Villages commutable to Manchester

[hearmywomanlyroar]

Currently live in a nice suburb with an easy commute into Manchester but now we only have to go into the office 1 day a week DH and I are keen to move somewhere more rural. We both grew up in villages and would like the same lifestyle for our DC. However struggling to work out where to look! All the places we've considered so far still seem quite busy and the houses are often right on the main drag, but perhaps there are some other lovely places we haven't considered!? My family live in the South so not looking to move north of Manchester. Any suggestions gratefully received!

I would look at all the villages around East Cheshire such as Goostrey, Mobberley, Ashley, Gawsworth, and near Knutsford.
What jobs do you do out of interest? And how do you cope with the North/ South prejudices?

Macclesfield, congleton, knutsford, wilmslow, Alderney edge, sandbach

I’d look out towards Marple, Strines, New Mills - commutable and on a train line too.

Prestbury is lovely but expensive. Chelford another good option,
both have excellent direct rail link. PP has listed more towns/very busy locations really

I think OP means south Manchester!

Although I’m from down south originally, have lived in Manchester for 20 years and have never experienced anything other than the odd person asking where my accent is from.

@Vanillazebra - those aren't villages!

I'd look in High Peak or Kettleshulme, Rainow, Kerridge.

I've got family who
Live in Disley and it's beautiful. Lyme park on the doorstep, train to Manchester in 30 mins. However the trains get cancelled a lot or so they say on the group chat!

Most villages in the Peaks have a main road going through it. But many of them also gave sections away from the road. The house prices go up accordingly.

If you are away from the quarry lorry routes A6 from Buxton to Disley it quietens from about 6pm and starts again at 7:30 8ish during the week. The roads leading to the honeypots and with a wiggly section are busy with mid life crisis riders and caravans at the weekends - especially the bank holidays.

The main commuter ones to Manchester are New Mills, Glossop, Furness Vale, Chinley, Birch Vale, Hayfield, Chapel, Chapel Milton, Tunstead Milton Buxworth, Whaley Bridge, Thornsett, Mellor, Charlesworth, Chisworth.

Note of caution...the roads are horrific (especially now the Glossop bypass is being built) and the trains on the Buxton and Hope less line have been cut to increase freight capacity. The hope less line is being upgraded to put overtaking spaces on it. It may or may not improve things... as there is still the issue of creating extra capacity in Piccadilly for HS2.

On the plus side if he is commuting by train from NM or Glossop the GMTPE rail card can be used that far.... Saving £££££.

The only decent high schools are Chapel and Tommy Moore's in Buxton. In NM the school has been failing for many years but is now coming out of its pit by axing it's 6th form. Most kids have to travel out of Derbyshire to go to 6th Form. You will have to pay for transport.

Not all train routes into Manchester are equal! For example Knutsford takes 45 mins on the train to Piccadilly. Macclesfield is 20.

On the basis u will use the train look at the main lines and I'd start by working out how long ur willing to commute.

Those places I listed are South Manchester. Wilmslow and near Wilmslow is considered South Manchester ( eg Mobberley) , and if you only need to go to the office once a week , entirely commutable to Manchester.

There is a string of villages on the road between Wilmslow and Knutsford. Chorley, Lindow End, Knolls End, Mobberley.

Mobberley is quite big and has pubs, a primary school and a couple of churches. Knutsford High is well thought of, and some attend Trafford Grammars.

Both Wilmslow and Knutsford are nice for shopping and you are close to the airport and motorway network. Wilmslow is on the main route to London.

Sadly Saddleworth is North East Manchester so wouldn’t suit you at all.

Villages around Warrington - Lymm, Grappenhall, Appleton thorn, culcheth. Bit cheaper than Knutsford side

Could you say where you are now so we know what to suggest? For example are you in somewhere like Didsbury? Someone might have already recommended your current location!

Brereton is nice, small and quiet but near to sandbach/m6 so good for travel.
Having said that I also grew up in a village and I hated it - few friends within walking distance, always relying on parents for lifts everywhere. Most teenagers who grew up in rural areas feel like this IME.

If you're only going in one day a week, then realistically anything between North Wales and Manchester is doable. (I don't know about to the east sorry!). The Holyhead to Manchester train used to be pretty regular (although there have been changes and I don't use it as frequently now as WFH).

Personally, I don't like the ethos around rural Cheshire. I can't describe it, but if you know, you know. But I love living in North Wales. It's a bit less 'country set'.

I grew up in a village in the Midlands in the 80s/90s and as soon as I was able, moved to London. Village life is great at primary age but once you start making friends with kids further afield at secondary school, it's a logistical nightmare. My parents must have spent £££££ on ferrying me around. Also for anything to do you had to go to the nearest county town because there was nothing to do in our villages nor the nearest market town. My neice and nephew live in the same village I grew up in and they spend a LOT of time talking to friends online. It's no life.

Stay where you are!

Go West! Look at places like Cuddington-near Delamere Forest with its own little train station and direct line to Manchester. Takes forever but once a week who cares. Charming village. Sandiway, Hartford are nice. Or look at Frodsham and its surrounding villages like Kingsley-pub, good shop and real community feel. Good line to Manchester and cheap parking at the station and very easy access to motorway.

Thanks! I'd ruled out Knutsford and Mobberley due to proximity to plane noise - have you lived in those areas/found it ok? Will look up the other places you mention I work in professional services and haven't experienced any north/south prejudices...not to my face anyway!

We've considered Marple and New Mills - like them both but they seem perhaps a bit too big and don't have that sense of truly being in the countryside - although I've never lived there, only passed through, so perhaps this isn't right.

I've always thought Prestbury seemed pretty but was unsure what the sense of community would be like with some of the absolutely ginormous £££ houses around. Are there still lots of normal friendly people around, amongst all the multi millionaires?!

@LoudingVoice no I'm a southerner too! Been here for donkeys years and haven't experienced any negative comments, yet!

Thanks @WeAreTheHeroes - I'll look into those areas.

@ProclivityForPyrotechnics I agree Disley is nice, but a lot of the houses seem to be on the A6 or on a road just off the A6 and I'm keen to avoid this so have had to rule it out.

@Unescorted yes I think that's why my search has come stuck because the Peak District villages tick a lot of boxes but the houses all seem to be on the main road - at least the ones that come up on right move! I'm also not sure about living somewhere that seems to be a bit of a corridor, would prefer somewhere with a bit more of a defined centre if possible.

@sunlight81 any idea what the parking at Macclesfield station is like? If we could get into Manchester in 20 minutes from there, we could consider places within a 20-30 min drive of the station and still have a reasonable commute.

@whiteroseredrose are any of the villages you mention immune to plane noise? I think that's what's always put me off looking around mobberley/knutsford way...

Worth looking at Frodsham - direct trains into Manchester