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I want to move south and live near woods, where can I afford?

279 replies

Neednewwellies · 22/01/2020 14:07

We live in the North. It’s cold and damp and I’ve come to hate it when I used to love it. We have 3 children, one in senior school (y10) and two in junior school (Y3&Y1). Our eldest is very academic but also easy going so would happily move somewhere else for Alevels. So my biggest issue would be looking for catchment for an excellent senior school for all 3. We are very urban here with not much greenery and for health reasons I want to take a step back from work and get a dog. I’d really love to be walking distance to woodland or if not then maybe some coast but not a commercially built up seaside town. Ideally I’d like to be in Hampshire or Sussex but open to ideas. We need 4 bedrooms and DH would need to get to London 2days a week. I don’t want to be somewhere too build up so just what we have here but further south if that makes sense. I crave more space around me but I also know with a teenager, we can’t be in the middle of nowhere. Our absolute max budget would be 700k but ideally no more than 675k. Is any of this doable? Is my head in the clouds? Where we live is expensive and that gets us a good size 4 bed but I know it’s far more expensive in the SE. Any help appreciated and we’d be looking to move when my daughter finishes GCSEs so next summer.

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PETRONELLAS · 24/01/2020 09:07

Brentwood in Essex has some good schools and South Weald/Thorndon are lovely wooded areas. Quick to London and good road links.

nonwonderwoman · 24/01/2020 09:16

I came on to say the Ashdown Forest, so East Grinstead, Forest Row and surrounding areas. Beautiful part of the world and you can get a decent 4 bed on your budget, plus the 2 days of commuting to London is doable with quite a fast train into Victoria.

PriscillaTheHun · 24/01/2020 09:21

Valley Park, Chandlers Ford. Catchment for Thornden - OFsted outstanding school. A range of houses from 2 beds to 5 beds so you should find something in your price range. We're surrounded by woods. Wherever you buy, you'll be just a few minutes from woods.

This is a few minutes from my house.

I want to move south and live near woods, where can I afford?
SnookerQueue · 24/01/2020 09:29

I'm in Hampshire. New forest would fit the bill, villages west of Totton, around Lyndhurst. Have a look at Ashurst which also has a station on the main London line. Hounsdown school (secondary) is outstanding. All the primary schools are good or better too.

SnookerQueue · 24/01/2020 09:34

Someone mentioned fantastic Peter Symonds sixth form in Winchester, children from all over the south go there and very easy to get to by train or the college buses.

LoopyLu2019 · 24/01/2020 09:35

Ashridge forest area (dunstable) with tring station to commute into London. Or further out (and a lot more house for the money) look at Malvern (trains to paddington), or Forest of Dean (Also trains to Paddinton from Gloucester and Newport) I'm desperate to move back out this way as I grew up in Herefordshire, and miss having hills, forrest and river in walking distance

Spickle · 24/01/2020 10:00

Neednewwellies We spotted this one a while ago and loved it! It is unfortunately now SSTC but I think it would meet your requirements beautifully. Please take a look:
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-73596523.html

nagnagnag · 25/01/2020 10:53

This area is very woody - lots of wooded common ground. It is also near Oxted which has a direct line to London and cinema/ small high street/ Leisure Centre etc for your teenager.
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-84264512.html

nagnagnag · 25/01/2020 10:55

@Spickle
That house is absolutely incredible!

Branleuse · 25/01/2020 10:56

Havent most places got woodland?
Im in north essex and have about 3 different woods within a short drive and a smaller one about 5 minutes walk?

Branleuse · 25/01/2020 10:58

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-75631604.html

This is a few minutes walk from donyland woods

11MrsLuther · 25/01/2020 10:59

Farnborough 6th form is excellent very academic. Fleet, Hook Odiham - around that area, maybe?

11MrsLuther · 25/01/2020 11:00

Also excellent secondaries- Calthorpe park, Court moor and Robert May's.

Neednewwellies · 25/01/2020 16:52

Wow @Spickle, beautiful but sadly 150k above our budget. And sstc Grin

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fjreflycaramel · 25/01/2020 16:57

So my biggest issue would be looking for catchment for an excellent senior school for all 3

Peter Symonds in Winchester is said to be very good for A levels.

Neednewwellies · 25/01/2020 16:57

@Branleuse, most urban areas do not have woodland within a short walking distance. I can find lots of places with woodland 15min drive away. Where I am now is very built up but still only 10min drive to the woods at Alderley Edge but I want to be able to walk to them and I haven’t sadly got a cool 2million to live in the houses next door to there. Plus AE is most definitely not the vibe I’m after going forward. Wilmslow is frantic enough.

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butmumineedit · 25/01/2020 17:06

I know you said down south , but how about Lincolnshire , this house has its own entrance to the woods

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-84986087.html

The town itself has one of the top grammar schools in the uk and is nice and easy commute to London kings cross, Stamford is just 15 mins away.

vdbfamily · 25/01/2020 17:08

We are in East Sussex. You would get plenty for that money. Good primary and secondary schools in Chailey which has Plumpton and Cooksbridge station nearby and trains to Victoria. Lewes nearby and has schools and a station. Balcombe has a station and is rural. We have 5 bedrooms and paid way under your Max budget.

vdbfamily · 25/01/2020 17:11

should have said that Chailey has woodland walks all around and also Ashdown forest area. We have open grazing on Chailey common so you will round a bend to find longhorn cattle staring you out. No streetlights as part of a National Park( South downs)

longcoffee · 25/01/2020 17:22

Another vote for East Grinstead.

You've got Winnie the Pooh's 100 acre woods on the doorstep. If it's woods you want, you can't get better! (Pooh Corner cafe does Pooh Bear shaped toasties too, which are EXCELLENT)

T Wells and surrounding villages lovely too. But I am very biased :-)

Theworldisfullofgs · 25/01/2020 17:27

Personally if its weather related I'd look to live in the east. Maybe near cambridge. Weather generally is v dry.

My friend moved to cornwall and talks about how much rain there is in the winter.

leckford · 25/01/2020 17:37

Winchester is £££, Salisbury nice and cheaper, but you should get something reasonable for £700 in Hampshire, although not very warm currently