Move from West London to Bucks

[MelissaClaire]

We have recently accepted an offer on our house in West London, and plan to move to South Bucks - Amersham area. We have lived in West London in the same area for 16 years. DH grew up in North Bucks and we have always felt that we don't want the children to grow up in London (age 5 &3), we want more outside space etc etc. We have gone back and forth on this decision for about 5 years, and feel that it will be the right move for us.

We are about to offer on a house in Amersham area but I am now getting cold feet and worrying about leaving West London - has anyone else done a similar move - any words of wisdom?

Thanks!

No real advice Melissa but am in the same boat as you. We live in Ealing and are moving to Weybridge. I've lived in London all my life (love it here) and it feels really weird to be leaving it. My children are 5, 3 and 2. Like you, we don't want to raise the children in London but I am worried about changing schools for the 5 year old. If, however we don't do it now I think we never will.

Do it. It's not exactly outer mongolia.

Although it subjects your children as teenagers to a dull life and you'll do masses of driving. We compromised on outer London suburbs so they can still get the night bus home etc although Amersham is on the tube I suppose. It's kind of dull and middle class rather than cool and fun and you might well want dull or bored teenage children.

we are moving from Ruislip to Rye, east Sussex. Initially we were going to go back to surrey where we are both from but, when we weighed up the options, rye ticked all the boxes. I am going to miss my friends and it will be a struggle for me, but not for my LO's as they can't wait to move.

oh and, like you, it has taken us 5 years to reach this decision.

I upped and moved to South Bucks (Wycombe) ater 20 yrs in London. I've got two DDs (2yrs and 8 mths)and it's so close to London and Oxford - you're sort of slap in the middle. Plenty of nice villages - good schools (state and indie) and like Xenia says - there's a tube too.

My advice is ....if dull middle class life isn't your bag and you find that's the type of person you're meeting - don't try and join in - I don't and it works a treat I still have all my London friends - we shop, eat out and still do 'the London thing' so I don't feel I've got to completely imerse myself in something that isn't 'me'. This way I've found a small group of friends who I'm comfy with - not the Home Counties type ladies who lunch and look sour-faced when they discover I'm not married to a banker (probably wise in present climate!) Strangly enough - they really do seem to exist!

Teenagers will moan wherever they live. You could be in the coolest part of London and by virtue of you being their parents you'll be dull and soo unhip!

Why dont you rent out there for a while...either sell london if you have an offer and rent or rent london out and rent in Amersham...I live in the area and really enjoy it. My children have a lot of freedom its safe and green and unpolluted. Eating out is OK...there are nice enough places to eat....but shopping is really shit...you might miss that...but as our weekends are now football tournaments etc we just shop in town/windsor etc every few months.