Where to live in/around Bristol!?

[BristolHelp]

Hi Mumsnet,

My DH and I are looking to move to the SW from London. We have family in Bath and Devon and would like to be within easy reach of Bristol for jobs (either by train or cycle).

We have a 4 month old DD so will be considering good primary schools in our search too.

We are looking for a vibrant but relaxed community with some green spaces. We really enjoy walking with our dog and grabbing coffee at weekends, but will also want to be near leisure amenities such as playgrounds/kids clubs/swimming pools as DD gets older.

We are planning on another child as well so we'd like to be near some good nurseries and be around other families with children of a similar age.

We've looked at Nailsea/Backwell but feel it may be too sleepy for us. We've also considered Keynsham but We've heard the traffic can be awful.

Can anyone suggest some areas for us to consider? Our budget would be up to £525k for a 3/4 bedroom house.

Knowle is not the same as Knowle West 🙄
I'm talking about the houses off the wells road (Brecknock etc) and off redcatch (Norton etc) they're all huge lovely houses, some with drives and nary a dodgy drug dealer in sight.

Agree with previous posters that Knowle and Knowle West are completely different. Knowle is popular with families.

I live in north Bristol and there are lots of young families around here (Ashley Down, Horfield, Henleaze kind of area). Several great primary schools. Swimming pool at Horfield Leisure Centre, libraries in Horfield and Bishopston, and all the amenities that Gloucester Rd has to offer. Lots of children's activities/classes/groups. Several bus routes that run directly south into centre, or west to Clifton, or north to Cribbs Causeway. The Ardagh at Horfield Common is one of our favourite local places, has a real sense of community. The 1930s houses are the ones that tend to have driveways. BUT it is very much city living. Very different to a village or small town.

There is always terrible confusion between Knowle and Knowle West. The latter being a sprawling council estate with historic social problems. The former being a fairly middle class area with large Victorian and 1930's houses which are actually out of the OP's budget.

OP, you could consider Long Ashton. Unfortunately you will find your budget doesn't go very far in Bristol but looking at Rightmove there are some 3 bed detached with driveways there.

Just to add I have friends who have moved out of Bristol (Coalpit Heath, Winterbourne, Long Ashton, Portishead, Keynsham, Nailsea, Backwell, Yatton). I can see the attraction of larger houses, bigger gardens, more green space. For me personally, at this point in my life the convenience of being in the city outweighs that - we have so many amenities within 10 mins walk, and I love the primary school my child attends. But I wouldn't rule out a move in the future.

I don’t think it’s been mentioned yet, but you should look at Downend and the BS16 postcode more generally. Has all the things you’re looking for - great primary schools, green spaces, easy access to town etc and you’d afford a 3/4 bed semi with parking. Bromley Heath (area in Downend) is particularly popular with families but look more widely too. A new reformer Pilates place has just opened on the high street, lots of yoga classes, Page park, Snuff Mills, Frenchay for walking

Don’t write off Keynsham due to the traffic, it’s much worse in Bristol and similar to any of the surrounding suburbs!

I currently live in Nailsea- there are multiple gyms, yoga and a monthly farmers market. Lovely cafes, a greengrocer and a very good gp (same practice in long ashton and backwell btw)
I love it here. Nailsea/ backwell are lovely, convenient for the mendips, bath, Bristol and south Wales. And clevedon and portishead (the lido is brilliant).

Maybe Emerson’s green? There’s a David Lloyd there or cheaper gyms at nearby longwell Green. If you want a new build then Lyde Green is right next to it under construction

Warmley/ oldland common/ north common is not far from bath but close enough, same for Bristol. Nice areas, or longwell green

Bristol itself - Frenchay village is lovely, I have friend there and it’s idyllic but easy to get into the city. Hanham and the Hanham side of Kingswood (south of the high street) have some great primaries like beacon rise and the areas feel like they’re on the up, with new cafes and independent pubs opening.

a bit further out - i second portishead. gorgeous beach sunsets, bit of a holiday vibe with lots of young couples and families, good restaurants and cafes around the marina. and an outstanding secondary school. Also Stroud - arty, a bit alternative, seems very community-focused, lovely countryside.

A general word on schools, thinking longer term - Primaries in bristol in general are great but be warned that secondaries are very hit and miss. I’ll be moving out of bristol towards stroud or dursley when my DC hit secondary age as the secondaries are better and grammar schools are an option.

We live in keynsham. Schools are good, lots of parks and a leisure center all within managable walking distance wherever you live in keynsham, and plenty of parking at the highstreet (2 hours free at the tesco or cheap paid carparks for longer) There's lots of local clubs like brownies, beavers, badgers, dance, swimming lessons and nearby walks and woodland areas.

The drive to Bath is good, about 20 minutes. Bristol can get clogged up going through Brislington, especially during rush hour, but after that patch it isnt too bad. There is the park and ride to avoid that as an option, or also the train into temple meads. There are fairly regular buses too but the train would likely be quicker.
The traffic within keynsham itself is fine.

Depending on your preference there's a range of schools in keynsham too.
Somerdale is a montessori style primary where they wear their own clothes, the other primary schools are all good regular primaries too. The big positive is the secondaries, there's wellsway which is larger and more sporty, and broadlands which is ideal for more reserved children as its smaller than average secondaries (3 classes per year group) and has lots of extra curricular weekly which isn't sports based as well as sports options so offers a more balanced option for quieter teens who aren't into sports who can sometimes end up feeling out of place at larger secondaries.
Also a large range of nurseries and preschools attached to primaries and local childminders who are well recommended. There's almost daily toddler groups at different churches too.

Ashton next to southville is good houses are a good size most have off road parking and decent size gardens. Lots of primary schools. North st is good cafes and Tobacco factory. As someone said Bedminster is good and going through a huge revamp on high street which is East st. All the above areas are BS3. You could look at Bedminster Down as well, parking is good some have off road parking. With this entire area if it’s Victorian parking is a nightmare and the gardens are small . If you go for 1940 ish era post war you get a good size garden and parking. Lots of lovely parks around including Ashton Estate Greville Smyth etc.

Winterbourne/Frampton Cotterell/Hambrook are nice areas with access to good schools. A bit further out is Chipping Sodbury and that’s a lovely place.

Yeah but there is nothing here! When my car was out of action it would have taken me 2 hours to do the 4 mile route on a bus. Love where we live but it deader than dead.

Just to be on the safe side, I would avoid all the Knowles! I am from North Bristol, but met DH who is from South Bristol and that is where we ended up buying a house as south is on average much cheaper. It was completely unknown territory to me. He talked up Knowle Park, etc and convinced me to take a look. Well we didn't even stop the car at some of the houses 😂I'm not a total snob, I grew up in a council house. But not on your nelly was I gonna be living there! IMO everything south of Totterdown is grim. However, that's probably just me. Lot's of places in South Bristol have quite the fan club (Southville & Bedminster in particular).

Redland, Clifton, Henleaze, Westbury-on-Trym, Stoke Bishop are all lovely but pretty expensive. Portishead is nice, but a bit out of town. I would advise buying the worst house in the best possible location.

Traffic is horrendous everywhere. Nowhere I've lived has had traffic quite as bad. So don't factor that in, it will be terrible no matter what. As is the public transport situation.

Surrounding villages would have the bad traffic though, unless somewhere close to the centre such as Weston / Newbridge area or possibly Oldfield Park due tot he train station

Keynsham would be good for the trains (between Bath and Bristol) and might be a little more for your money than Bath, however all around Bath and Bristol the roads get very busy.

Lots of good advice already here - I just wanted to drop by to add that the train line from Portishead to Bristol has been given the go-ahead again (though it's been canned before so no guarantees...), which when it happens will make Portishead house prices jump up no doubt. I would think at your stage of life you would want to be aiming to get on the ladder in a nice part of Bristol for primaries and community, where you can move up to a larger house as and when you can afford to. Location, location, location...

We lived in Sea Mills until 18 months ago and loved it.

Loads of reasonable sized semis with big gardens and parking, range of community activities, post office and nice primary.

It's 5 minutes to Lidl and 15 to Asda, henbury pool is close and there is loads of easy access green space. There are playgroups, exercise classes and activities in three church halls, a repair cafe, a community cafe, community garden and library.

It's on the Severn beach train and bus services but also v close to portway park and ride.

Initially I'd never considered living there but the village feel, gardens and green space really make it work.

Grew up in Nailsea and Backwell and I think I’d find it depressing to move back to. It is very quiet. If I couldn’t afford the nice bits of Bristol then I think I’d go to Clevedon. It has a bit of a spring in its step (which it didn’t have 30 years ago). The little villages around there are lovely though… good luck!

Eastville/Stapleton? My sister lives there and it's all lovely big houses, right next to Eastville Park and to lots of shops and easy access to the centre or to Easton or Fishponds for a bit more vibrancy/colour. Good schools too. Not sure about house prices but it's pretty good for rent compared to nearby more trendy areas. Lots of friends live in Fishponds too - it's a bit rough and ready but is fast becoming gentrified and has great shopping and transport connections. Bedminster is lovely too although I'm not sure about house prices (again friends who live there rent). I'd agree with a PP about Knowle - lots of people assume it's the same as Knowle West which is frankly awful but it's really not!

I have family living in Keysham and in Clevedon and both are lovely, maybe a bit quiet for me personally but good shopping, very green and pretty and good connections to both Bristol and Bath.

Wells?

I'd look in Fishponds, it's really come up recently and you'd get a house there for your budget. Or Ashley Down / Muller Rd / Eastville / Greenbank. I also think Knowle / Totterdown / Windmill Hill is lovely. Bedminster has some rougher bits but if you can walk to North Street you've got it all.
The thing to consider is how much you want to rely on your car. Public transport is sadly quite rubbish, some areas mentioned - Long Ashton / Frenchay / Portishead etc - you'd have to have a car and would be reliant on it much of the time. Do not think the buses and trains will be like in London!

Also, look at the two universities locations too, some a heavily populated with students.