Where to buy for beautiful rolling english countryside and lots of dog walking options

[PoodlenotDoodle]

Hello this is my first post on Mumsnet! We are recent empty nesters and starting to thinking about our next and final house move. Here is a basic list of our requirements. I am hoping for some advice on areas and villages that we should consider and any thoughts are most welcome:

1. Around a 2 hour or less train commute to London
2. Beautiful rolling english countryside
3. Away from large towns
4. Away from major airport/flight path
5. Areas with pretty villages and nice housing stock
6. Great dog walking options in local vicinity is a key
7. Budget around £2m (or less!)

I expect you will all say "The Cotswolds" and we do love the Cotswolds but we also want to consider other areas that might be less on the tourist trail and still come with a similar offer. I have read that the "Notswolds" (Northamptionshire/Rutland etc) area is worth a look but have not actually been to this area (we know the Gloucestershire/Somerset area well) so any thoughts most welcome on this area as well as any others we should consider. Thanks in advance.

We are currently looking in the New Forest. We have a second viewing on a house that meets pretty much all your (and our!) requirements. Totally on its own, protected area so no possibility of new developments, dog walks on the doorstep, literally straight off your own land into the forest.

South Wiltshire (Pewsey and areas south) ticks all your boxes. It's fairly sparsely populated, dog walking paradise, restricted air traffic and your budget will go a long way.

New Forest is such a lovely area but do you know if you get much aircraft noise there from Southampton airport??

I’m not going to say which one I am in from this list as it’s very small and would be incredibly outing! But to be honest most are lovely. There’s just a few I don’t like due to busy roads that are a cut through to the A1.

But these are my favourite and include mine:

Empingham
Exton
Barrowden
Market Overton
Ashwell
Whissendine
Belton in Rutland
Braunston in Rutland
Wing

I don’t like Glaston and Greetham. Cottesmore is also a bit busier than ideal but has some nice bits and a good chippy!

Just outside the border I also like:

Wakerley
Kings Cliffe
The Bythams
Knossington
Harringworth
South Witham
Sproxton
Sewstern
Buckminster

There’s also lots of lovely areas around Notts, Grantham and Leics that are much cheaper. Rutland schools are more consistent though which keeps the prices up.

Oakham, Stamford and Uppingham are also nice as towns. Plus I also love Oundle.

Melton and Grantham themselves are not as nice.

Leeds to Kings cross is two hours I've just discovered. Son lives in a village just outside which the Times named in the top ten places to live in the UK. So Yorkshire is doable.

I'd do some weekend exploring book dog friendly Airbnb do the research and visit.

I have to admit when looking at Rightmove I always checked the outside first for the dogs. No use having a postage stamp when you have animals 🤣

North Essex?

Anywhere from Leicestershire to Worcestershire to the north or Somerset in the west meets your criteria. Go on flightradar to look at typical flight paths (avoid Lincolnshire and Norfolk as they have airbases that are periodically active, doesn’t bother me but you mentioned flights) Rutland I think might suit you as there’s decent connections to transport when you need it but rural. Not sure of your age but I would ensure that you have public transport options because illness and accidents can change your ability to get about in an instant.

for properties for your money Worcestershire is good value, £1m gets an amazing house, you can spend far less in fact and still get an acre of gardens, bewdley area I like, Worcester it’s self isn’t big but has all you need and Birmingham airport is an hour away for escaping the winter!

Kenilworth? I live here, it's beautiful

Stamford. Stay on the Peterborough side to be able to get the commuter train into London (takes 50 mins)

What about the Pewsey vale, or other areas around Salisbury Plain?

Can see someone has done the South Warks villages so as far as North goes:
Maxstoke
Shustoke
Fillongley
Corley Moor
Baxterley
(Skip the middle bit of North Cov/Nuneaton and go straight of to the west of Rugby!)
Monk’s Kirby
Church Lawford
Princethorpe (technically South)
I will caveat that many are not traditional villages around a green type villages and some have fewer amenities than others
With your budget I’d be tempted by this: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/161426966?utm_campaign=property-details&utm_content=buying&utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=copytoclipboard#/&channel=RES_BUY

Looking at your latest post @PoodlenotDoodleI have another vote for Warwickshire/ Worcestershire

Thinking of places you can do a good dog walk without too many times coming into a field of sheep, as well as lovely pubs and gorgeous countryside;
Lapworth - v much a village with a lovely pub and beauty walks along the canal
likewise Lowsonford
Henley in Arden - officially a town but could be mistaken for a large village - the ice cream shop there tends to be a stopping point for lots of cycle clubs!
Snitterfield - long walk into Stratford Upon Avon
Long Marston - beautiful little village with Stratford Greenway taking you into Stratford - haven for dog walking and cycling.

Loads more but Henley in Arden would be my top for ticking your boxes if you can over look the fact it's officially a town!

East Sussex is lovely. South Downs Country park is a great area. Little villages with plentiful dog walks. Brighton and London within an hour or so.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/162657788#/?channel=RES_BUY

Clent, Worcestershire

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/149807855#/?channel=RES_BUY

Harvington, Worcestershire

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/158859386#/?channel=RES_BUY

I live near near Wells in Somerset, castle Carey is 1:45 on the direct train to Paddington. A
Everything you need in the small towns with Bath and Bristol both an hour away on the bus or 45mi s in the car, we only go in a few times a year, plenty going on in Wells - the local cinema is only £5 a movie!
we have footpaths from our door up onto the Mendip, it’s stunning.
Would highly recommend and for that budget… well, it would be big and have land!

We’re near Chichester and it’s lovely but the outskirts are getting horribly over built. The A27 is always busy. If you look at the South Downs National Park just north of Chichester there is beautiful countryside and villages. Though on the Gatwick flight path the planes really aren’t noisy at all.

Hampshire, Meon Valley.

I live in north Hampshire right near a forest and common land. Look for Pamber Forest, or Silchester. Plenty of space for walking. Train service from local town about 6 miles away to London which takes about 45 minutes, lovely area. Lived here all my life. My kids moved away but have moved back here again and love it

New Forest. Has everything you need. Or seaside- adjacent places like Christchurch, Mudeford, Canford Cliffs. If your kids are mid twenties and may have their own families, they will thank you for being in those areas as they are lovely (and convenient) to visit with young kids.

Peak District. If near to Sheffield you can then get to London in 2 hours on the train, further down in the Derbyshire Dales you could go from Derby.

Look at Hathersage, Bakewell, Castleton , and Buxton.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/162474131?utm_campaign=property-details&utm_content=buying&utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=copytoclipboard#/&channel=RES_BUY

Weald of Kent.

I actually looked at the flight paths from Southampton airport. Apparently 80% of aircraft do not fly over the forest. But I obviously don’t live there (yet) and maybe someone who does will correct me?