Huntingdon, St.Neots, Knebworth - which is best?

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Hi, still exploring places commutable to London (only a few days a week). I'm on a budget and these are all 'good value' places it seems! More to the point there is actually a CHOICE of houses right now on the market, wher all my other preferred areas have hardly anything, as I'd like to walk to station.

Saw two houses in Huntingdon that I like on rightmove (prefer period, though not a deal breaker). the prices sound a little too good to be true (though even better choice for non-period or further out) - is that because it's a flood area? yes, everywhere seems to flood now, but is the Great Ouze a frequently flooding river? these two are both central and around Hartford avenue - I like the distance to station but the river is a bit close, I think, too.

Also, what's Huntungdon like for shops/cafes? can't see anything on google, which streets to look at? or is it a dull and empty kind of town?

St.Neots, does seem to have an attarctive centre/High street, but the issue there is, hardly any period houses on the market in my budget (or I think generally). There is one on parallel street to Cambridge st - looking closely, the garden is backing to the vast parking space of Lidl (mostly empty on Google view) - I wonder how busy it gets, and is it generally a low crime town or not? Good price again. the garden is enclosed but potentially people could jump over fence from car park (?)

Knebworth, they mention 'excellent facilities', what are they? is it nice, and are the trains going through fast?

Thank you!

What is your budget? Do you have children (are schools a consideration)?

LibraryB, budget up to 260 max (asking can be a bit more I hope), schools not a consideration atm. Just want somewhere nice, not too dull and with parks/nature not far, plus commute reasonable.

the specific houses I mention in OP are just under 250K.

should mention, it's not a 'forever' home, so hopefully an area where I can sell or rent it out easily eventually.

Both are one horse towns. Very, very quiet. St Neots, is much prettier, there are lots of nice villages around, but that would ad to commute time. Also the locals are fen dwellers, and really keep themselves to themselves.

Rip, 'fen dwellers'? never heard this before!
So us St.Neots also best for shops? do you know what's there in detail, which supermarkerts, are there delis etc.?
What about Knebworth which is the shortest commute - was it a lie when they mention 'excellent facilities' on rightmove listings?
Also while I'm on the subjects, how about Welwyn? is it completely charmless - but if so is it at leas t[ractical for shops etc, and are there parks/NT nearby?

I moved to a village not far from St Neots last year, its OK around here but not the most beautiful part of the country. We did intend to be nearer to London but found a nice house that is an interesting renovation project.

It depends what you are used to, we moved from a nice bit of North London so some of it has been a bit of a shock, but there are some nice bits as well.

My DH has joined a tennis club in St Neots and everyone is very friendly, I'm not having as much luck making friends but we do live in a small village.

There is a Waitrose in St Neots, can't tell you anything about the schools, around me they have a 3 tier system but I think St Neots is Cambridgeshire rather than Bedfordshire so it may be different.

I think property is quite a bit cheaper here than Hertfordshire so you would get more house for your money.

There seems to be a lot of new build on the edge of St Neots.

DH gets the train to London quite a lot, loads of people get on and off at St Neots and they have fast trains from London, but it seems like an expensive line and the car park is expensive as well.

The A1 can get very busy at the black cat roundabout which you have to go through if you drive from London.

I drive into north London all the time and its fine although early in the morning very busy especially around Stevenage.

Cambridge is only 30 mins away by car and a bus service runs from Oxford to Cambridge through St Neots about 5 times a day, so its very easy to get to and very lovely.

We won't stay here long, maybe 5 years at the most so I hope it will be fine for that amount of time.

Sorry I can't tell you more but thats all I know so far.

I'm in a village between the two (Huntingdon and St Neots) - honestly I would say that neither town centre is very naice certainly Houses within walking distance of Huntingdon station are in a rough area. I don't know St Neots so well but hear similar things.

My DH commuted to London for a couple of years - although St Neots is marginally closer for us he would often go from Huntingdon as the trains are packed once they are at St Neots.

What about Brampton? Nice village in cycling (but not walking) distance of the station.

Oh and itscoldouthere's comment about Cambridge is very true - it's a beautiful and interesting small city - but is half an hour out of traffic and an hour and a half in traffic.

My in laws live in St Neots and my DH grew up there. I like it and think it is pretty and has all the basics you need in a town. A cinema is being built which I think is much needed. We moved to Bedford from London recently for a bigger house and schools. I think Bedford felt bigger and more cosmopolitan to us with a quick train line for commuting. My hubbie could not see us in St Neots and we like old houses with high ceilings because he is a tall one. Yes, some parts of the centre are grotty (most towns have an area like this) but the river, the parks and the Victorian housing stock sold it to us. There are some lovely shops and arcades and loads of restaurants with new ones opening up all of the time. There are loads of Bedford threads which slate it on here so search those for more balance but I am really convinced that it is on the up and much overlooked. There is a vibrant arty, community scene which really shines through. Re St Neots it feels like there is much less grittiness but also less going on.

I have just driven back to Bedford from the City today in 1.45 mins - took an hour to Tooting when I lived there!

Itscoldoutthere - I will be your friend ;)

Oi rip fen dwellers live out in the Fens - Chatteris, Manea, Doddington, etc.!!!!!

OP I'll PM you if you wish.

Thank you Spotty thats very kind I also drove back from north London this morning in under an hour, but I know the trip to take DS2 to the orthodontist tomorrow morning going in to Golders Green will be more like 1.30/1.45.

I'm glad you are liking Bedford, I try to like it but feel like I'm not looking in the right places! We walked around near the Higgins Museum earlier in the week and DH was quite surprised, we hadn't seen the fancy coffee/gift shop or the designer furniture shop before so that cheered us up.

We are going to visit the museum at the weekend as DS1 has been studying some of the artist they show for his GCSE, I'm hoping it will be a good experience.

Sorry OP to hijack your post!

thank you all for responding! Itscold, hijacking is welcome if on the subject, you are especially allowed after giving so much useful and honets info! I was hopeful about Bedford myself at one point, but went there last year and just didn't get the right feeling, so it's interesting to read your view, and the fact that nice cafes/arty scene are appearing, I didn't see anything like that either, even though the victorian houses by te river I did like! To me, it's neither a proper city, not a picturesque small town, I'd rather be further out with greener surrounding and fewer dodgy characters hanging around on the walk from station.
Sorry to hear, st.neots is a bit ugly - I think that's what you really meant Itscold ! That rules it out for me, as what's the point moving out of a city which I'm doing unless it's for beautiful surroundings - unless there aer beautiful country places within a short distance?
I know that the country is beautiful around Woburn in Beds, I though it would be similar here.
I know Cambridge is really nice, would jump at the chanc, but my budget doesn't allow. I did think that it'd be easy to get to by train from Neots, and now I know there is a bus - but maybe not easy enough.
omletta do you know Knebworth (or anyone else knows it)? I think I have to rule out anything not on train line. But maybe it's similar to Brampton.
*emotion', pm me if you have more info, thanks! maybe yo know Knebworth, or Welwyn too?
Any views on Welwyn compared to st.neots/huntingdon?

I'm in Knebworth and its a large village with a 30 min train into Kings X and a couple of 20 min faster trains in the morning. It's not a town by any means. It has a small high street and given its a village the facilities are adequate. But its not chock full of boutiques and cafes, just butcher, cupcake shop, pottery, co-Op, builders yard, a couple of cafes, a small library. You are between Stevenage and WGC for shops and leisure. We moved here from.North London as commute times are short and its close enough to fields to be quiet. It's reasonably pretty, with the odd hideous collection of houses scattered here and there. Primary schools excellent, but poor access to good secondaries. I love it enough to have been here 11 years.

fgs, so many typos - long day!

thank, onelittle! at last a response about Knebworth! I know it's a village, but as you say, short commute. I just wanted to know what are the facilities, I wouldn't need it choc full of cafes, I know very well not to expec tthe earth from small places which are also imexpensive. But good to know there is enough, and easy access to other places. Where do you go for supermarkets? And what do you think of Welwyn (you've probably been). Is the country around pretty, or do you ,mean the centre of village? Pottery a bit random , they actually make pots there?

sorry you obviously have mentioned WGC, and been there, just not used to that abbreviation yet ! would you live there?

There's Welwyn village and Welwyn Garden City, which do you mean?

Garden City.

I live here, and I like it on the whole. It's a dead easy commute into London. Plus points - there's a John Lewis and the town centre has pretty much all the major retailers, with a decent waitrose and sainsburys. Plus a lovely forest right behind the library in the centre of town, from where you can cycle to some good pubs. On the minus side, there aren't enough decent restaurants/independent shops and coffee shops, and definitely not enough pubs in the centre. (although I have to say it does feel very safe walking around at night!) also attractive older housing is limited and expensive.

I miss a quirkier, more historical setting, but London is really on your doorstep, much more than anywhere in Cambs. I have to say that we moved here to be able to buy a house which we'd never have been able to do in London. Let me know if you have any other questions!

Stevenage has all the supermarkets, lots of retail parks, a odd 60'd town centre full of poundshops and a Primark, Welwyn Garden City is other close town, more upmarket, has a John Lewis as a main attraction. Old Welwyn is a small village close by which is quite pretty, but Welwyn North train station is actually just in the middle of loads of houses but little else and not in Welwyn village itself. It's got good access to fields and is pretty enough, but not in same vein as Woburn. Good pubs to dine in. Knebworth is made up of a main village and Old Knebworth which is lovely but further out from the station and has limited housing choices. Knebworth is surrounded by lots of lovely villages, but not chocolate box pretty, plenty of big houses to gaze at as you drive by! Pottery shop is a paint your own pottery, but there is also have a an art supplies shop. You can walk to the station wherever you live in the village. I hope this helps. I think there is a worry that Knebworth will gradually be swamped by Stevenage eventually :(

Mairzy, that sound good enough! can't have everything in a place like this, and the shot commute compensates! I think train goes also via Islington, if I'm not wrong, so that's LOTS of quirky cafes. If you like historical, would you go further, like Stamford, but have a longer commute?
You say, no coffee shops, but are there at least chain ones - costa etc?
From I can see, the main dull point about Welwyn is that all streets and houses look the same - no idea if there aer big expensive ones, but I'm lookng at the majority. Nice to know about the forest. How far is Woburn?
littleclara, is there a post office (I need it) - and how far Wopburn from there? it's one place I've been to and liked in the approx area. Yeah, not great is swamoed by Stevenage, is it likely to be soon you think?

Is there luton plane noise in either of these places btw??

Little village post office which is well run and a Barclays. I think it will take some years before Stevenage hits but I think villages are gradually disappearing into big towns. There are fields between the two areas but housing pressure is always on I guess. Woburn is about a half hour, forty min drive whenever we have been to the park. Never noticed plane or road noise. When we moved here it took ages to get used to the quiet!

Welwyn is nicer than all of the others IMHO.