Living near Reading / Caversham. Advice needed.

[FortVictoria]

Wise Mumsnetters - advice needed. We are relocating to the UK. I am British, but it’s 20 years since I lived in the UK, so I am totally out of touch. DH will be working in Kensington Olympia. DD will be at school in Caversham. As DD (15) hasn’t grown up in the UK, she’s not particularly streetwise, so we are looking at living in a smaller village, rather than big old Reading. I’ve read the previous posts on Mumsnet, and the following places appear to be good choices:
Tilehurst
Caversham Heights (too posh?)
Lower Caversham
Caversham Park Village
Earley
Shiplake
Sonning Common
Twyford

Does anyone have experience on any of them, and could you comment? I would also appreciate opinions on travel options for DH. Reading seems to have regular trains to Paddington, which also stop at Ealing Broadway, but neither of these appear to have an easy transfer option to Kensington Olympia? So DH is thinking that driving will be simpler / quicker? However, that seems to cut out living in any part of Caversham, as it seems the traffic out of Caversham in the morning is tricky. Does anyone have any experience of driving to London from any of the other surrounding villages? Initially we would look to rent, not buy. Budget up to GBP 1500.00 per month.

Grateful for any comments / thoughts / ideas.

I live in central Reading. The commute into London is not bad if you can walk to the station, which you would not be able to do from Shiplake. With that in mind, Twyford, Caversham or Tilehurst would be better.

There's a Facebook group called "Caversham gossip girls" which is very helpful

Your budget is not high for this area but it's ok. Have you started looking yet? Tilehurst is cheaper that Caversham Heights. Properties in the latter tend to be large and therefore expensive.

As your daughter is at school in Caversham, I would stick to that area.

By the way, Reading is not really that scary. She won't be walking around town at 3am so she'll be fine!

The rental market is tough for tenants at the moment (I live here and rent and need to move!!). Is it just you, DH, DD? What school will she be at and how will she travel there?

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/111708542#/?channel=RES_LET
Emmer Green is probably a good bet - 25 min walk to station or hop on bus. Near Highdown secondary and Queen Anne’s within short walking distance. And you are 10 minutes from countryside.

Caversham is nice, only a 15 minute walk to the station and central Reading, but it has its own little centre with shops and restaurants. Caversham Heights is slightly further out and more expensive.

Shiplake has a station that stops at Twyford, then frequent direct trains into central London. Lots of commuters in Shiplake which is a lovely village on the Thames, but very expensive so I don't think your rental budget would work.

Caversham itself is lovely, and it is situated on the Thames. I would definitely try there, and you might even be able to walk to the station.

Caversham traffic is ok in the morning, esp before 7:30am, but the drive to London will take ages compared to 22 minutes on a fast train to Paddington.

We have recently moved to Caversham and love it. Caversham Heights is really lovely (not too posh), tree lined streets, green spaces.
We were warned of the traffic before we moved on mumsnet but it's really not bad. We have never got stuck in traffic and it's always been a quick easy drive to Reading, so maybe we luckily avoided the rush hour. But if your work timing is even a bit flexible you could avoid the rush hours too.

There’s very little to rent at the moment and what there is, is very expensive. You may not have the choice you hope for and may have to base your location on what’s available and affordable. We’re not far from there and looking at £2000 for a pokey three bed house in a not brilliant road. £1500 might be very tight for anything in the posher areas you mention.

Driving doesn't seem like an easier idea to me.
The train from Reading to Paddington is very quick and runs frequently (I wouldn't get a stopping train to Ealing)

Can your DH get the train to Paddington, then tube with no changes to Hammersmith or Notting Hill Gate and just walk the last bit?

Caversham is lovely but the traffic outside of enforced WFH can be a nightmare as commuters from surrounding villages, small towns etc funnel through Caversham to get over one of the bridges. I used to leave before 7.30 to avoid the traffic. Lots of people still working from home so traffic reduced at the moment.

Would not attempt to drive to London, much easier to get one of the fast and frequent trains into Paddington (factor in £50+ per day for ticket).

I love living in Caversham and happy to answer any questions is you want to PM me.

@MimosaFields

I live in central Reading. The commute into London is not bad if you can walk to the station, which you would not be able to do from Shiplake. With that in mind, Twyford, Caversham or Tilehurst would be better.

There's a Facebook group called "Caversham gossip girls" which is very helpful

But you do have Shiplake station which is on the Henley line to Twyford, change to Paddington. Shiplake is a lovely village, great butchers and corner shop, but it is a bit spread out and less properties in your budget. There's a bus into Caversham so getting to school shouldn't be too difficult.

Thanks everyone for your advice - it’s much appreciated. Apologies for the delay in responding - we were in the midst of a trans continental move. I will try and answer all questions now :)
@MimosaFields - thanks for the top tip on Caversham Gossip Girls
@ProfessorInkling - DD is at Queen Anne’s School. Yes, you are right about the budget - we have increased it to GBP 1900 as we can see there isn’t anything suitable in our previous budget. Yes, it’s just me, DH and DD. Hopefully we will be able to get DD on the school bus.
@Bolandsbiccies - thank you; we are looking at Emer Green!
@tiredteacher100 and @thisgardenlife - thank you both for the useful Caversham insights.
@keepmoving - thanks. DH is trying the train today, so will see how that goes. Thank you so much for the offer to pm you - I will do that.
@Ariela - we’ve increased our budget, so will look at Shiplake again. Thank you.

A huge thank you to all of you for your help and advice - it’s much appreciated

@MimosaFields

I live in central Reading. The commute into London is not bad if you can walk to the station, which you would not be able to do from Shiplake. With that in mind, Twyford, Caversham or Tilehurst would be better.

There's a Facebook group called "Caversham gossip girls" which is very helpful

Is Lower Caversham ok or a bit rough? I'm worried about street parking on Amersham Road?

@keepmoving

Caversham is lovely but the traffic outside of enforced WFH can be a nightmare as commuters from surrounding villages, small towns etc funnel through Caversham to get over one of the bridges. I used to leave before 7.30 to avoid the traffic. Lots of people still working from home so traffic reduced at the moment.

Would not attempt to drive to London, much easier to get one of the fast and frequent trains into Paddington (factor in £50+ per day for ticket).

I love living in Caversham and happy to answer any questions is you want to PM me.

Hello. Could u tell me what Caversham Road is like, between Charles Evans Way and Meadow Way? Is there much crime or burglary? I'm nervous about parking my new car on the street if u move there

Caversham traffic hellish.
The whole crossing the bridges situation in that area is grim.
Will your DD be a day girl or board?
Are you set on QAS as a school?

I also live in central Reading and agree you don't need to be streetwise - I'm not
Driving to London from Reading daily would be a nightmare for your DH that I really would not recommend, particularly if it means trying to cross the bridge in the morning, and I can't imagine parking would be convenient either. The train service is great - get the train to Paddington and then the tube to another nearby station depending on direction. For example it would be a 20ish min walk from High Street Ken to Olympia which would be a lot easier and quicker than trying to drive as the non-stopping train to Paddington is 25 minutes. Tube stations in central zones are closer together than the tube map suggests.
Earley is nice but quite far from the station (it has its own station which goes to Waterloo and takes about an hour and a half), so the Caversham area would probably be more convenient.