Where to live Hertfordshire/Bedfordshire/Cambridgeshire?

[soonbesailing]

Thinking of moving this way, need to be in a reasonably driving/train distance to Letchworth and DH will need to get to London a few days a week.

Any suggestions of good places to move to, we have teenagers so not sure about being right out in the sticks, but I would rather be in a village and drive them around than be in a small nothingy type of town (if that makes sense).

I suppose I would like somewhere with a bit of a community, (and a good pub) but we are looking to escape the rat race, so we do want some space around us.

Any suggestions??

There are some good villages north of Luton - I suggested Harlington to someone looking to commute to London as there is a station. There is an Upper School there which is fine, but I'm not sure about the teenage boredom factor! The same goes for nearly all villages in the area though. Thinking back, though there wasn't anything for teenagers to do in the big city where I grew up (Birmingham).
Ampthill and Flitwick are both more sizeable (Ampthill is posher cos the station is in Flitwick), so have more to do (in theory at least).
Hitchin is nice, and closer to Letchworth, and has a station, but it is pricey (in my opinion).

I commute from Leighton Buzzard and live a few miles out. Goes to euston. Takes about 35 mins on train.

Would second Leighton Buzzard. It is quite a large town of 35,000 people and is great for a commute to London; Letchworth would definately be doable. L.B is a great town with quite a lot going on, not sure what your teenagers interests are but there are lots of drama and sports groups in town. Cedars upper school gets good GCSE results. L.B is also only a short bus trip to Milton Keynes or Luton which are much bigger places with more things going on. There is nice countryside closeby - lovely woods at Ashridge, or Rushmere Park, the Chiltern hills are only 5 miles away and Woburn is close and the Grand Union Canal runs through town which is nice to walk along (and has some good pubs along it, close to town)

I'm in a village just outside of Leighton buzzard. Great for getting into London by train. Milton Keynes has everything a teenager could ask for.

Thank you everyone for your replies.

I will take a look at Leighton Buzzard, not somewhere I know, perhaps just outside the town would work.

We don't have to worry about schools as that bit is already sorted, so don't have to worry about catchment areas thank goodness!

I'm amazed it's so quick to Euston, it takes me as long to get to Euston at the moment from North London.

My parents live in Rickmansworth which is lovely yet on the tube to get into London too. Think it's a bit pricey so may depend on your budget!

Willian just outside letchworth. V close to letchworth (walking for a teen) and two great pubs, village shop etc.

I'm in Leighton Buzzard too, while the town is fine, the drive from here to Letchworth several times a week would be horrible. Main routes here seem to go in and out of London rather than across, you'd have an awkward commute to Letchworth.

As someone who grew up in village in Bedfordshire and hated being stuck there when teenager I would say go for Hitchin!

What is your budget and what type of property are you looking for?

Why not Letchworth itself?

There's also Ashwell - nice village, Baldock (seems to be lots going on). Lots of nice villages towards Cambridge.

Come to Milton Keynes! Its fab for teenagers and nowhere near as grim and uninspiring as people seem to think.

I grew up in a small village in Bedfordshire and have lived elsewhere too, but we settled in MK and with 3 DCs I wouldn't want to be anywhere else now.

Loads to do in the city centre, parks and woodland all over the place, cycle paths to link it all. Its like a collection of small villages all stuck together and each one has its own character so you'd find an area you like, from really rural to small towns in their own right.

p.s. I don't work for the MK tourist board or anything - I just love it here!

Are you still looking? What about Olney. Close to the M1 and train stations. It's a market town - not out in the sticks but has that feel. Good schools, pubs, shops, restaurants and easy access to Milton Keynes, Bedford and Northampton too.

Yes still looking, I have been having a good drive around and think that we would need to look closer to Letchworth than I had originally thought, I like the idea of being near the train line that runs from Cambridge to Letchworth as it would mean that the DCs could get the train to school sometimes.

We would ideally like something that needs work preferably with some type of outbuilding so that we could make a home/office, not looking for loads of land but need a good size garden for the dog, 4 beds.

I second Willian in Letchworth, or the bit next to it called Manor Park. Willian is lovely, two great pubs, nice village shop etc. Happy to answer questions about the area if you want to pm me.

I live in this area - we used to live in London. We've settled just outside a small town, not far from Letchworth. We didn't know the area well when we moved, and now we know it much better I'd probably have gone for a village like Ashwell (as someone upthread said) or even Potton... great sense of community.

I think Letchworth's really on the up and Hitchin's got a lot going for it too. Baldock seems to try and fail. I'd also look at the S. Cambs villages - Littlington, Steeple Morden, Guilden Morden, Bassinbourn. Easy to get to Letchworth and great for zipping into Cambridge for fun / shopping for the teenagers from Royston or The Mordens station.

I don't want to give away too many personal details, but feel free to PM me if you'd like.

Thank you MsGee and Culture I may pm you if I see anything that looks interesting, I'm surprised how expensive it is, seems similar to London to me.

Don't know what your budget is but this could do with a bit of updating

Hitchin is really nice and has a good market

Would you need state schools? I'd recommend Hitchin or the surrounding villages of North Herts if you have girls (Hitchin Girls School is quite good, the Boys School not quite so good), or Ashwell (Knights Templar). I'd steer clear of Beds unless you'll be sending the Dcs to private schools. Some good schools in Cambs and some dreadful ones (my SIL who lives there has had a nightmare of a time since their local school went into special measures).

S. Cambs does tend to be a bit pricey. For a faster train line into London and cheaper house prices, try around Biggleswade (36mins) and Sandy - then it's a very quick zip down the A1 to Letchworth.

Doh! Sorry, can see yu've got the school bit sussed

MrsJohn or you can live in cheaper Beds and send your DC to a great (state) school in S. Cambs

Looking at the school / commute mix I'd definitely go for Willian / Letchworth / Hitchin. Doing a school run would be a nightmare otherwise. Willian probably has the village feel you want but less housing on the market. Letchworth tourist office has some great local maps.

Letchworth is ok for teens - cinema, basic shops to mooch around, parks etc. Hitchin for a bit of excitement...

Try at Neots, kimbolton, Biggleswade or potton. All decent commutes to both London and letchworth and in st Neots especially you'll get a lot more for your money.