I used to live in a 2 bed cottage in Old Amersham, on the high street. We had our anniversary meals out in the Artichoke. It was lovely. That was pre-kids though. No room to swing a cat in the cottage. Sold it for £200K in 2001.

MT - I can imagine it must have been wonderful w/o kids! I'd love the inglenook fireplace, original beams etc etc but unfortunately those amersham terraces just aren't really big enough for 2 kids, 2 cats let alone dh and all his stuff! Maybe I'll retire to one..

yes, I agree about the reirement thing. Actually just thinking about it there were loads of retirement couples living near us. Very few kids. We never got to park outside our front door. The cottage was freezing in winter. It was more a lifestyle we were living than anything practical!

looks better than it is then, definitely know we need a practical option this time. Would prefer period property but may well end up in a nice sensible cul-de-sac, god help me! Still would be safer, more fun & quieter for the masterchiefs..

.. so where's the "old Amersham" type place for us families then??

How about Marlow or somewhere like that?

expensive tho? i like it but cdnt imagine living there, maybe sd revisit it...