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Original poster

Ely?

31 replies

honeyandbutterontoast · 09/03/2022 10:48

Anybody live here or the surrounding area and can give me a heads up of what it’s like to actually live here rather than just visit?

Ideally wanted to move to Cambridge but don’t have Cambridge budget! And lots of the surrounding areas seem a bit too quiet.

Dd wants a coffee shop within walking distance 🙄, dogs want nice interesting places to walk, I want a 3 bed with decent size garden pref older rather than new build.

If not Ely can anyone give me some ideas of places that might suit. Not much on market at moment so I need to narrow down my search so we can grab what comes along!

Planning a day trip that way next week…

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Original poster
honeyandbutterontoast · 09/03/2022 10:49

Oh we need a train station too! With links to London. Another reason why a little village won’t work.

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KleineDracheKokosnuss · 09/03/2022 10:50

It’s a lovely place to live, thought the walks locally aren’t that interesting. Prices are rocketing there though. if too expensive, maybe try littleport?

KleineDracheKokosnuss · 09/03/2022 10:50

What is your budget?

KleineDracheKokosnuss · 09/03/2022 10:50

And do you have kids?

Original poster
honeyandbutterontoast · 09/03/2022 10:54

450 max really. And only one DD still at home.

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Original poster
honeyandbutterontoast · 09/03/2022 10:55

Hmmm thought that might be the case about walks. Maybe I can get my country dogs used to town walks Grin

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KleineDracheKokosnuss · 09/03/2022 10:59

Littleport has more open space. It’s still very very flat though.

For 450 you could do quite well in Ely. You need to look for somewhere with parking if in Ely. If your one still at home needs to go to school - look very carefully at options.

Ely itself has multiple markets, fairs in the summer, events at the cathedral and the like. It’s also a short train ride to cambridge. I loved it there.

Original poster
honeyandbutterontoast · 09/03/2022 11:02

I will have a drive round Littleport too, thank you.

Yes it is so flat round there which I will have to get used to!!

DD home ed so school not an issue thankfully.

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Clovacloud · 10/03/2022 11:27

Ely is lovely, 450k will get you something nice. Burwell which is between Ely and Cambridge (but no station) is a great village, lots of facilities and a fab coffee shop.

BlueyandBingo · 10/03/2022 18:38

I love Ely. It has everything you need and well connected with trains to Peterborough, Kings Lynn, London and Norwich.

LethargeMarg · 10/03/2022 18:50

I love Ely to visit but noticed last summer the town shops are quite limited . Teenage kids were a bit disappointed by the lack of the big chains - no new look, h and m
etc-there were lots of charity shops but not many new clothes shops. And google maps showed it was quite a way to any other towns with 'big ' shops.

Original poster
honeyandbutterontoast · 10/03/2022 19:03

Ah the lack of those shops and lots of charity shops will be a big plus for my DD!

Just need there to hurry up and be some houses on the market…!

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Savvysix1984 · 10/03/2022 19:03

Ely is nice but id rather live in Cambridge in a less nice part than Ely. You can get a 3 bed in Cambridge for that price. Just outside Cambridge there's 3 beds for sale in waterbeach.

Lookingforatimeslip · 10/03/2022 19:51

What about Peterborough? Good trains to London.

Have you looked at Sawston/Saffron Walden/Great chesterford?

MinnieMountain · 10/03/2022 19:54

Visit on a cold winter day when the rain/mist is lying over it to be sure.

It’s pretty otherwise and seems friendly.

Original poster
honeyandbutterontoast · 10/03/2022 19:55

Will have a look at those places too. Thanks :)

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Original poster
honeyandbutterontoast · 10/03/2022 19:56

Sadly I can’t wait till the Winter to look, has to be now!

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Neighneigh · 10/03/2022 20:02

There is an amazing bookshop in Ely, which is the sign of a decent town if you ask me

Original poster
honeyandbutterontoast · 10/03/2022 22:33

Mmmm Topping & Co. Plan to visit there next week. I love the one in St Andrews. I’m hoping the Ely one does book events too.

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Clovacloud · 11/03/2022 08:26

@honeyandbutterontoast Tooing does indeed do lots of book events. Did you know about the markets? We have three a week Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Also a big cinema/restaurant complex out on the A10.

Clovacloud · 11/03/2022 08:27

Forgot to say also an amazing walk in Minor Injuries unit at the hospital. Open 8.30 a 6pm every day.

Gladioli23 · 11/03/2022 08:31

I really like Ely - it's a market town so I don't think I would ever have expected chain shops.

The market on Saturday is particularly lovely and it depends what is meant by "interesting" walks - I love walking along the river from there and I just find it so beautiful how it changes with the time of year and the light bouncing off the water.

It definitely has good coffee shops (Tom's Cakes always good) and the charity shops have quite good pickings I think.

Original poster
honeyandbutterontoast · 11/03/2022 08:43

Book events and markets, be still my heart :)

A river walk would definitely be classed as interesting. At the moment here it’s just plodding round muddy fields!

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SixteenTwelve · 11/03/2022 09:49

Nice place. Likely to be underwater by 2050.

SixteenTwelve · 11/03/2022 09:51

@Lookingforatimeslip

What about Peterborough? Good trains to London.

Have you looked at Sawston/Saffron Walden/Great chesterford?

Saffron Walden is even more expensive that Ely and Peterborough is largely grim except for the main bit in the centre - a poor substitute for Ely!