If you love where you live (UK) please tell me why!

[Leafy2018]

We currently live in Hampshire. Been here for 6 years - married and have three children. My husband works in London. The commute is just not working for us (four hours a day) and he doesn't like working in London. We moved from The East Midlands where we enjoyed lots of walking and activities together as a family (there's not much to do round here that doesn't involve travelling for miles), our life just isn't the same as it used to be in terms of work/life balance. We're trying to figure out how to make some changes in order to regain more time as a family. This could be moving somewhere with faster trains into London or moving somewhere cheaper and therefore my husband could take a drop in salary (it's only him working but he is on a very good salary currently.)

My husband is in the tech sector so Reading, Oxford, London have been main focus but would consider anywhere. We've been to look at several different places but none have really grabbed us. Probably best place has been Witney. Nice high street with access into Oxford. We really miss having lots of places nearby to go out to - and by nearby I mean 15 minutes or less away (people here seem to think nearby means up to 40 minutes!) Places I can go and take our baby during the day - national trust, farms, play parks etc There need to be things nearby so we can be spontaneous.

I'd love to hear about where you live if you really like it! Anywhere - I just need inspiration so I can do a bit of research! Feel as though we might need to do something drastic as we are just not getting the family time we used to.

Thanks! X

Summer town in Oxford might suit you?
Or Henley if you prefer the quieter life?

I have friends who live in Westerham, Kent. They are planning to move to Sevenoaks for the easier rail connection. He works in a combination of London and Oxford and as they are close to M25 junctions it doesn’t take him too long to drive to Oxford.

I love my suburb of London, Petts Wood. DD is safe, can travel independently, I have easy connections into London of half an hour (zone 5). Green space, sports clubs, activities, close to London for theatres etc. But probably horrible for Reading or Oxford commutes.

Keynsham. It's a small market town between Bristol and Bath. It has direct trains to London (about an hour and 20 minutes) , Bristol (10 minutes) and Bath (10 minutes). 20 minutes to both cities by bus. There's also a direct bus to Bristol airport.

I live in a rural village in South Bucks. Walk straight from my door over Chiltern hills and through woodland. Cliveden (NT) nearby and Odds Farm. Can walk to station - 18mins fast train to central London. Or drive 30 mins to Oxford or Reading. Loads of family stuff to do locally and nice pubs, high end shops and restaurants in nearby towns (Marlow, Beaconsfield, Old Amersham). We drive into London in under 30 mins on Sundays with the children and park for free for all the museums / events etc. Great community as families stay for a long time.

I second pp who have said Sanderstead. I live nearby and it's a lovely area - quick to get to central London, lots of green around, and safe. I recommend anywhere in the triangle from Sanderstead down to Oxted (also lovely) and over to Epsom, or further west if your budget allows. Teddington, Surbiton, etc all nice.

Witney is great, like a pp I’d also consider Woodstock and Chipping Norton.
Loved living round that way, so many gorgeous walks, places, things to see and do. Just the countryside and villages are stunning.
Also close to London, Oxford, Bicester, Cotswolds, Wales.....
I always say - and have just said on another thread the only thing it misses for me is the sea!!

I live in S Lakes, so I've got everything Cumbria and N Lancs has to offer (plus a bit of Yorkshire Dales) on my doorstep. West Coast mainline nearby, M6 and some big A roads too. It really is beautiful. I'm from Liverpool originally and I'd also sing the praises of that area too, if you like it busier.

NI on the Antrim coast. 30secs walk from our door to the beach, in an AONB. 30-40 mins drive to Belfast for work. I don’t work in tech but was reading something that indicated NI tech sector is expanding rapidly and Belfast is now in one of the UK top 4 cities for tech? Low cost of living and cheap housing.