Leaving London...but where?

cuthbertlilly

Try Aldershot, Hampshire. 47-53 mins to Waterloo, close to nice countryside and the coast.

crisp

In 24 hours, there have been 41 suggestions and a few double suggestions!

Many thanks to all those that have taken the time to post and even to the brave quirky poster....you know who you are! I guess you cant rush finding your sunlit dream! Patience is a virtue as they say.

I will be 40 by the time of the move etc, but Im only 38 and a half now. Personally, I dont think there is a prescribed age to start a family as too many circumstances to take into consideration. I recall my best friend's father was almost 60 when we were 10, but we all respected him as he had great stories from his time as a WW2 pilot.

pinkteapot

Running_Horse wrote: »

The downside of Kent is we still have the 11+ exam. So unless you are sure the little one is going to be a prodigy, some of the secondary schools are quite appalling.

Essex still has the 11+ exam too. I failed the 11+ (early 90s) so went to the local comprehensive. I got 5 A-levels at a school with a poor league table position for sixth form and did my degree at Oxford. How a kid gets on at school isn't purely related to the school's league table position and failing one exam at the age of 11 doesn't write them off for life.

Within 90 miles you could actually head to Suffolk or the Essex/Suffolk border. The Dedham vale is beautiful and there are trains to London Liverpool Street from Colchester/Manningtree/Ipswich. Nice coast nearby. Only downside is access to the rest of the country if you need it regularly - East Anglia is a bit out on a limb.

pinkteapot

hazyjo wrote: »

If it's cheaper to buy three dailies a week rather than a yearly ticket, that's not going to make commuting much fun. The queues can be horrendous each day for tickets. I pay £2300 a year for Brentwood (with via Shenfield option for fast trains) to Liv St. I'd begrudge paying for a yearly if it was cheaper to buy day returns, but I know I'd do it as the stress of buying daily tickets would do my head in!

Agree with hazyjo. Most commuter stations are awful for queues in the mornings. I live in Colchester and next week I go down to three days a week at work. My annual season ticket is about £4,100. It's going to be a LOT cheaper for me to keep it than switch to dailies. Peak rate day return is £42.40 so would be more than £6,000 a year (3 days a week for 48 weeks). :eek:

neverdespairgirl

crisp wrote: »

thats the second mention for Headcorn. I will certainly take a look.

I quite like Headcorn, but if you don't mind the extra few miles to the station being added to your journey, some of the nearby villages are even lovelier - Bethersden, Biddenden and Smarden, for example.

neverdespairgirl

crisp wrote: »

I recall my best friend's father was almost 60 when we were 10, but we all respected him as he had great stories from his time as a WW2 pilot.

I had a friend when I was at school whose father was claiming both child benefit and a pension, and had been since she was born! He was 67 at her birth, 78 when I knew her.

jackyann

I am assuming that anyone considering Marlborough has a lot of money to spend, but as this thread may be attracting poorer cousins, I'm going to suggest East / North Northants.
1 hour from Kettering to KingsX on London Midland, and you can change at Bedford or Luton onto the Thameslink line for North London/City stations.
Good schools and a lot of property for your pound (and wonderful people!)
But please only come here if you are happy to join in our community & contribute!

zagubov

crisp wrote: »

After 40 years in London, I have decided to move out and settle down and raise a family. I would be grateful for suggestions of areas within 90 miles of London (as I will be still working 3 days here) so I can kick start my search.

Preferably a place with a good stock of edwardian/victorian/georgian homes, good schools, safe at night, community feel so smaller town, but a relatively diverse mix of people. My budget is £500k.

Marlbourgh in Wilts was mentioned to me as one option, but Im keen to have a shortlist of half a dozen or so.

Any tips will be helpful

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

I had a friend when I was at school whose father was claiming both child benefit and a pension, and had been since she was born! He was 67 at her birth, 78 when I knew her.

Few years ago somebody wrote into the Mail after a discussion about parents and grandparents born in the 1890s.
this felow was born to a 40-year old mother who was the daughter of a 80-year-old father. The letter writer was clearly in his 80s at least

Result: his grandfather was born in the 1790s. Old enough to know Abraham Lincoln's mum and dad! :cool:

On anothner matter, Buckinghamshire's hideous for getting kids into good secondary schools-got an absolute pig of a selection system I hear tell

Guildford's not too big at all- it's got loads to do as well. You may find that moving somewhere too wmall or isloate isn't as much fun as you think

lynzpower

Got friends in Bishops Stortford too, also in Ware - and I nearly bought in Hertford once, and hubby and I seriously considered Stansted Mountfitchet. I'd prefer to live in the B.Stortford or S.Mountfitchet given the choice of all. Ware can be hit and miss, same as Hertford.

I was going to say Ware, I have only really been in the high street bit though and thought it really nice, whats up with it ?

motherofstudents

I drove through East Grinstead once and it was nice. Sorry I can't be any real help, just felt left out up here in Bury, Lancs, home of the black pudding.