Crazy to move out of London if we can afford to stay?

[goteam]

Just that. We need to move in the next few years currently in zone 2 flat with 2 kids (7 and 5). Kids comment a lot how noisy and busy London is and love visiting family in the country side. Thinking about moving to a small town in Derbyshire near family but worried we will regret it. Budget 900k so can move further out in London but it's still London. I love the buzz and would stay and worried the novelty of a quiet life would wear off for the kids especially in 5 or so years time.

Anyone done it? Any peaceful bits of north London that might suit my outdoorsy kids?

Didn't mean to capitalise true!! There is nowhere like London and I think the kids will have access to opportunities when they are older that they don't yet appreciate.

I grew up between oakwood and enfield. Access to greenery and, as above, trent Park feels more like countryside than a park

@Evilmorty interesting. What don’t you like anymore? I’ve lived here for ages now and can’t imagine moving anytime soon.

Whereabouts in Derbyshire are you thinking OP? I’m originally from a village just outside Belper. If I had to go anywhere up there I think I’d choose Wirksworth or Matlock.

We are zone 4 SE like Bubbins and it's great down here. Our kids are 3 and almost 1 so we're hoping we can stick it out for another 3 or 4 years. I'm fairly certain we will try and size-up in our area though. We're only 30 minutes into Charing Cross but 5 minutes down the road are woodlands and green space. Feels very much the best of both worlds for us.
I have decided we will only move out of London if it suits my husband and I as well as the children.

@mrsgirond we like both of those places. Not entirely sure as long as we can get to friends in nearby cities. Leaning more towards checking out some of the suggested places in London but will probably be in the same bind in a years time!

What about places not Zone 2 ?

Blackheath is lovely and close to Central London by train but a huge green Heath is a draw , and with your amount of money, OP, you could afford said nice area. Most years (hopefully this year too) they have one of the best Firework displays iin London.

Dulwich Village as they call it is also very nice so I hear and East Dulwich is very much "in vogue" as they say.

I agree with others . I think when your DCs are teens they would be bored senseless as lovely as the countryside IS.

Just out of interest what side of the river are you at the moment ?

My sister is in Rickmansworth so right on the end of the tube but it’s 5 mins from the country side and lovely

@whentherabbitswentwild we are north and want to be north for easy access to 'the north's if we do stay in Lonfon.

I will check out Rickmansworth thanks @Sad

I think perhaps the kids associate the countryside with winding down and having a break. I feel the same about the seaside but wouldn't want to live in a seaside town for various reasons. I associate it with being on holiday and perhaps the kids feel that way about visiting family in small villages

That is a big move.... at 7 and 5 they may love playing outdoors, but at 13 and 15 London would potentially be more attractive to them, and offer more freedom due to excellent public transport.

I spent my teenage years in the Peak District and my twenties in SE London. Your kids will not thank you for making the move when they become teenagers but if I was in your position I would probably go for it. It will be a big change though.

Given that you have portable jobs I would move into or near to a smaller city with good schools and jobs. You’re paying a big premium to be in London.

I liked living in London but not the high housing costs, pollution and pressure on services of all times. We needed to stay within commuting distance/time because there are far fewer of both our jobs elsewhere.

I wouldn’t go rural, not ideal for older DC IMO.

@mrsgirond I think it’s because all the things I loved about the town have gone. There used to be some lovely pubs but my cousin was glassed in what used to be the George. The shops are pretty rubbish now, mothercare gone, all the lovely little cafes are now vape shops, the park used to be much bigger and have a really lovely fireworks display, there used to be a country show in autumn with big bands, both off now because of crime and lack of community input, (although I think the fireworks is back this year but minus the scouts who used to work so hard for it), the council is having a lot of corruption problems, it was in the National news and private eye a few times, the stuff with muggings around the grammar school although that looks like it’s easing now due to the parent patrols, and lastly that it’s in the news all the time for stabbings which make people think it’s worse than it is.

I lived in the town with my baby on the day of the riots and it’s changed since that day. But I love it so because I grew up here. I’m very conflicted and sad about it really.

Prezzo was a pub before, there was a pub by the station too, you could watch live music every night if you wanted to.

Fair enough @goteam

We live in zone 4 near Epping Forest. Love love love it and we wouldn't move anywhere else. 900 grand could buy you a massive house with huge garden.

Currently live in stoke newington (moved back from Suffolk) now moving back to Suffolk again I will never live in London again

Nothing woo about London

Buckhurst Hill? I have friends there and they spend a lot of time in and around Epping Forest. Some nice pubs. Not far from M25 and M11 and has central line tube.

We are in one the Herts towns mentioned. 25 mins in to st Pancras so we still manage to get to the theatre etc without too much fuss (actually go more often now than we did from when we lived in zone 2 but that's probably because our kids are older!)

Are you in Chingford Pirandello24? We wanted to move there but so expensive! Love Chingford!

Thanks all. Will get on rightmove and check out suggested places!

We’ve gradually moved further and further out until we’re deep in suburbia. I hate it. It’s so fucking boring and we have to drive EVERYWHERE. The kids are going to be bored stupid when they get to their teenage years.

Stay in London!

@EvilMorty Yes I've seen some changes in the 25 years I've been here too. Church Street is a bit of a mess but not many high streets thrive anymore do they? My children were 6/7 ish when the riots happened; I think the community pulled together pretty well after them but I agree it put Enfield on the map for the wrong reason. The community patrols around The Grammar school are a sad sign of the times and vast under funding of police. The council goings on still rumble on I agree. Generally though I've experienced very little negativity living here, my teens wander fairly freely and love being able to get up to the west end quickly. I feel they've had the best of both worlds growing up here. Growing up in the Peak District was in direct contrast. My parents had to run me around everywhere and there was teen boredom on a huge scale and drug taking/alcohol use from 13 wasn't unusual. Sorry to here about your cousin though; I don't think it was much better when it was The George was it? My local is The Crown and Horseshoes. It's fairly quiet!