Escaping London - help us choose where to live

[thirtyplusone]

We are (begrudgingly) NE London, desperately looking to escape.

Under offer in and a bit of a hurry to get moving.

Looking for advice on where we should look (rethinking after we lost out on dream house in Epping Forest)

Requirements !

Commute under an hour in baker st
Budget of 550,000 we'd like a house, garden etc
Walk/Cycle to station would be nice
Walk/Cycle to shops cafes etc
Nothing too rural but access to green space / woodland very important
Good for families, mums

Please help, we're at a total loss of where to look now!

Depends how many bedrooms you want, but Reading is 30mins to Paddington, and places on the outskirts like Earley fit your requirements. Otherwise Guildford? Maidenhead?

What about Cheddington in Bucks? You can walk or cycle to trains into Euston. Lovely village, good schools. Or Tring, a bit pricier though but more going on .

oh yes, 3 bedrooms please!

Epsom? You are very close to, or actually in, green space depending on where you buy.

Town centre has lots of cafes. shops and pubs.

Lovely villages to explore nearby. Close to London -37 minutes to Waterloo. Crossrail is coming.

Its the best of both worlds I think.