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Original poster

Relocation advice Cambridgeshire/Suffolk/Lincs

29 replies

mrsbrightside73 · 02/08/2017 15:06

Hi all

Looking for some first hand opinions on nice places to live, most likely in the Cambs/Suffolk/South Lincs areas.

I have no knowledge of these areas but it's where we are looking to settle once my daughter is done with school in a couple of years.

Currently we are in Hertfordshire and the plan was always to sell up and move further out and free up some cash in the house.

So, my family are in Essex (Chelmsford and Frinton), hubby has friends and family in Leics and Nottingham. I dont drive but hubby does, so for me i want sonewhere with good transport links and a good town/village centre for everyday needs (happy to get train to Cambridge or similar for a larger shopping experience but a good selection locally too is preferable).

I don't want to feel to isolated, I'd like to walk in to a good sized village or town and ideally be walking distance from a train station that can take me further afield. Hubby currently works in London but hopes not to in the future but good train links to London might be something to consider.

I'd say we had a pretty healthy budget and would like a 3 or 4 bed detached house, nice area, good transport links. We like to go for walks and both run and like the countryside but as I dont drive rural living is not an option. We like to go out, love eating out and nice pubs etc.

We've thought about Cambs villages (no knowledge of these at all though), Bury St Edmunds and perhaps Stamford which is much further north but we liked it when visited a while ago. I'm sure there are loads of lovely places we don't even know exist and would love your suggestions so we can go and explore them.

We are open to pretty much all suggestions but musn't be rural and must have good train station links for me to feel I can go places on my own.

Looking forward to hearing your suggestions for the next stage in our lives.

Thank you

OP posts:

blacksax · 02/08/2017 15:12

St Neots in Cambs? Nice small town near the A1 and on the main Great Northern railway line out of Kings Cross too.
There's Huntingdon as well, same transport links.

Original poster

mrsbrightside73 · 02/08/2017 15:16

Thanks, think we've been to Huntingdon before but not been to St Neots so that's one to explore. Thanks

OP posts:

Sparrowlegs248 · 02/08/2017 15:17

Just over the border into Norfolk there's Kings Lynn. Train line to Cambridge and London. Easy drive to Norwich. Lovely coast 20 minutes,away.

BubblesBuddy · 02/08/2017 15:17

We have friends at Woodbridge in Suffolk. Good friends love Bury St Edmunds and Stamford. Having visited all, I think Woodbridge has a lot going for it and ticks a lot of your boxes. Possibly more expensive than Bury St Edmunds though.

Sparrowlegs248 · 02/08/2017 15:17

Or Ely? Close to Cambridge,lovely riverside. Station.

Doobydoo · 02/08/2017 15:21

Definitely Woodbridge for me! I grew up round there and Aldeburgh.Can be bombarded in the summer by 2nd home owners/media types in the summer....but that's mainly the seaside bits.Woodbridge is lovely xx

Original poster

mrsbrightside73 · 02/08/2017 15:30

Wow thanks all! Loads to explore there. Never been to Woodbridge or Ely so will add those to our list to visit. Never been to Kings Lynn either, Norfolk seems a long way from family in Nottingham but won't rule anything out and will visit all of your suggestions. Determined to get our next location spit on. Our daughter will be growing up and needing us less and hopefully hubby's work will reduce so we can spend more time together and really get to know a new area. A new chapter to look forward too x

OP posts:

Twistmeandturnme · 02/08/2017 15:34

Oundle: lovely place to live but cannot walk to station: 20 min drive to Peterborough for train to KingsCross and big shops but there is a bus service.

Original poster

mrsbrightside73 · 02/08/2017 15:41

Thanks, not heard of Oundle, will add to the list 😀

OP posts:

Twistmeandturnme · 02/08/2017 15:41

If you are trying to make some money then going for the villages close to Cambridge is a bad idea (they are not likely to be cheaper than Hertfordshire): you need to be further out, but then the transport becomes more of an issue. St Neots is a good compromise: there are some nice villages around there as well but any village is going to be limiting for you if you can't drive. Do you have plans to learn?
Or St Ives: your DH will need to drive to Huntingdon for the train but it's only 15 mins, and you can get the guided bus to Cambridge.

TapStepBallChange · 02/08/2017 15:53

Another vote for Ely, just over an hr from London. It's becoming a bit of a Cambridge outpost, lots of people commute there. But nice bookshop, farmers market, lots of families. But it's a trek to the a14/ m11

Peggysue14 · 02/08/2017 15:55

I would love to live in St Ives, a great market town with some lovely buildings and good transport links. Lovely old bridge there too. St Neots is nice also.

Original poster

mrsbrightside73 · 02/08/2017 16:16

Thanks. No I won't be driving in the future. I did learn when I was 19 but hated it, it's not for me and made a decision to not drive many many years ago. I just don't feel confident doing so, I've managed well over the last 25 years and have no plans to change this. It limits options but I think I'd prefer to live in a town anyway, not in a rural location.

We aren't looking to move to make money, just to move somewhere a bit cheaper than where we are now, we are in a high price area and pretty much mist places seem cheaper from what I can tell on rightmove (We've lived in St Albans and Welwyn Garden City over the last 20 years, both very pricey). Will probably go from a 4 bed to a 3 bed and free up a bit of capital.

OP posts:

Onestepawayfromtheshoeshine · 02/08/2017 16:24

Have you thought about Newark-on-Trent area?

Original poster

mrsbrightside73 · 02/08/2017 16:42

Hubby would probably love that, being nearer to Leics and Notts but i'd feel very far away from my family in Essex. I wouldn't rule it out but I have more family in Essex than in the Midlands so I think we'd end up in the Cambs/Suffolk area, although Stamford is lovely and up near Rutland Water which is gorgeous. Such a hard decision as up until now where to live has been influenced by being near London for work and near school. Once the schooling is done and the hope of not working in London it opens up many options. I'm close to my sister and her family who are in Chelmsford and as my parents are now in their early seventies I don't want to stray really far away. I'm sure we'll visit lots of places and get a feel for what suits, train travel, the area, the town, house prices, road links etc. A lot to think about!

OP posts:

Original poster

mrsbrightside73 · 02/08/2017 17:10

I think I'm a little bit in love with Woodbridge 😍 It looks beautiful and just our kind of town. A little more East than we would've liked but it looks well worth exploring. Takes us a 3 hour drive from family in Nottingham and Surrey but slightly nearer my dad. Looks very charming but lots going on too.

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flowery · 02/08/2017 17:31

If you're considering Huntingdon and St Neots might I suggest Godmanchester? It joins on to Huntingdon and is walkable to Huntingdon shops and station but is much nicer. It's very pretty and friendly and has everything you need.

I grew up in St Neots and wouldn't recommend it.

peppykoala · 02/08/2017 17:42

Bury and Ely are both v nice, Bury maybe nicer (IMO), but Ely has direct trains to London (and is getting more expensive as a result of people being priced out of Cambridge). Newmarket is also an option in that area - surrounded by countryside by with hourly trains into Cambridge. If train isn't a must then Burwell is great - really large friendly village with pubs, shops, bank, close to Cambridge but only buses as transport.

Original poster

mrsbrightside73 · 02/08/2017 17:47

Thanks flowery, may I ask why you would suggest St Neots, just curious 🤔 Do you like Huntingdon as well as Godmanchester? I'll take a look at both of those.

Peppykoala - we both like Bury but it's been a while since we've visited. Never been to Ely so that's one to explore. I'd really like a train station, buses are OK but never know when they are going to show and I feel much more connected by train.

I'm getting quite a list together here 😁

OP posts:

Doobydoo · 02/08/2017 17:55

Noooo to Newark.......Yessssssss to Woodbridge.

Msqueen33 · 02/08/2017 17:57

I like Bury. The town centre has a lot going for it. What about Peterborough?

flowery · 02/08/2017 18:33

I just don't think St Neots is particularly nice really. There are some lovely villages nearby, but if you want to live in a town and you have the freedom to choose, there are loads of much nicer ones.

Huntingdon is ok, but I wouldn't choose to live there. Again some lovely villages on the outskirts but you need a town. Godmanchester is a small town joined on to a bigger town so best of both worlds imo. We recently moved house (within Godmanchester) and although DH wanted to look at villages further afield I said no. Here we (and the DC as they get bigger) have easy access to all amenities and transport links etc. in a village we'd be getting in the car to do everything, and with teenagers in a few years it would be a complete pain in the backside.

Original poster

mrsbrightside73 · 03/08/2017 12:26

Thanks all. That's given us a lot of suggestions to go and visit.

OP posts:

Notonthestairs · 03/08/2017 14:12

If you want to be east but on a good Trainline to Chelmsford and London have you looked at Stowmarket (close to A14 to go north) or Diss? Woodbridge is lovely but your husband will need to change trains at Ipswich to get in to London which can be a PITA.

jenks81 · 03/08/2017 18:21

Given your budget you could look at the villages just outside Cambridge, lots of them have stations or very easy access to the stations (especially those on the guided busway), and very easy access to Cambridge itself. Histon and Impington are really nice and a 20 minute cycle into Cambridge or the guided bus or normal bus, and now they've opened Cambridge North station it's very close to the station.

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