I am looking to buy a place somewhere in the home counties next year.
Criteria:
- It must be close to somewhere with decent riding that doesn't need me to drive to it.
- Should be less than 30 miles from Twickenham so I can commute by bike to work.
- Somewhere I can afford a 2 bedroom house for 250k or less.
Can the Single Track World hive mind tell me where such a place would be and what the riding would be like?
Bottom of the Chilterns, towards Reading?
Nice! Anywhere in particular around there?
And keep 'em coming!
Commute would be too long surely?
Bracknell is maybe the cheapest place if Swinley is your kind of thing.
Surrey hills borders and you will struggle with the money, probably possible though.
I can do the commute no problem. May struggle when it gets icy though. Leaning towards Bracknell at the moment but I'm interested in the alternatives.
What are the Chilterns like for riding? Never rode that way.
The Chilterns are great. Lots of short, sharp climbs, pretty beech woodlands, miles of singletrack, lovely country pubs. Aston Hill is fun. Can ride for miles, unhindered, never too far from civilisation. I really like the Wendover/Tring area. Both have mainline railway stations that would easily and quickly get within 30 miles of Twickenham.
Would it not make more sense to investigate your options of what roads would be the safest to use?
@cinnamon_girl, What do you mean by that? I thought I'd be ok to commute as long as there's an A road to where I work from where I live. Perhaps a bit naive on my part though. I understand that some A roads are probably busier than others but in my experience there's always been a route you can plot to get where you need to. Interested in what you think.
@The Wrong Trousers, cheers! I did a Google search for it and it looks grand. Must see if I can get over there one weekend and do some riding. I'm hoping to build up a shortlist and check all of them out over the year.
The main concern for me is to live somewhere I can ride off road more than at the weekend (every day if possible!). I am fed up with having to load the car and drive 2 hours to ride for 3 hours or less. If needs be I can even ride part way on the train and the rest on the bike to work so not overly concerned about investigating the roads where I live first. Where I live is great for road biking, which has it's place. However, I endure the road, while I live for the off-road!
When you said 30 miles for commute by bike, I thought m/c...
Are you seriously considering a 30 mile each way commute across London on a bicycle?
Not "across", just "to", and I don't think Twickenham counts as London "proper" surely? 🙂
Yes, I am considering it. Beats driving and works out to a fair chunk of cash in savings.
My previous cycle commute 2 years before moving closer to work was a 30 mile round trip so I do appreciate the effort involved. These days it's only a 15 mile round trip (and I only live 5 miles from work so I'm constantly trying new ways to lengthen the trip without running into rush hour traffic!). It would be nice to live somewhere that gives me a clear-ish run into work, but I'll settle for somewhere that doesn't involve 3 lanea of traffic like on the A4!
I know it's not going to be easy and I am looking at 4 hours on the bike per day, but I'd take that over 3 hours in the car to travel the same distance!
We have bunch of people that we ride with that ride out from SW London (Kingston, Chertsey, Esher, Epsom) to ride with us in the Surrey Hills. Epsom is particularly good (check out Diary of a Mountain Biker too). The Surrey hills are probably the best riding in the area south/west of London
All of these should be fine for commuting to Twickemham.
Of course being SW London the tricky part is probably finding at house at your price point.
@cinnamon_girl, What do you mean by that? I thought I'd be ok to commute as long as there's an A road to where I work from where I live. Perhaps a bit naive on my part though. I understand that some A roads are probably busier than others but in my experience there's always been a route you can plot to get where you need to. Interested in what you think.
I think cinnamon_girl makes a good point. Any A road within 30 miles of Twickenham will either be rammed solid with traffic or a race track at commuting time.
Having lived in High Wycombe and also regularly been around NW London for years previous, you are setting yourself up for a lot of pain and suffering. Every rat run in that whole area is used every day by lots of cars, never mind the main roads.
Are you sure you 'appreciate the effort' of a potential commute twice what you've experienced?
Is there any reason why you have not mentioned public transport? It isn't like cars and bikes are the only option.
I car commuted from Maidenhead to Twickers in the late 80s and I had to get up about 6.15 to get a decent drive and free parking place then so gawd knows how hideous it is now, I'd probably do some commuting research -esp on public transport routes/costs, as my experience is that commuting is a 'never ending grinder' and a good Friday night for me used be sleeping on couch at 9pm as I was knackered after a week of long days and commutes, so I'd maybe also think about having to deal with the commute day in day out - it changed my perspective so much that I eventually changed jobs so I didn't have to do it any more. I found just little things like being able to drive to a rural(as opposed to town) station, park for not a fortune, get a seat etc help.
re Bracknell, doesn't have a brilliant reputation, - Swinley good, quite a lot of xc between Brack/Maidenhead
Basingstoke and (S of) has (imho) a surprising amount of stuff BUT it's a bloody long cycle....
Main reasons for avoiding public transport are cost and how unpredictable it seems to be. I am resigned to having to use it in the winter.
Yes, 60 mile round trip a day is not going to be a walk in the park. However, I don't mind early mornings (already wake up at 0600 everyday anyway) and I can probably work from home a couple of days a week, so I wouldn't be doing it every day of the week.
Riding a 60 mile commute 5 days a week means that you won't ride off road in the evening as you'll still be commuting home. You won't ride at the weekend because you'll be too tired from riding 300 miles during the week.
My commute is 40 miles a day from near to twickenham to the other side of Greenwich and it takes a lot out of me if I do 5 days a week. Admittedly working 11 hour days doesn't help either.
If you live somewhere like shepperton, Staines or chertsey you're commute will be ok and you're not that far away from either the Surrey hills or the Chilterns for the weekend.
Would you consider part-driving and part-cycling?
As others have said, the Chilterns is fantastic for riding (except in Winter) but I don't know what the house prices are like.
The option of being close to Swinley Forest - yes, avoid Bracknell but you also have Sandhurst, Crowthorne etc. There is easy access to the A30 which *I think* would be OK for cycling but there may be others better placed to comment on that. This area would definitely be within your budget.
Also from this area you will be within cycling distance of other off-road riding so, imo, a good location!
It would be worth bearing in mind that the Sandhurst/Crowthorne area is busy traffic-wise mainly due to being a link road between the M3 and M4. There is also due to be a considerable amount of building, including new houses, in the area so obviously more traffic.
Hope the above is useful. 🙂
Yes, I'd certainly consider part driving and part cycling but I despise those folding bikes people use for the purpose. Could do it if I had to I guess.
@aP good to hear from you! Yes, I did think about how it would be pretty tiring. Still, if I can work from home then that'll take care of how much it takes out of me hopefully.
Based on all the info it looks like round Bracknell is the best place for us.
Thanks for all your input people. It has been very useful and some excellent points raised that I'd not considered at all. I'm very grateful for your time. Happy trails and all that! 🙂
Bagshot, Windlesham, Ligh****er are all nicer than Bracknell and very close to Swinley, particularly as there are plenty of entrances to the forest on the south side. It's probably about 20 miles to Twickers from there, quietish back road to use to Chertsey (albeit unlit and 60mph limit) and then follow the river.
There are a number of other options in that area, the bonus is you are close to the Reading to Waterloo line which stops at Twickers should you not fancy the ride, or perhaps want to go out after work or into London. Woking is also close to good riding, and okay for riding to your work, but trains don't go direct. I know you said you wouldn't use public transport but there are times when you may need it.
Some of the others have suggested options closer to Reading or the Chilterns (nice areas) but they will involve longer commutes and using or crossing several major roads heading into London at rush hour, and the same on the way out.
Other options might include Leatherhead and surrounds, which provide relatively quick access southwards to the north Downs and Surrey Hills, so plenty of options available to you.
Where are you currently and what is the need to buy soon? Could you rent for 6 months to get a feel for some of the areas mentioned in this thread, as there are many different options and with different sizes and amenities.
Cheers! Some great advice there. Currently live West London way.
No rush to buy, just sick of paying London rents, driving and taking the train to the trails and want somewhere I can move to and make into a home, have a dog and family (in that order). Around September next year will be the time by when I'll have my deposit ready.