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

[whereonearth]

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?

wotton under edge

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/139096592#/?channel=RES_BUY

I loved the towns of Malmesbury and Crewkerne (the old town centres were sweet) though I don't know the travel or school options. The area near Shipton Moyne and the Westernbirt National Arboretum is lush.

If you have family abroad, Keynsham has an airport bus which goes from Bath to the airport via Keynsham/Saltford every hour throughout the night. (Also good for returning from Bath in the evening if you want to go out). Keynsham has a train station with trains to Temple Meads and Bath/London - and good schools (Wellsway is the best secondary). It’s on the same trainline as Oldfield Park in Bath, and near Oldfield Park are Newbridge or Weston which are very nice villagey parts of Bath.

It’s hard to know how much driving your DH will do from your posts but traffic can be absolutely terrible all around the SW at rush hour times, so if he’s going to Clifton a lot I’d be considering that. I would not live in Keynsham or nearby if I were driving to Clifton (although there is a park and ride in Bridlington and he could connect to a bus up to Clifton from the centre) but he could get a train to Temple Meads and there is a bus outside the station (I think the 5?).

Towns and villages (like Clevedon or Backwell) the Clifton side of Bristol are obviously better for driving to Clifton but worse for public transport. Parking in Clifton isn’t that easy and the traffic can again be awful at rush hour especially if there is a crash on the M5. There is a P&R at Long Ashton and you can also cycle to Clifton but not sure about state school possibilities there. Easton in Gordano/Backwell had good reputations years ago, not sure about now.

Cirencester

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/124818281#/?channel=RES_BUY

Brislington not Bridlington 🙂

Tetbury https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/132325781#/?channel=RES_BUY

Malmesbury has an outstanding secondary school

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/140281247#/?channel=RES_BUY

Lots of people from Bristol move out to Wooten under edge, Stroud, Nailsworth, tetbury, malmesbury, cirencester. All stunning areas which offer good family living

Having read your updates I’d opt for Cirencester. Absolutely stunning old town with newer extremities, beautiful countryside, leisure centre, train, big supermarkets, activities for teens, Cotswolds,

@ThreeLeggedParrot I would agree too - those are all lovely but more of a fag on train-

@BristolBlueGlasses thank you! Always good to have a healthy dose of perspective to these online 'worst town' things. I'm sure many people would class the suburb where we live as horrible but everything has its upsides and downsides.

@LoreleiG Wellsway school, that is good to know... A big reason for moving too is that our local secondary isn't great at all and although I have primary age children obviously that time will come.

Towns and villages (like Clevedon or Backwell) the Clifton side of Bristol are obviously better for driving to Clifton but worse for public transport.

There's a train station at Backwell with direct links into Bristol TM and then on to Clifton.

It would be interesting to know where in Clifton your husband will be working and if he has to commute every day. If his work is near the Park Street/Whiteladies Road then there are many buses along those roads from all over the city. If he's in Clifton Village then the bus route to there is the No8 and that does a big loop up from Temple Meads.

Speaking as a Bristolian who has lived and worked in Clifton for over a decade I would say your very best bets for a Clifton commute are are Abbots Leigh, Leigh Woods and the lovely suburbs of West Bristol which skirt the Downs. I live in Leigh Woods and can walk to Clifton Village across the Suspension Bridge. Now that's a corker of a commute.