Cambridgeshire - where to move to?

[keziahthecat]

Asking on behalf of my sil who has recently got a job in Cambridgeshire. She will be travelling across the county so can live anywhere within it. She likes countryside but also to be fairly close to places with some kind of cultural life with the opportunity to go to concerts, visit museums etc. She also has a son who will be starting school in a couple of years so wants to be close to good schools. Max budget is 340k. Any ideas??

What size house is she after?

I live in Cambourne and absolutely love it. She could get a decent three bed with rhat budget.

3 bed I think. Thanks, I'll look up Cambourne for her.

Wilbraham always looks nice when I drive through

South East Cambridgeshire is lovely, although perhaps a little pricey

Castor? Primary school was top of Tatler state primary lists a few years ago.

Convenient for A1

Lots of Cambs , especially east Cambs and fenland has poor single lane roads. Can take ages to get anywhere. Does she know where she's mostly likely to be driving to? With that budget she could get a 2 bed in Cambridge city, in the least desirable area, though not bad by any standard imo. Ely, st.ives, Huntingdon, st.neots all cheaper and all well served.

Waterbeach is popular. Friends are happy in Over.

Castor/Ailsworth (basically the same village) is pretty and has a good sense of community.

Meldreth and Melbourn. Technically Hertfordshire but a lovely pair of villages with good schools and well connected. You can walk from one to the other, too. Close enough to Cambridge for an afternoon visit to see museums etc - there's also a train station so she could do day trips to London potentially.

Ely is lovely and not far from Cambridge, St Ives is okay. I grew up in Huntingdon as a child and teen and it wasn't great. Villages like Houghton or Earith or Grantchester are nice.

But yes, lots of smaller A and B roads to those places which can be dangerous (I have friends who died on those roads) and then the A14 which can be slooooooow.

It really depends if she wants a small, picturesque village, or to be in walking distance of what Cambridge has to offer. I lived in the Arbury area for a couple of years and it was great being able to cycle in everyday.

Within walking distance of museums means bring in the city centre; with a max budget of 340k that's not going to work as prices in the centre are not far off London prices.
You want to be be looking at the surrounding villages. South Cambridge is closer to London- you can hit the M11 or hop on a train and you're there in an hour. Workwise where would they be/what access do they need. Plenty of good primaries around. I'd visit all the villages and get a feel. Some are huge and have lots of amenities others are smaller with a corner shop.

If using primary schools as a base this might help narrow down areas to look at
www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/local-news/best-worst-primary-schools-state-17157483

Second Meldreth/Fowlmere/Foxton. They are actually in Cambridgeshire County, just have a Herts post code. Services etc all South Cambs district council.

This is a nice house in one of the most regarded villages. Outstanding primary and secondary and still a bike ride into Cambridge. Minutes from A14
For travel around the county.

Villa Place, Impington, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB24
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-82523494.html

Thanks so much guys. Will pass on all these recommendations.
That house is lovely, will show her but I think she's keen for a 3 bed ideally.