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Original poster

Where to live within an hour, hour and a half of Bristol (Clifton)

113 replies

whereonearth · 09/10/2023 10:44

We really, really need to move!

DH works in Bristol but doesn't need to be every day; flexibility on timing of travel so traffic not a major concern. I work from home.

We have two children (6 and 3) and maybe a third one on the way...

Really struggling to find even a 'town' to start from because we're not currently local to the South West. We have explored Frome as an option before but the housing stock isn't quite what we are looking for and schools difficult to navigate.

We need a bigger house because we both work from home; so probably 5 beds. Preferably detached. But I'd like not to be so rural that our school run is taking place on a single track dirt road.

Our budget could stretch to up to a million. Please kind experts of Mumsnet, where do you think we should live? What lovely towns in the South West am I missing?

OP posts:
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ChessieFL · 09/10/2023 13:33

Look at Taunton - just over half an hour to Temple Meads by train and about an hour driving up the M5. Taunton town centre is ok - can get what you need there but is a bit run down now. But there’s some lovely areas to live and lively villages nearby and with a £1m budget you could get something lovely. Taunton is also well placed for Exeter and London transport links and easy to get to lovely countryside and the coast.

EmmaPaella · 09/10/2023 13:41

I’d live in Long Ashton with that budget, if I worked in Clifton.

Crikeyalmighty · 09/10/2023 14:01

Here are my picks OP from bath side of Bristol- I don't know your taste of course. When you say Clifton - do you need to go in 'a lot' as someone else said Bath is wrong side. You really need to look at clevedon, Portishead, long Ashton, dundrycetc- or indeed areas like Henleaze and westbury on Trym
If it's because you like Clifton- that's why I like Bath

Dont forget that only Bath , Chippenham, keynsham and Bristol and Bradford on Avon , freshford and Frome are on the train this side if that matters.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/139092236#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/136181354#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/140247791#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/134014718#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/139443137#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/139371926#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/134810576#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/136164242#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/86337798#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/136431296#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/139785182#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/126083855#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/139854599#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/86167407#/?channel=RES_BUY

PurBal · 09/10/2023 14:04

Another vote for Wells.

Crikeyalmighty · 09/10/2023 14:15

I really like Wells too- lack of a train station puts me off slightly and I don't like anywhere else much round it. - but with kids it is handy for weston and the sea

TunnocksTCake · 09/10/2023 14:59

Chippenham/ Corsham. My Husband commutes to Bristol from Corsham by car every day within an hour. Chippenham closer to the motorway and has train station but Corsham prettier, small town feel, independent shops on high street.

Crikeyalmighty · 09/10/2023 15:36

@TunnocksTCake I like corsham a lot too - I didn't pick any in my list as I thought OP might think it 'a bit far' - we actually go from Bath to corsham to pick Chinese takeaways up as it has my favourite Chinese!!

Theeyeballsinthesky · 09/10/2023 15:48

North Somerset near yatton which has a good train service into bristol. Some lovely villages around there - yatton itself plus congresbury, Churchill, Wrington is a gorgeous little village as well

pingster · 09/10/2023 16:06

We live in Stroud and commute to Bristol - takes me around 45-50 mins if I aim to get in for around 915. You'd get a lovely house for your budget here. It's a grammar school area which makes it quite popular. This one looks really nice
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/139585028

Check out this 4 bedroom semi-detached house for sale on Rightmove

4 bedroom semi-detached house for sale in Paganhill, Stroud, GL5 for £785,000. Marketed by Hamptons, Stroud

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/139585028

Chesterdrawls · 09/10/2023 16:21

Bradford on Avon or Freshford.

gotomomo · 09/10/2023 16:28

Portishead is lovely, bus to Bristol stops the other side of suspension bridge and you can just walk across. Lots of families. Very kid friendly yesterday many were crabbing in the marina. Outdoor pool too.

Only downside is that majority of housing is newer so gardens are smaller. I live on the marina, amazing place to live. Can walk to everything including to primary school there's no roads to cross at all. Supposedly getting a station but date keeps slipping.

Wouldn't recommend nailsea, but run down, not as nice restaurants.

gotomomo · 09/10/2023 16:30

Oh and it's 45 mins by bike from Portishead to Clifton, might want an electric one to cope with hills!

Brakebackcyclebot · 09/10/2023 16:31

Another Portishead vote. There are some gorgeous houses up the hill from the marina with fabulous views over the sea/Bristol Channel. Nice restaurants, marina is great, good pubs, good primary schools and secondary school.

EmmaPaella · 09/10/2023 16:31

It really depends what sort of place you are wanting to live in OP. There are positives and negatives of most of these suggested places depending on what sort of life you want to lead, how much driving you are prepared to do, what your tolerance of traffic is like, what sort of school you have in mind etc.

cherrypeachparfait · 09/10/2023 16:32

Lots of nice villages about 30 minutes outside bristol heading down the A370 but the commute is a headache. I like Westbury on Trymm as big houses in bristol but airy and sort of suburban Edwardian feel… I think you need to pin down something more. The commute in and around bristol was one thing back in the day but it’s got a whole lot worse

Crikeyalmighty · 09/10/2023 16:57

There are a ton of nice villages and then bigger places like keynsham, wells, bath, Bradford on Avon, corsham, - you can get big houses in all these on your budget , as well as the Bristol leafy suburbs. Hence I mixed it up on my list below

I think you need to think about lifestyle and what matters to you all , are you wanting to be able to potter outside the home in the daytime , if so a village with little but housing might be a bit depressing , would you mind having to drive 5 to 8 miles for a decent supermarket shop? If so I would again have a serious think about many villages, do you want an A&E within easy reach? If so I would be thinking Bath, saltford and possibly keynsham as well as Henleaze, westbury on Trym etc - I think it comes down to what matters to you and some of the enormous and lovely village homes are pretty tempting I know in these areas and you get more for your money - but there are trade offs. You can easily end up doing an awful lot of driving about in many places.

Original poster
whereonearth · 09/10/2023 17:43

So many links and tips!!! Thank you all. @VineRipened I love that, we both favour new builds (when nice)!

@Crikeyalmighty I feel like it's a moving target when you have growing children, but generally we spend a lot of time at home, but like driving out for activities with the children. I love having a big supermarket and a retail park within a fifteen minutes drive... A&E I have never given thought to, have never had need for it but bears thinking about of course... I think we are thinking town rather than village, generally.

Time for some rightmoving...

OP posts:
IAmHeartless · 09/10/2023 17:46

welshweasel · 09/10/2023 11:48

Chepstow, Usk, Abergavenny, Monmouth.

I live in Abergavenny, it's a lovely town and just under an hour to Clifton.

A million would get you a massive detached house with plenty of land.

Friend lives around here. Would also add in Raglan. Lovely towns at the start of the wye valley. You’d get a nice set detached for that

Original poster
whereonearth · 09/10/2023 18:19

@EmmaPaella

We currently live in a very 'urban' suburb; we have a lot on our doorstep but have to admit that we use almost none of (hip new restaurants and all that) it aside from children's activities like softplays and the like. I have public transport to the city centre on my doorstep and use it almost never.

I don't mind doing driving, but doing a school run on a single track country road every single day is not an attractive prospect. We looked at some rural places in Hereford where it was literally a dirt track, and I don't fancy that.

I'd say my first priority would be - ideally walking, or very easy drive's distance to a good school (not a fee paying school). Some amenities like supermarket, retail park within 15-20 minutes drive. 30 or so minutes from nice activities for children. Having a train and good public transport probably sensible when thinking of kids becoming teenagers.

Like I said, I spend so much time at home and really just prefer having space.

Part of the trouble is the potential area is so large and we have no meaningful connections to any place, so it's very very difficult to narrow it down!

OP posts:
QueenCremant · 09/10/2023 18:35

Is he driving to Clifton? If so is there parking available at his work? If he needs to get public transport it seriously limits your options.
if driving, what care do you have? There’s a clean air zone in Bristol so check your car before you move anywhere.

Original poster
whereonearth · 09/10/2023 18:42

@Crikeyalmighty that Briscombe one has been on my list for ages, I absolutely love it although I worry it is going to be a beautiful cold period nightmare

OP posts:
YireosDodeAver · 09/10/2023 18:42

For good state schools and an easy commute into Bristol look around Nailsea.

If you would be looking for private tbh the area is quite similar there are a few nice private prep schools out in that direction but look at the coach stop maps for the coaches to the various private senior schools and try to find somewhere in reasonable walking distance to one of the stops to avoid a complicated commute requiring a drive to a coach pickup point.

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