Villages on the Cambridge outskirts. Which one?

[Chessy84]

Hi,

So we're really hoping to move this year, but given DP has just started a new job, it's probably more likely to be next, as I'm not sure we'd get a mortgage without longer proof of income.

Anyway, we currently live in cambs, but about 40 minutes out and would like to be a bit further towards cambridge itself, but not so close we can't actually afford anything!

As far as area is concerned, we'd like a characterful village with at least one pub/restaurant, a couple of shops, nice friendly vibe generally. Schools aren't important, as dc are soon to be going to uni.

House needs to be detached, at least 4 bed, with good sized garden. Budget probably between 700k and 800k.

I have my eye on Bourn and Cottenham currently.

Any recommendations would be massively appreciated! Feeling like we're going into this a bit blind.

TIA 😊

Buckden sounds like it fits what you're looking for, if it's not too far out. There are some 4 beds with decent gardens on the market at the moment within your budget/ under budget. There are several restaurants and pubs and the village centre is very nice.

Thanks for replying @xmasdealhunter . I know Buckden well actually and go quite regularly. The high street is lovely, but it's basically on the A1, which I'm not a big fan of. Would like to be a bit closer to Cambridge if possible.

Coton

A lot of the villages won’t hit your criteria.

grantchester has pubs but no shop.
comberton has shop and a pub which does some food but it’s expensive because it’s catchment for Comberton village college. Not a massive amount going on either.

possibly stapleford maybe?

coton has a very good pub, shop is at the garden centre which is quite expensive. Not sure about friendly vibe.

Burwell?

Not sure about budget. Fulbourn.

Fulbourne is really nice and fits all your criteria.

Waterbeach has several pubs and shops and is friendly. Could cycle into Cambridge.

I’d say Comberton is a good shout actually. A new Co-op, community pub, coffee shop about to open, GP and dentist in the village and really accessible to Cambridge. Nicest bit of the countryside around Cambs too. I’d love to live there.

Melbourn? Good value for money, mainly because the village college isn’t great. But you don’t need that and it’s an easy walk to Meldreth station.

Further in -- is Shelford affordable for you?
And possibly Histon?

Histon/ Impington are nice and I think doable within your budget

Fulbourne is nice, it has a pub (at least one?) a co-op, a takeaway and other shops.
Great Shelford also has a lovely deli...

With those criteria I’d definitely be looking at Bourn or Comberton, or Shelford but there may be a house size compromise there

Gt Shelford is great

Melbourn or Meldreth. Meldreth has a train station with direct trains to Cambridge/London

Horningsea...?

All the villages are lovely. It seems from research when buying our own houses over the years that house prices in Cottenham don’t rise at the same rate as other villages. Orwell is really nice, as is Oakington, Histon&Impington and Girton are fab but may be slightly on the expensive side. Willingham and Rampton are lovely. Basically it’s hard to go wrong!

If you’re prepared to look to the north-east of Cambridge you’ve got Quy, Lode, The Swaffhams, Burwell and Fordham.

This as an example is in Swaffham Bulbeck at the moment, over your budget at £850k but it’s been on for a few months so possibly room for negotiation.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/157280219

Unless you count a garden centre or some miracle has happened, Horningsea doesn’t have any shops.

I thought there was a farm shop there the last time I went to visit a friend, but I might be misremembering!!

Wow! Thanks so much for all your recommendations 😊 This is really helpful.

On reflection, I think a pub/restaurant is more important to us than a shop, as we actually never use our local one, thinking about it and do 90% of our shopping online, so we certainly wouldn't discount an area due to lack of shop. A cafe, farmshop or deli would be lovely though!

Also, we don't want to be right off a main road.

We went to Grantchester for the first time and we loved the vibe, but there's never anything for sale! I guess it must be super popular, even without a shop.

On balance, we'd prefer to be slightly further out and get more for our money, but still within 7 or 8 miles, ideally.

Please keep them coming! As I say, you've all been so helpful so far 😊

Maybe Haddenham would suit? It has a pub and a few amenities. It's not far from Wilburton with a new restaurant just opened up. Very nice views over the surrounding countryside.

Sadly you can't guarantee that a village pub will stay open.

So you need to pick a larger village ideally with more than one pub to be certain.

DSis lives in Linton, which is lovely and has a great community. It has an infants' school, a junior school and a village college - her kids went to all of these and then to the Sixth Form Colleges in Cambridge (Hills Road/ Long Road).

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/145795229#/?channel=RES_BUY