Where in the uk is best to live for a young family?

[Samsan1]

Hello everybody,
I am a youngish mum (31) to 4 lovely children aged 11,9,3 and 6 months.
I currently live in Croydon London, and have pretty much lives here al my life. We own a home but need/want to move to a bigger place, we also don't have parking so it means parking further and walking which isn't always easy when I'm in and out the house all day doing school and nursery runs.
Logically thinking we need to move out from London to be able to afford a much bigger house, ideally I would have liked to move to Surrey but that's over budget too.
Any recommendations for where's nice to live? I know it's a vague, bit maybe not too far from London. I'm also very use to having town centre and big shops very close by, o don't mind if they are slightly further afield though as long as not too far. I want an area which had excellent schools and a nice safe neighbourhood. Where do you lovely ladies reside? We can't make up our mind, sometimes I just want to move to Scotland 😉. My parents and friends all live in London so I guess that's why I'm a little worried for not knowing anyone where I go and the fact that I've lived here all my life doesn't help.
Thank you all so much and sorry for the long post👍🏼

I am a similar age to you with four children eldest 10, youngest 1 year we moved from the southeast to shropshire without knowing anyone, It has absolutely beautiful countryside and lots to do as well as being within easy reach of cities, and on the border with wales, House prices are pretty good too!

That's good to know, what made you make the move ?

checkout cornwall, Dorset and Wiltshire area.

What about West Sussex? Horsham is lovely and you have Crawley and Brighton nearby for big shops, and it's only 40 minutes by car up the M23 to friends in Croydon.

Nick that's exactly the aces my husband is saying too, the houses prices are better than where we are now that's for sure, I guess I need to go and explore the area more, so you live that side ?

Stamford in Lincolnshire is very good for children. 100% doable without a car but even better by car and commutable by train. It's a very pretty little Georgian town. Very Naice. It has a Waitrose, M&S, Joules/Crew Co/Fatface etc., Independent theatre and It has a market. Small library. Good parks. Local high school is very much sought after. Several private options available in the area of you want that. Very child/pet friendly. There is a train to peterborough which has a small John Lewis. Within a short drive there are lots of great pubs, a Fen, Rutland water for sailing, lots of golf courses, the usual national trust properties and the like. Best of all it is quite cheap.

I got so bored of doing the same thing all the time going to the same places with the kids, We would go to places for a day out and it just felt boring if i'm honest, like we were just doing the same thing over and over again, I literally had to get away I needed a life change, So we sold our house and moved. The internet is such a great way of finding out about places!
My friends thought I was crazy for doing it but I honestly felt like I had to, The kids were really up for it and so was the husband so off we went. No regrets.

Theres so much to do where we live now to take the kids for days out, Lots of really decent shops to go shopping, Nice people, Love the kids school, and the countryside and walks. Lifes just better.
Go visit some places see what you think! You can always go back if you dont like it.
What do your kids and partner think? Do they want to move?

We moved from London to Shropshire last year also and it's been great so far. I grew up in London so all of my friends are still there, as are all of my family that are in the UK. We moved to be closer to DH's ExW for my DSS.

It's great. Such a fantastic choice of schools and within a 90 minute drive of absolutely loads of towns, fields, hills, theme parks/good kids days out, multiple cities, and even the beach. I don't think we'll stay here forever as I honestly miss city life a little, but with the children it's brilliant here.

Ah hello Eilasor we also moved last year! Its great isnt it!

Lovely that sounds fab, kids are abut unsure of the move but hubbys really on it intact it's his idea snfut makes sense financially. Actually once we've moved out of London I don't think we could ever come back, once my house sold I couldn't buy again in London it wound be too expensive 😣 yes I think I we have to look around at places. I sometimes want to move a Sometimes I don't 🙈🙈im not very decisive and I'm just so worried if we are doing the right thing or not . Thank you for the advice though.
Ellanor thank you too, I'm glad to see your loving life and no regrets to moving out from London. That's hopeful for me 😊

Wow excuse my typos 🙈

Eggsonheads thank you I will look in to it 👍🏼