Moving to Bedfordshire, does anyone know it well?

[MovingBeds]

Hi, I am new to mumsnet and have problems navigating the topics section, let alone starting athread, so please bear with me I have been offered a job in Bedfordshire recently which involves relocation. My contract starts end of September so I need to get a move on with finding a rental property (though I hope to buy eventually witgh the sale of my current property) I have school age children so there is alot to consider.

What is Bedford town centre like as a place to live? Are there any areas that a nice (as in safe, not posh) and what are the areas to avoid?

What are the surrounding villages like also? Which ones are okay, which ones not so okay? (or are they all okay?)

Job is south of Bedford itself.

Many thanks for any input. I really do not have a clue!

Moving, my sister lives in Milton Earnest which seems jolly nice to me (and her). Village school is very sweet.

Moonmother - ditto although I'd add Welwyn and St Albans to my personal list of shopping locations. Wonder if we are almost neighbours? I'm in H in Herts. not far from Luton but worlds apart!

oops sorry just realised you aren't interested in mainstream schools.

Thurleigh is in the catchment for Sharnbrook school, which people who live in Bedford sell their grannies to get in to. I went there. Tis Good.

There are lovely villages round there.

Don't know much about north Bedfordshire.

There's a bypass round clapham now so it's easier to get through Bedford north to south.

Edam - I'm in Dunstable, and yes I'm a visitor to St Albans for shopping too (most frequently in TkMaxx), and H (I might add) on the odd Summer Evening for a drink

edam, I have two other children who will be in mainstream schools

Thank you everyone for all your help, it is very useful 9and i feel less anxious)

I went to Sharnbrook too, how exciting

Hello everyone, I am going to view a house in Ampthill tommorrow and one in Cranfield. I will let you know how it goes

Great Fingers crossed it's what you're looking for ...

oh bugger the agent has just rang and the one in ampthill has gone already

Blimey

Need to get in there quick Moving and view any you like ASAP.

Also - Silsoe is lovely, might be worth a look

We moved to S Bedfordshire a few months ago due to DHs job and so far I hate it :( We are about 10 miles south of Bedford, which as others have said is bit of a dump. Their are plenty of shops/retail parks within in easy driving distance, but they are all in grim towns. My experience of the area so far was summed up by a visit to Letchworth and seeing the UKs first roundabout The countryside is flat and intensively farmed, and pretty uninspiring. DS is in a village lower school with an outstanding from Ofsted, which is living proof that a good Ofsted is not everything. DH is in the Army so I'm used to moving, but this move has broken me! Weare buying a house elsewhere and DH is going to weekly commute!

Really sorry to hear that Drusilla Are you based at Millbrook then?

We drove up over the weekend and I thought it looked nice and I felt very at home. We managed to get a house at Ampthill :)Thanks for all your help guys

Is Silsoe a nice place to live or ruined by new housing estate ? Thinking of moving there...........

avoid Luton, i'm from there, and it's a dive. Bedford is nicer, though Beds is too quaint and quiet for my tastes. Dunstable is OK, and there are numerous small towns which are nice enough to live in, but boring.

We have friends with children in Ampthill and Flitwick

Think about airport noise if you go near flight path of Luton - don't know about stansted flight paths

my parents live in Stopsley, and they hardly hear planes. most of the town isn't (at the moment) under the flight path.

I’m surprised no one has suggested Harpenden!

Harpenden isn't in Bedfordshire, that's probably why.

This is a 7 year old ZOMBIE thread, so I expect OP has decided where to live by now.