Another thread asking where to move from London

[spinningcompass]

Apologies for starting yet another thread asking for advice on where to move (I have read many of them!), but it seems people are happy to contribute and the advice is always helpful.

DH and I (early 40s, no kids) currently live in an unfashionable part of East London. For some time we’ve been thinking about moving out of London to get more space (house and green) and enjoy a less gritty and more relaxed pace of life.

Beyond knowing we definitely want to move out of London, we feel a bit overwhelmed - we have no idea where to start looking! Neither of us are Londoners by birth, but our families are quite spread out so there is no obvious location there. DH works from home, but I will need to commute into London (Canary Wharf) once or twice a week, so walking distance (or a short drive) to a train station is important.

Our wishlist is below - we realise we’ll have to compromise.

• Market town / large village with a few shops and a nice pub
• Within 1.5 hours travel time of London (ideally walkable to a station)
• Within a short walk (ideally) or cycle/drive of nice countryside
• Liberal and/or accepting of newcomers.
• Budget of £550k for a 3 bed house (ideally period/character)

DH is of South Asian heritage and I’m concerned about uprooting us from what is a hugely multicultural area and landing somewhere beautiful but with attitudes from the 1970s.

So far we’ve been wondering about North Essex or the South Downs, but I suspect we can’t afford much in the latter, and a commute into Victoria and on to Canary Wharf wouldn’t be my first choice.

We’d welcome any recommendations of places to investigate.

Lewes
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/74635347#/?channel=RES_BUY
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/114262280#/?channel=RES_BUY

Hove
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/118746275#/?channel=RES_BUY
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/118595612#/?channel=RES_BUY

OP which station/ stations or terminals do you want to commute into? You mention Canary Wharf so I'm guessing London Waterloo is one that might work?

Which side of London makes such a huge difference; it's no good us suggesting towns which are 90 minutes into x terminus if you've then got an hour's tube ride to the other side of town.

100% Folkestone fits the bill. Absolutely love it here - moved down a few years ago. Ticks all of those and probably a few more 😁. It is a really wonderful, vibrant, inclusive place to live. Tonnes of gorgeous period properties. Loads of fantastic independent shops, cafes, restaurants and pubs/bars to choose from. HS1 into Stratford means you could reach CW relatively easily and it’s a lovely commute (if a little pricey). North Downs and seaside cycle routes at every turn and really welcoming to all comers. We actually have a sizeable, extremely well respected ghurka community here and many different types of family here, so imo it’s really progressive and friendly. I am early 40s too and have found it really easy to make friends. Highly recommend the lifestyle 😁😁

There are some nice villages around Reading but I can’t speak for how welcoming they are. Reading itself is multicultural and accepting but not so much the picturesque village setting. There’s a lot of nice countryside around here and good rail links

Stroud direct trains are 1.5hours to London. I love living here you can be in the centre of town but can see countryside all around. It's very artsy and liberal. I would suggest houses in 'Old Stroud' , Rodborough, Slad, Bisley Road. It got voted best place to live last year.

Oh and maybe join Life after London FB group if you are on FB. Loads of great pointers and advice on there 😁. Good luck!

@Daisydoesnt Sorry, I should have been more specific. Yes, I’d prefer not to have to schlep across London so Liverpool St (/Stratford) or Waterloo would be preferable. That said, I won’t be working in CW or even London forever (I have a flexible career location-wise - I’m not in financial services or we’d have a bigger budget 😂). But I know I shouldn’t underestimate how much a long commute will take out of me even if it’s just once or twice a week.

She works in Canary Wharf so that wouldn’t be a 1.5 hour commute

Agree. I used to have to get from Paddington to Canary Wharf. You can change at Baker St onto the Jubilee line and, on a good day, be there in 25 minutes, but it can take up to an hour if there is fannying around - queues at the turnstiles in Paddington etc.

If you can live anywhere and you work in CW, any of the other main stations would be more convenient than Paddington.

East Grinstead. 1 hour to Victoria or London Bridge, cycling/short driving distance to Ashdown Forest. Independent shops and pubs, gym, leisure centre and 8 miles from Gatwick/M23 (north of the town a bit worse than south for plane noise).

@Twasacceptableinthe80s

Oh and maybe join Life after London FB group if you are on FB. Loads of great pointers and advice on there 😁. Good luck!

Brilliant, thank you! Wasn’t aware of this group so will check it out.

Thanks for all the suggestions - we’ll go through them. Interesting that both Stroud and Folkestone have come up. We both love Stroud (it’s not far from where I grew up) but as others have said it’s going to be a long and expensive journey to work. And my DH’s parents are not a million miles from Folkestone, so it would be a long way to them (which is equally the reason it probably wouldn’t work for us - 4 hours to my own elderly parents). Lots to think about but I really appreciate the suggestions and advice. Please keep them coming!

Warwick! 1hr 20 to London on the train, close to amazing countryside and culture.

We've just moved from East London to Reading, so far so good!

Deal or Broadstairs in Kent

High Wycombe? We moved from Leyton years ago and it has worked out. Not 'naice' but multi-cultural, Chilterns, price is about right etc. We live can walk to town or walk into the hills where we are.

Sawbridgeworth or saffron Walden?

I’m in a High Wycombe village and I would hate to have to commute to Canary Wharf. Also quite an expensive commute - parking, tube and rail fare is c. £50/day.

Bishops Stortford and Saffron Walden might fit the bill? The countryside is very flat but they’re a very straight forward commute & lots of ex Londoners.

My first thought was Tonbridge or Tunbridge Wells.

I guess it could be too far - we are in the town so and google maps said hour and a half so figured it was an option

Lewes is lovely
What about Ipswitch (straight into Liverpool st)
Wildcard Hastings or SLOS lots of bang for your buck quote up and coming.

We also moved from unfashionable east London out to the Essex villages around Chelmsford. Absolutely love it! 40 minutes to Liverpool St and under 10 minute drive to the station with lots of parking. We really have the best of both worlds.

Maybe Twyford? It will be easier reaching CW once the Elizabeth Line is up and running.

Winchester! 1 hour to waterloo, close to countryside and a small city so has a feel of a town.
This is in a village outside Winchester
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/118051502
This is in Winchester itself Pemerton Road, Winchester, Hampshire, SO22
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/118523768

Many of the SE trains go into London Bridge which is easier for Canary Wharf. Maybe look between Horsham/Farnham and towards the Sussex/Hampshire coast along the trainline or Kent beyond Sevenoaks.

I was also going to say there are some nice villages etc. in the area between Twyford and Taplow plus towns like Marlow not far away which would be great for Canary Wharf with crossrail.