Milton Keynes - what are the must areas to see?

[Rollinghills30]

Thanks to the wonderful responses to my previous post, we have decided to look at Milton Keynes - with a view to moving there in the nearish future. It seems to tick most of our boxes -

Good commute
Facilities
Shopping
Access to walking countryside (ideally within 10-15 minute drive of house)
Schools and clubs

We would like to visit for the weekend soon so any suggestions as to where to stay overnight would be most appreciated. We stayed in a Premier Inn there once and it was the worst we had been too - really old and run down (which surprised us, given his 'new' most of MK is!) It was a few years ago so perhaps it has been updated?

We didn't look around MK, other than to go to the John Lewis so please could I ask for 'must see' places to add to my list. They don't have to be scenic - but places that will give us a well rounded view of every day life in MK. Things like nice housing estates, surrounding villages, supermarket, swimming pool, primary/secondary schools, hospital, things for children etc I know I won't have time for everything but some starting points would be great. Not decided on central or outskirts as it would depend on commute time so would look at both.

If anyone can suggest a place in the countryside outside of MK for a round walk then I'd be really grateful as getting out for walks is really important to us as a family. Stiles and cows, rather than man made parks/lakes (although this is also good for everyday life of course!)

Thank you!

We moved somewhere (that I don't love as it happens!) for similar reasons and our quality of life as a family is so much better op.

The right house, good schools and friendly people go a long way to making a place a good place to live.

Have a look at Stony Stratford, really lovely little town and a great community. It's got everything you need and MK is on the doorstep.

I agree with a pp - look at leighton buzzard. Nice town which is all walkable, quick train to London only 30 mins. It has some nice cafes and little shops, a fair amount in the way of community events and some nice outdoor spaces including the canal and lake. Short drive to mk for bigger shops, cinema, restaurants etc.

Thanks - really is helpful.

Leighton Buzzard on list - oddly enough we looked at a house in Stewkley some years ago but I wasn't sure about the village. It seemed very quiet and more of a road with houses either side - no centre. However, we are living in a similar place now but with a long commute! Doh. Really loved the house we saw too and it was a great price . Hey ho. We only saw a bit of LB itself so will put on list to revisit.

MovingonupMovingonout ( is username related to change lifestyle, I wonder ) - it's nice to hear you found a better quality of life elsewhere. We are living in a pretty and sought after village, village school up the road from our house where dc are happy but our lives are just not what they were before we moved down here. We used to be spontaneous and just 'pop out' for walks or a couple of hours shopping but now everything requires planning, our house is a constant project and I have only really connected with one person since being here (know people but nothing meaningful). I feel as though we are cut off from everything and our lives have become very small. I really hope we can find happiness somewhere else too!

Moving I wasn't offended but I did think your original post was rude. I'm allowed an opinion on that as you are... But I won't do a passive aggressive emoji back at you.

Eversholt is a beautiful village with a pub, cricket pitch and church. It is on the edge of the Woburn estate. Known for its community feel and beautiful homes. I also really like Woburn with its Georgian high street.

Eversholt does look lovely! Very pretty. Probably a bit too far out for DH to commute from MK - but nice to see another pretty surrounding village.

Does anyone commute from Olney? Would love to hear what that's like in terms of parking, getting a seat, wifi etc

Olney doesn't have a train station, and is very busy in the mornings on the roads. It's probably about 40 minutes to MK station in the morning. Wellingborough or Bedford are probably better options for train commuting from Olney. Lovely town to live in though, and a nice distance to MK for shopping out of rush hour! Definitely agree with the marmite comment though. I'm a hater of MK and wouldn't live there but don't mind popping in to shop occasionally as I live about half an hour away.

Hi curiousmonkey, thanks. Can't believe it would take 40 mins to get to MK at that time Yikes! Even at 7.15 ish?

I'll look at the other places you mentioned S possibles too - thanks! x

Olney is a nightmare at peak times.
What about Deanshanger?

I haven't heard of Deanshanger! I'll take a look, thanks. Just bought OS maps for north and south of MK and I'm pleasantly surprised by how many footpaths there are. It's really important that I can get out to walk somewhere nice in no more than a 15 minute drive. Sounds weird but I've always had that and I miss it so much!

Don't forget plans in place to reopen Oxford to Cambridge line by extending Bedford to Bletchley. Will have big impact on traffic and house prices. In right place, great news. In wrong place , eg if closing a crossing, not great.

Yes really - it's horrendous! I wasn't suggesting looking to move to Wellingborough or Bedford, just that commuting from those stations if you're wanting to live in Olney might be better! They're on a different line to MK. I'd be focussing searches on the villages around MK, including those in Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire. A friend lives in Hackleton and commutes via MK, takes about half an hour to get to the station (driving) apparently.

Hi We have lived in MK for 14 years and we love it. It is a fab place to bring up children, and there are lots of green spaces that we are still discovering. Yes it is definitely marmite but I find that the people who hate it are not necessarily looking beyond the shopping centre or the train station. In fact MK is made up of lots of little villages with their own communities. To name a few nice areas - Willen, Woolstone, Woughton on the Green, Great Linford, Walnut Tree, Newport Pagnell, Wavendon/Woburn Sands. There are lots more and obviously we have our fair share of dodgy areas - like most places! Good luck.

Olney is lovely, 90 mins door to door though to central London; involves a drive to Bedford or MK station, train the tube.

The drive to Bedford at 6:45/7ish is 20 mins but you have to allow a bit longer in case of slow drivers, plus walking from station car park to platform!

And another thing about Leighton Buzzard - the train station is on the Linslade side of town, which is the nicer end. Great school catchments and family homes just a few minutes walk from the station.

Thanks so much for all the info! Really appreciate it. I will report back when I've been to visit.

How would I find this thread again? My 'I'm on' threads seem to disappear after a while ( on iPhone app)

Thanks all x

Honestly, it's the most soulless place I've been to in a long while... I have to go occasionally for work. The grid system, the huge out of town shops... We live in south Bucks come down there instead

I know that's the opinion of a lot of people but I'll have to see what I think. We would plan to live on outskirts, possibly a village and just enjoy the facilities that MK itself has to offer. To me, that would be the best of both worlds. Like I say, we are in a village now which has lots of 'character' but it essentially one big car park, always heaving with traffic and absolutely useless facilities nearby. Also, DH is Scandinavian so MK would suit him well in terms of space, biking lanes etc We will have to wait and see what a visit in the new year brings.

And also I just don't think we would get much for our money in South Bucks - we really need a bigger house. What areas in South Bucks do you recommend?

Ignore the haters and keep an open mind!

I liked Shenley Church End (if that's how you spell it) when we stayed there a few years ago.

Was brought up in MK and Bedford. There were a lot of children at the Harpur Trust schools from Milton Keynes. Olney was quite popular too. Don't think there were many selective private schools in MK then. Stowe is on the other side but mostly boarding and £££. Bucks grammars did run buses from MK too. Northampton also had a girls' school in my day.

London end of commute, Bedford has Thameslink which goes as far as Moorgate and always was so much more convenient to change at Farringdon for circle line than King's Cross St Pancras or Euston. Suspect the A421 improvements might make Bedford a good commuting option from villages that side.

Loughton, Shenley and Great Holm are all nice villagey areas, close to the station - Loughton and Shenley have a mix of old and new areas. Most of the MK state schools are new since late 80s/early 90s. Stantonbury and Bletchley would be the only ones predating that buildings wise.

I don't live there now and wouldn't but that is nothing to do with MK and far more due to the lack of decent hills in the south east...