Gloucestershire

Annando

Hello everyone,

I'm not really sure where I should be posting this...
It is VERY likely that we will be moving to Gloucestershire within the very near future.
OH will be working in the Tewkesbury area and me probably in Birmingham (I have more flexibility).

I need some input on nice areas to live in in Gloucestershire. Nice villages that we might consider, or towns. Most expensive areas etc.. Any info / input is more than welcome as we have no idea what the different areas are like.
I saw a program recently talking about Bourton-on-the-water, but that is as far as my knowledge of the area goes. Sorry.

Also would welcome any sound advice on where NOT to buy or look...

Thank you in advance! We are planning a trip there for mid-August so any comments are more than welcome!

Cheers! Anne

EricaB

how much of a commute to you want?

Worcester, Cheltenham, Tewksbury, Droitwich are all areas close to M5 which is what you will need

Cotswolds is pretty but the commute is more of a hassle

Have a look at houses online in those areas and also their surrounding villages - its lovely around here by the way

benjus

I grew up in in Gloucestershire... it's a beautiful area and I loved it. I wasn't very close to Tewkesbury though - I lived in a village called Uley, near Stroud. The village itself is pleasant but not especially attractive, but the surrounding countryside is lovely. I used to go to Painswick frequently, as my father's family is from that area - a very nice town but rather expensive.

I guess you'd probably want to be further north than the places I've described if you want to be close to Tewkesbury and Birmingham. I don't know the Tewkesbury area very well, although my father had a boat on the river at Bredon for a while, which seemed like a pleasant village.

Bourton-on-the-water wouldn't be particularly convenient for Tewkesbury and Birmingham. I don't think I could live there either - pretty but too many tourists!

Sorry not to be more helpful. I'm quite jealous actually - I wouldn't mind getting out of the big smoke and back to the country.

anglo1967

There's so many places in goucestershire to choose...

If you need easy access to B'ham, then there's the forest of dean. Easy access to M40 & the house prices are cheap. Some parts have bad reputations ("forest people"), but the whole area is wooded and really pretty, with you being able to get to cardiff/ bristol in an hour. You can also get to cheltenham,teweksbury,gloucester within 30-40 mins. Theres also close access to south Wales, Monmouth & newport are good for a quick day out.


There's beautiful, more expensive areas like stroud & the 5 valleys area (Painswick was already mentioned, plus there's nailsworth, etc. ) It was already said that its expensive - plus there's cheltenham, which has great shopping but is super £££.

The cotswolds are their own area, surely. Amazing, beautiful areas like Broadway, bourton on the water, bibury, chipping camden, upper/lower slaughter, etc are best considered their own special area... Super expensive, but I wouldnt consider them the greatest access to the M5/M4, & in the summer its even worse, as you cant find any parking with the throngs of tourists!:eek:

You might try www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk or www.visit-gloucestershire.co.uk

Those sites divide the county up, it might show you how big the area is for a reference. There's also www.visitbritain.com , its a tourist site but will show you the things to do in the area.


And whatever you do, when youre here, get yourself some gloucester old spot sausages... yum

SUPER_SAVER_7

I live in Gloucestershire and it is a beautiful place(well some parts!). Our local weekly newspaper is called the Standard and you can read it online www.wiltsglosstandard.co.uk . It'll give you all the info about whats happening, property for sale, etc. Would you believe that Lawrence Llewelyn Bowen Lives at the bottom of my road

Blue264

A few years ago, I very nearly relocated to Stroud and did a lot of research into the area. I still haven't actually visited the town but I was very impressed with the feedback I got from locals about the area. It appears that the same is being repeated here and that reaffirms my impressions of the place.

Annando

We are going on a reconnaissance visit next week...
Really seems like a nice and relaxed place to live! :-)