Anyone live in Guildford or surrounding villages?

[FiendishFairyFay]

We are considering a move to one of the villages outside Guildford - specifically Shalford, Bramley or Shamley Green.

We have 3.1 year old DD and 16 mo DS.

Can anyone offer any insight as to whether these are nice villages to live with young children, whether there are many groups, etc for them and what the local primaries and pre-schools are like?

Any and all advice very much appreciated. Thanks

My DD lives in Guildford which is lovely but I get confused over all the little villages. Sorry cant help much.

I live in Horsham in west sussex and drive through these villages en route to Giuildford so I don't know that much specifically but these are very pretty villages and would imagine very nice places to bring up children.

Hi- I live in the Town - my thoughts are that all the villages you list have plenty of young familys and there are playgroups etc - there are music groups/gym factory and similar around the area. Bramley and Shalford are based around roads which are quite busy, Shamley Green is quieter.(Guildford/Godalming) as long as you have a car. None of them have much in the way of public transport - Shalford has a side line station and the others buses. Given the ages of your children you might want to consider the school situation also. Prior to moving to Guildford which we did for schools - we lived in Godalming - this was a very nice town (and good schools also).

Thanks, that's really helpful to know

Lovely villages, all of them. There are lots of preschool activities in Guildford but I don't know about those villages.

Fiendish - cat me if you want some specifics as I live next to all 3!

I live in Guildford. All three areas are lovely, in fact I think Shalford will be our next move. Lots of young families around, and good schools. Don't know of any specific groups.

Thank you everyone. I think we are pretty decided on Shalford.

Thanks for the offer of cat'ing you clucky, I will efinitely do that in the next few days when I'm a bit clearer in my mind what I need to know. I did live in the area as a child but know nothing about the realities living there with young children.

Playgroups etc are listed here. www.familiesonline.co.uk/local/surreywest

I have ust moved from Busbridge which is an area of Godalming - was there 7 years - absolutely lovely the infant and junior schools are brill as is Rodburgh high school - As for things to do with kids - loads - theres a few good mums and toddler groups and a good NCT sale every oct and April and of course NCT thriving in that area
You can easily get a bus into Guildford and theres a great train link to POrtsmouth woking and london so prime commuter belt
ALl in all a wonderfull area to live - I only moved because ex shithead forced me to upon our split and now cant afford to live there

Not really any advice, but I grew up in Wonersh and it was lovely. I went to Shalford First school, which at the time was good. It's a really great area for children.

we moved from Busbridge too about a year ago - and agree it is very nice - moved to Guildford as had been doing school runs to Guildford and swapped this journey for a walk to the schools - this was a priority for us in fact the main one.

My sister lives in Cranleigh, just beyond the villages you've mentioned. It's a small town with its own Sainsburys, M and S food and COOP and even has it's own dept store. It has good pre-schools, primary schools, a leisure centre, a soft play, a library, nice restaurants and cafes, yet still seems rural.It's bizarrely well serviced for a town on a B road.

I grew up in Bramley but then moved just over the border from Surrey to West Sussex (much cheaper ) - near Loxwood. I still live in that area, if you want good primary schools you should look here, they are all excellent. However I can recommend all the villages you are looking at they are all lovely with plenty of young families. Surreylady is right about the public transport. Good Luck.

Fiendishfairy - have you made a final decision, I wonder?! I have just started a similar thread as we're also thinking of relocating to the Guildford area.

Does Shalford have a store or Co-Op type shop where you can buy basic provisions? I was talking to someone in Wonersh who thought that the only place that sold milk has shut down. There are, though, all sorts of other shops like a gallery (?!), cookshop, toy shop and others.

My DH has a colleague who waxes lyrical about Bramley, saying he can't imagine moving or finding anywhere nicer!

Hi everyone, tahnks again for all the info. We have decided..... and will be moving to Shalford very soon.

timesarechanging - Shalford has a post office, which I think is also a general shop selling milk, etc but I'm not certain as I haven't actually been in there yet. There is also a cafe/sandwich shop, 2 toyshops, a chemist a chinese restaurant, an antique shop, a flower shop and an art gallery. Quite a bizarre mix really. There is a Budgens and a Londis in Bramley as well as a chemist, an electrical shop, an antiques shop, a travel agent, a cafe, a post office, a library, a hearing aid centre, a newsagent, a kitchen showroom and a few others. There is also a village store in Wonersh and tha is where the nearest doctor's surgery is.

Wow that IS a bizarre mix of shops isn't it?!

I had not give doctor's surgeries a thought but it is such a good point. My current one is so fantastic and will give an emergency appointment that day for any sick child. I would miss them.

How does everyone find their own surgery? Accommodating of sick children needing to be seen that day??

Frazzledfairy did you look at villages on the other side of Guildford at all? Just wondering what you thought of them if so, compared to Shalford and Bramley etc.

I know from experience that the Shalford docs surgery is very accommodating

We didn't look at villages on the other side of guildford as my family are in the area and we wanted ot be near them

hi. does anyone know this house on 'The Street' in shalford?! i don't know the area but it seems to be near a school, which might make it a shocker at school run time?!

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-17697166.html?locationIdentifier=REGION%5E21834&sortB yPriceDescending=false&secondaryDisplayPropertyType=detachedshouses&oldSecondaryDisplayPropertyType= detachedshouses&pageNumber=2&backToListURL=%2Fproperty-for-sale%2Ffind.html%3FlocationIdentifier%3DR EGION%255E21834%26sortByPriceDescending%3Dfalse%26secondaryDisplayPropertyType%3Ddetachedshouses%26o ldSecondaryDisplayPropertyType%3Ddetachedshouses%26index%3D10

it also seems to have its main garden at the front of the house, but thought i would ask for thoughts on location first!!!

Can anyone tell me pros and cons of living in Bramley, East Molesey and Woking? Which is better to bring up children and settle?

Although Woking isn’t pretty compared to guildford, it has lots of shops and a very good trainline to London. (Trains extremely frequent like a tube). Horsell is a village walking distance to the train station. Full of young families and people that have stayed forever. Thriving little high street, great pubs and schools (private and independent), next to great walks on the common. It really is the best of both worlds..... community and convenience! Properties are higher than the rest of woking but there is a good range suit different requirements from Victorian terraces to large family pads!

There are so many wonderful villages In the Surrey Hills part - Shalford, Peaslake, Shamley, Shere, Holmbury, Ewhurst and so on which are beautiful and safe with lots of great walks and nice restaurants and pubs.
The only place I would strongly avoid is Gomshall.

The rest of the Surrey Hill villages are a great choice..

The only place I would strongly avoid is Gomshall

What's wrong with Gomshall?

It's not that bad!