Surrey Hills or South Oxfordshire?

[thebadgersflange]

Hi all,
We were just wondering what your views were about living in South Oxfordshire or the Surrey Hills?
Both look to be about an hr from work.
The main things we are after are good hiking, outdoor activities and a good sized garden/land. For let's say around £1mil.
Can we achieve all of this in both areas? Is one better than the other?
I'm guessing Oxfordshire would be a bit cheaper, but is there enough to do compared with the good ol Surrey hills?
Any info or tips would be most welcome!
Thanks!

That looks perfect!! Thank you!

Places the poster above has mentioned are good. Shere gets busy with tourists (including me😂) but worth it for the amazing ice cream shop.
Dorking has Waitrose, Sainsbury's and Lidl as well as antique places, various chains and independent shops- for more extensive shopping I go to Guildford.
Westhumble has a train station.
Ideally visit for the day and drive around.
I live up on the downs: rural with views over fields. Downside is you have to drive to everything. Somewhere like Dorking would have more amenities.

Thanks for that!
Yeah we have driven and walked around a few places and really like it!
Whereabouts would the Downs be in the Surrey Hills? Rural location and looking out over fields sounds right up our street!

This is making me feel all wistful and nostalgic 🙂 I lived in Abinger Common for ten years. My children spent their early lives there. Have very, very happy memories of it. Beautiful walks from the doorstep, in every direction. It was idyllic.
We moved (me reluctantly) because life changed but it will always have an enormous chunk of my heart.
All the very best to you in your decision making.

Just beat in mind, in terms of schooling, Surrey Hills is quite a hot house area. I think it would be more relaxed in South Oxfordshire. There is still a very "London" vibe to SH. I think anyway.

We are not far from those!! Might be worth considering your daughter and how accessible older activities are for her, they are very quiet. If you’re happy to be a taxi then great. If not I would look in and around Dorking, either of the two Horsleys, chilworth, clandon east or west.

Thanks so much for all these suggestions! It's very much appreciated!!

@thebadgersflange I’m not quite sure why you don’t look a bit further along the Chilterns. There’s loads of great villages along the Ridgeway. Numerous villages around Princes Risborough are lovely with hiking in the Chilterns. Getting a big garden or land is an issue in somewhere very attractive. £1m would not get you that in my village.

Friends lived in Chinnor and that’s a bit cheaper. Chinnor Hill isn’t. That’s South Oxfordshire as I know it. Lots of great villages around Chinnor too. Once you get towards Wantage you have lots of choice too. The Berkshire downs are in reach. Places like Letcombe Regis are great. I also like Wallingford. The Thames is quieter there. I’d go and have a look.

I’ve driven through the Surrey Hills. Lovely too but maybe not quite as rural.

How much land are you looking for? These are all in South Oxfordshire https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/147928196#/?channel=RES_BUY has 0.4 acre
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/149493974#/?channel=RES_BUY
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/151184381#/?channel=RES_BUY

Thanks for that!
Would you say Princess Ris. Is the best base for hiking the Chiltern Hills?

I lived in the Surrey Hills for years so I'm biased. Bramley towards Godalming direction and it was lovely. Commutable and with Guildford's theatre, cinema, restaurants and bars on the door step.

We're now in the South Downs National Park so even more hilly.

That second one is a great option! Thanks so much for this!

We love the South Downs too, in fact we just came back from a little holiday down there yesterday!
Sadly a bit too far to get to work... otherwise we'd be straight in!

Goring is really lovely. If I had that much money burning a hole in my pocket I wouldn't hesitate.

@thebadgersflange It is very lovely. We've both been able to work from home since pre Covid so we took the plunge.

Now that's the dream!

Listed with a thatched roof? Looks lovely but it's not that big.

The area around Thame is definitely worth looking at!

@thebadgersflange Princes Risborough isn’t in the hills but just a short distance away is Whiteleaf Cross, Wendover Woods, Bledlow and lots of walks in the Chilterns. You could probably afford a nice village house but land isn’t easy. The price with land will be high due to rarity.