Nice market towns within commuting distance of Cambridge?

[Equiphant]

DH has to work in Cambridge once or twice a week, and i want to be able to visit my family in Cornwall without adding an unnecessary additional hour to the journey, so would prefer not to go to the north or east of Cambridge.

i personally would be happy with very rural, but have to bear in mind kids probably wouldn’t thank me as they move toward teenage years. A market town where they could walk to places would be a good mix.

Are there any market towns anyone would personally recommend, particularly with good secondary schools, within one hour or so’s commute to the west/ south of Cambridge?

If yes, what do you like about your town particularly?

Saffron Walden all the way! Great schools, lovely market town, commutable to London and Cambridge, countryside on doorstep, great facilities for a small place. However, you pay a hefty premium for its desirability! Other options in the area… Great Chesterford, Thaxted, Linton, Bishop’s Stortford, Stansted Mountfitchet, Newport.

It's a shame you don't want North as St Ives is lovely and now really easy commute to Cambridge.

Where are you going to look OP? I also love the area you’re looking at. What’s your budget?

You’ll get more for your £ in Biggleswade & St Neots than further South of course… though we live nearby and the trip to Cornwall is really hefty…

Forgot to mention Great Dunmow as another option.

We live in Cornwall and have close family just north of Cambridge whom we visit several times a year.

We all use the A14/M6/M42 route and avoid M11/M25. There is not much difference in terms of distance/journey time if no traffic but the ‘top’ route tends to stay clearer especially now the A14 has been rerouted and the A14/M6 interchange has been upgraded.

The biggest ‘problem’ we find is that there is a great chunk of country in the middle with no clear main route so it’s either over the top, round the bottom or a scenic but slower cross country route. Either way it’s a long long way though!!

Just throwing it in as you may not have to write off north Cambridge entirely.

I feel the same about Hitchin. The town centre is also incredibly busy on weekends- it feels cramped and I can't wait to get out when I'm there.
@warofthemonstertrucks, where did you move to after living in Hitchin?

Was also going to recommend this! St ives is exactly what is described in the OP (market town, within walking distance to everything you could want, beautiful place), but is North-West of Cambridge..

Ely is slightly north of Cambridge and technically a city due to the cathedral but is lovely. Very friendly, good schools. Cambridge is 16 minutes on the train and Kings Cross 1hr 10 mins.

I’m afraid I can’t recommend Biggleswade or St Neots, ok for the odd stop off but wouldn’t want to live in either (lived in a village between the two) St Ives is nicer but the wrong direction. Saffron Waldron is much nicer and close to Cambridge.
Its a long way from Cambridge to Cornwall and not that direct to get there as no motorways going across east to west around there, you either have to go higher up north or down south. I used to hate having to either go on A roads across or down to the M25 if I wanted motorways, I think you have to go through 6 counties. Hope you don’t have to do it that often.

Bedford?

Stamford? About a 1hr drive and direct train too.

Although slightly north I would recommend Oundle or Stamford or villages around- have lived in both and done frequent commute’s back to family in Cornwall.

Ah sorry, ignore! Missed the not wanting north part!

@permanentgiraffe- to a little village near Chelmsford

Baldock’s nice: several quality independent restaurants and the secondary school has a good rep.

Ely, Sandy, Biggleswade St Neots

Or there’s a smart, arty village called Ashwell between Baldock & Royston which has a good train service and a thriving active community.