Moving out of London - but where to? Help please!

[poppetmum]

For some time DH and I have been thinking of moving out. We like where we live, but have a very very small house which we have outgrown, and no hope of moving in the near future (prices have gone mad here). We have a growing family and would love a bigger place, garden to play in etc etc. We know we need to do this soon as DD is 3, so would be starting school 2008. Big question is where to?? We have no family in London, so we are quite flexible. Can MNetters suggest areas we could start looking at? I keep going onto the web, but just get lost in all the possibilities and am keen to 'get it right' so we don't have to move again. Am getting quite stressed by the whole thing and I haven't even really started yet! Our criteria:

• good state schools from infant to secondary
• lots of toddler/kiddy things to do e.g. music, dancing
• nice friendly people!
• able to walk to shops/kiddy things as I don't drive (am thinking may be more a market town than small village)
• commutable to London by train (for me - 3 days a week. Ideally into Waterloo and not really longer than 45 mins on train)
• commutable by car to M4 corridor (DH, max 1 hour)
• budget for 4 bed house (detached if possible) 500-600K (reflecting the mad increase in prices in our area!)

All ideas really gratefully received Thanks!!

St Albans area? Hertfordshire is nice. Although trains go into Euston, but you can get a connector through I think.

Yes we have friends in Harpenden, and like the area, but house prices seem mad there to!

Farnham is lovely. 50 minutes to Waterloo.

Thanks for these ideas - Don't know much abour Farnham at all, so will take a look. Also, does anyone also know Haslemere/ Petersfield area as MIL is always on about these (down her way), but I'm not sure they meet our commuting criteria?

If you don't mind a slightly longer commute, Winchester is 1 hour into Waterloo and is really nice, not far to drive down to the NEw forest or south coast for weekends either.

I am near Woking, in a village beginning with K. Award winning (beacon and various others)infant school, above average junior school, one of Surreys best secondary schools, all witin walking distance of my house.

Direct train from neighbouring village B to London Waterloo in no more than 30 minutes.

Loads to do for little ones, and very friendly people (I am one of them!)

4 bed detached houses sell for anything between £400.000 to £600.000. However, most of these will be newbuild.
Most of the modern estates in K are walking distance to K centre, which has shops, coop etc. In addition, there is a huge Sainsburys also near the new estates.

Let me know if you need more info!

hi poppetmum. We are in TW15, 40-45 minutes to waterloo, 10 minutes to M25/M4. You'd get a fab house for your budget. Our town is often overlooked, because we are close the heathrow on the map. But not on flight path, unlike more expensive areas like Windsor (which is nice though). Pleasant high stree, good primary schools (not sure about secondary at the moment). Or places like Shepperton, Chertsey?

Hippi - thanks, I just got the road atlas out (sorry have been out all day). Does K involve a wood? I know nothing at all about that area, so may well be worth investigating.

Message withdrawn

Nope, K involved a hill, next village along B involves a wood....

Hippi- I'm with you now- thanks!