Local knowledge help: Where to start looking in Warwickshire?

HopeAndDriftWood

I wouldn't do Stratford or Warwick if you're commuting - I was born in one and have lived in both, and traffic is generally a nightmare, and there's a never-ending tourist season in normal times! 

Leamington is lovely but LOTS of building work and it's lost a lot of the charm that it used to have... My in-laws live there, so I spend a decent amount of time there.

I wouldn't personally touch Rugby or Nuneaton, they're both just not for me.

Kenilworth is lovely for dog walks, doesn't get so busy and is very quaint, and the people are always lovely. I'm not sure what type of thing you'd be able to afford there. Kenilworth would be top of my list if I was you, followed by Alcester if you can't find anything in Kenilworth 

FabFifty

Don't bother with Stratford upon Avon - far too busy with traffic summer & winter. And think about that when considering villages on the outskirts.
Alcester is good, as is Shipston on Stour. I would avoid Southam, Coventry and Rugby. Kenilworth is expensive. Consider villages on the outskirts of Leamington Spa & Warwick, such as Radford Semele (walks around the fields/canal, easy to walk into Leamington Spa & reach the railway station) or Barford (walks around the fields/canal, easy access to Warwick Parkway railway station) - both easy to access the M40, Fosse Way & similar. 

Ibizafan

I’ve lived in Rugby for over 30 years and it suits me down to the ground. Architecturally there’s nothing special about it but the location is great, minutes from major motorways, very fast train service to London and 35 minute drive to Birmingham Airport. There’s a lot of people currently moving up from London as they can see the advantages. The south side and Dunchurch are the best areas and there’s plenty of walking and countryside nearby.

Rach3l

This has all been so helpful, thank you everyone!

Ag2021

FabFifty said:

Don't bother with Stratford upon Avon - far too busy with traffic summer & winter. And think about that when considering villages on the outskirts.
Alcester is good, as is Shipston on Stour. I would avoid Southam, Coventry and Rugby. Kenilworth is expensive. Consider villages on the outskirts of Leamington Spa & Warwick, such as Radford Semele (walks around the fields/canal, easy to walk into Leamington Spa & reach the railway station) or Barford (walks around the fields/canal, easy access to Warwick Parkway railway station) - both easy to access the M40, Fosse Way & similar. 

I agree. Radford Semele is such a lovely village. Many country walks on your door step and minutes into Leamington. They’ve got several new builds too if you’re looking for that. I’d also avoid Southam but there’s Bishops Itchington, Long Itchington and Harbury  Eathorpe is great but maybe outside budget. 

Ag2021

Rach3l said:

This has all been so helpful, thank you everyone!

Feel free to PM me with queries, I’m local to the area

Elmer_BeFuddled

Doozergirl said:

I'm in Bromsgrove, but we lived on the Worcs/Warks border around Feckenham and Astwood Bank for a while.......

So many lovely places to visit.  

.........All this reminiscing..... Wheres me hanky?!! (Originally from Redditch**).


**Not a good place TBH, Why I kept leaving!!

thriftytracey

Elmer_BeFuddled said:

Doozergirl said:

I'm in Bromsgrove, but we lived on the Worcs/Warks border around Feckenham and Astwood Bank for a while.......

So many lovely places to visit.  

.........All this reminiscing..... Wheres me hanky?!! (Originally from Redditch**).


**Not a good place TBH, Why I kept leaving!!

My nearest town is Alcester followed by Redditch which is awful in too many ways to list!  I never say I live near Redditch!  Worcester is a lovely city, the cathedral, the river, really nice town centre, beautiful flower displays at the moment.  Some of my work colleagues lived in Worcester and the commute would be an hour plus.  I think commute is so important.  Some people don't mind an hour or longer on motorways but having once worked in Banbury with 6am wake ups it ground me down so much I changed jobs to Warwick.  I retired in 2019 and the developments around where I worked (the Technology Park) were huge - literally hundreds and hundreds of houses going up.  If there was an accident on any motorway there was total gridlock getting out of Warwick and it wasn't unusual every couple of weeks for two hour journey home.  Although leaving at 3.30pm never seemed to encounter delays.  I haven't been back since - I guess the houses are now complete.  Lord knows what it is like now.  I would recommend Inkberrow village - excellent gp surgery, local shop won award for best shop of the year, primary school, two pubs and a post office.  Three playing fields for ball chasing (dogs that is).  I don't know why I am selling up!  HAHA.

Rach3l

Oh dear, that traffic sounds hellish, thanks for opening my eyes to how busy it is. Back to the drawing board.

Thanks for the recommendation, good luck with selling your house!

Doozergirl

thriftytracey said:

Elmer_BeFuddled said:

Doozergirl said:

I'm in Bromsgrove, but we lived on the Worcs/Warks border around Feckenham and Astwood Bank for a while.......

So many lovely places to visit.  

.........All this reminiscing..... Wheres me hanky?!! (Originally from Redditch**).


**Not a good place TBH, Why I kept leaving!!

My nearest town is Alcester followed by Redditch which is awful in too many ways to list!  I never say I live near Redditch!  Worcester is a lovely city, the cathedral, the river, really nice town centre, beautiful flower displays at the moment.  Some of my work colleagues lived in Worcester and the commute would be an hour plus.  I think commute is so important.  Some people don't mind an hour or longer on motorways but having once worked in Banbury with 6am wake ups it ground me down so much I changed jobs to Warwick.  I retired in 2019 and the developments around where I worked (the Technology Park) were huge - literally hundreds and hundreds of houses going up.  If there was an accident on any motorway there was total gridlock getting out of Warwick and it wasn't unusual every couple of weeks for two hour journey home.  Although leaving at 3.30pm never seemed to encounter delays.  I haven't been back since - I guess the houses are now complete.  Lord knows what it is like now.  I would recommend Inkberrow village - excellent gp surgery, local shop won award for best shop of the year, primary school, two pubs and a post office.  Three playing fields for ball chasing (dogs that is).  I don't know why I am selling up!  HAHA.

I'm more than happy to avoid Redditch! Roundabouts might make it easy to move around, but  it's soul-less and I get dizzy on the 360 degree slip roads.  😂

Inkberrow is lovely.  My friend is chef at one of the pubs and I still haven't been to eat.    Where are you moving to? 

Worcester is a lovely city.  I'd live there but it's too far a drive from London for me.