Where to live that's handy for Cambridge and Westminster

[glorious]

DH is keen to take a job in Cambridge. We live in South East London at the moment and I work in Westminster and would rather not move jobs myself.

We have a 2yo DD and I really can't stand the thought of a long commute. So we're wondering about King's Cross or somewhere in North or North East London he could drive from. 1hr maximum to Westminster for me, he could travel for a little longer.

Good primary school is key but not too worried about secondary as I don't imagine we would stay there long term.

Our current house (large 3 bed) is worth around £600k, and we could push to about £800 if we had to. Ideally we'd like something similar but obviously in King's Cross we'd be looking at a little 2 bed flat, so we are prepared to compromise.

Where should we look?

Wanstead would be good. It's a quick drive up the M11 to Cambridge and you can get to Westminster via tube (a few options) in 40-45 mins.

DH got a job in Cambridge and mine was near Old Street station, so we lived in Hitchin and both commuted by train (traffic driving to/from Cambridge on the times he tried it was always a nightmare, so if thinking that direction allow lots of extra time - don't think it's designed for cars!) However he then got a job back in London so we moved closer to family a month before arrival of the sprog so whist the commute was ok during pregnancy I'd probably resent the time away from our little one now.

Good luck with your search

Unless he has a job which gives him a dedicated parking space, don't even think of driving to work in Cambridge. Even then, traffic is a nightmare - if I leave home after 7:45 it takes me 45 minutes to do a 3 mile journey - and thats just on the southern edge of the city.

Whereabouts in Cambridge is his job - is it walking distance from the station, because buses here are equally impossible during rush hour.

He could easily cycle from the station in Cambridge though - perhaps with a folding bike on the train. Much easier than bus/taxi from station, and lots of people do it.

Thanks for the thoughts folks. We have lived in Cambridge before so I know what you mean about traffic! He would be near Addenbrookes so not too far from M11.

Will check out Wanstead. Hitchin sounds possible but not deeply excited about moving out of London unless it's to somewhere lovely.

St Albans would be the lovely choice

St Albans, although it will be a horrible drive for your dh most days, I fear.

I thought they were the same train line and ive just gone to look and they're not

I was going suggest any town on the 'Bed-Pan' line - Bedford, Harpenden, St. Albans, or maybe Newport pagnell/Milton Keynes area. Alternatively, St. Neots area?

I live south of Cambridge and commute into Pimlico/Westminster at the moment. Hitchin/Letchworth or South Cambs would be your best bets, I suspect. You really want to be on the fastest train options to KGX (which would be Royston, Hitchin, Letchworth) and not too bad a drive for your DH (although it can be v.busy as others have said)

my dh commutes to Victoria every day and i work in Cambridge.
we live 6 miles north of royston in a great village with nice schools.
his commute including the drive to the station is nearly 2 hours each way door to door.

think long and hard about whether you want to do that everyday.

pros, we have a lovely house and large garden, great schools, friendly village.

cons
the commute for him! its knackering

I used to commute from Cambridge to Highgate and the commute on the train really not that bad. So it would make most sense for you to stay in London and your DH to commute to Cambridge rather than you move out so you have to commute in.

Bishops Stortford, I live there and it's good for both.

if you both commuting miles out it might be difficult for one of you to get back for dd in case of anything, unless you going to have a full time nanny. if you within london area at least you have alternative means of transport bus taxi etc if needs be from westminster.

Saffron Walden?

Ooh, Ihatethecold, I wonder if you live near me?

OP, if you are a city person and really don't want a village, then have you considered living in Cambridge itself, with you having the long commute rather than your dh? Cambridge is an amazing city with lots going on. If you lived near the station you could get to London and your dh would drive (or cycle!) against the traffic to reach Addenbrookes.

If you would consider a village, then there are loads just south of Cambridge which would be ideal for Addenbrookes, and you could then drive down to Royston and get on the train. We're in a village in South Cambs, our dc went to an amazing village primary school and are now in a pretty good secondary school. You can be in Cambridge in 20 minutes if it's not rush hour. I know a village might seem daunting If you're used to London, but in our village there are quite a few ex-Londoners who seem to have adapted pretty quickly!

If you live somewhere like Hitchin then both you and your dh will be commuting, and yet you'd be in a smallish town with not a lot going on.

Otherwise, as others have said, somewhere at the bottom end of the M11 is possibly a good bet.

Possibly Paxman

Wow lots of suggestions here, thank you all.

I love Cambridge, we lived there for 4 years, but my career is now unavoidably London-based and I really don't want to be travelling for much longer than I do now (so an hour maximum). I do the majority of the pick ups, which is likely to continue, and it's hard enough fitting everything in as it is. My job will always be based in Westminster (think government) unless I totally change career.

Commuting to London from Cambridge itself is out on that basis for me. And from where we live now it's 2 hours plus which is too long for DH too.

I don't mind the idea of a village but only within those journey times. Up to about 1.5 hours is ok for DH. I think that means I might just about manage Royston (itself) or Letchworth, but not outlying villages as I need to be very close to the station to get within an hour door to door. Bishop's Stortford not so much as Liverpool St to Westminster is a longer journey than King's Cross is (office is walkable from Victoria).

Any ideas in North London / bottom of M11 ish? So I guess Wanstead as a PP suggested, maybe even Stratford? I really don't know that part of London at all. Or obviously then King's Cross / perhaps that side of Camden or Islington, but think the size of property there would be a huge compromise.

I work in Westminster and live in Woodford Bridge. Your budget would get you a nice house near Woodford station, South Woodford Station or Wanstead station. I generally do door to door in an hour and ten minutes, but I am twenty minutes walk from Woodford Station. I do central to Mile end and then district to embankment or Westminster depending on which office I'm in. Sometimes I change for the jubilee line at Stratford if I have a pushchair with me, as Stratford is the first stop into town so I can get a space next to the pushchair. Woodford Bridge is cheaper because of the walk to the tube, but we have great parks and playgrounds, a nice school (was requires improvement and now good with two form entry so nice and cosy) that has its own bit of forest for forest school, good nursery options and decent shops etc. DH has worked in Cambridge from time to time and the commute isn't awful at all. You can do it by train too if you go from Highams Park to Tottenham Hale and change.

You would get our house for about 600k (five bed thirties semi, cul de sac, opposite primary school and park) or a slightly smaller house right by Woodford Station.

This one is nice, next to the station and the midwifery centre if that's relevant to you ;)

m.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/property/woodford-green/madeira-grove/

About ten minutes walk to a massive park/playground. I'm not a fan of Ray Lodge Primary School, but plenty of people opt for Roding Primary instead.

Personally I would look on the Cambridge line out of kings x (fast) the Bedford line doesn't go to Cambridge and commenting on it is much pricier.
The stops on the fast train which may suit include welwyn GC, hatfield, knebworth etc. These areas aren't cheap but you could buy a lovely house for £600k. Then you could take the fast train back into finsbury park and Victoria line to pimlico/ Victoria (only about 15 mins)

I wouldn't stay in Central London. We did this (lived Westminster commuted to stevenage) and you'll just massively resent the huge commuting costs out + huge housing cost= worst of both worlds

Ooh teddy that's really useful, thanks, I like that house. It's also great to here about the amenities around there. I'd really miss green space and playgrounds if we were no longer close. I've had a bit of a look at schools and there are some good looking options, particularly as we're Catholic. I think we'll go for a wander round Woodford areas and maybe Wanstead as well over the weekend.

And Feckeggblue thanks for the thoughts on living centrally. You're probably right. I hadn't thought of going via Finsbury Park so that's something to consider too.

*hear. Sigh.