Didcot Wantage Abingdon Wallingford

Pep
Pep Posts: 501
edited August 2010 in Commuting chat
Job change and moving with family from south of Manchester to near Didcot.
At first we'll stay in Wantage. In a few months we'd like to buy a place in the area.
Places with short commute will be Didcot Abingdon Wantage Wallingford.
If longer commute we could live in Oxford Reading Thatcham Henley Swindon Faringdon.

Any comments on these places for cost, schools, transport, crime, shops, ... ?
Thanks

Comments

  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    Pep wrote:
    Job change and moving with family from south of Manchester to near Didcot.
    At first we'll stay in Wantage. In a few months we'd like to buy a place in the area.
    Places with short commute will be Didcot Abingdon Wantage Wallingford.
    If longer commute we could live in Oxford Reading Thatcham Henley Swindon Faringdon.

    Any comments on these places for cost, schools, transport, crime, shops, ... ?
    Thanks
    Its all expensive. Didcot less so, but then, its Didcot. Best bet liklely to be somewhere with a Didcot address that really isn't in Didcot.

    Its completely unclear where you would be working and you've really just speficied half way to Devon.

    However that whole region is very affluent, becuase there are F1 teams, huge govt research labs and associated SME's secreted througout the countryside. By the same token, you have to be VERY careful exactly where you live in realtion to your work, because it is easy to find that your life revolves arouund traffic jams. A traffic jam is a traffic jam even if its in a nice village in rural Oxfordshire.

    Oh and if it is anywhere near the Thames (which is the only georgraphical feature of note) then it will be vastly more expensive.

    Wantage is actually pretty nice. However I found that the roads near there were incredibly dangerous. They are fast but narrow country A and B roads, used habitually as race track rat runs to avoid the said traffic. Its perfectly possible to find yourself a great cycle commute through country lanes where this isn't too much of an issue, but you have to do your research.
  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    As an aside - Reading and Swindon are fairly unprepossessing, but if I had to chose, it would be Reading becuase it has a nice area near the university and some nice burbs up in the direction of the chilterns. Swindon is just Swindon. It has a station.

    If you are in investment banking, I would recommend Henley or Marlow.
  • Pep
    Pep Posts: 501
    I'll be working at Harwell campus, near Chilton.
    10-15miles cycling commute each way would be perfect.
    We'll be renting in Wantage for a few months before buying. In that time we'll do all research and exploring. We are just starting doing the research, that's what the post is for.

    Thanks.
  • craker
    craker Posts: 1,739
    The ridgeway runs south of Harwell. It's on a big chalky ridge that runs east to west in those parts and if you want hills, that's where you'll be heading.For a lumpy commute then make sure you end up inbetween the ridgeway and the M4 - Chieveley has got a good North South road (not just the A34) nearby.
  • el_presidente
    el_presidente Posts: 1,963
    Always Tyred wrote:

    Oh and if it is anywhere near the Thames (which is the only georgraphical feature of note) then it will be vastly more expensive.


    AHEM the berkshire downs are beautiful and a geogaphical feature of note especially if you are riding up them.


    I always wanted to live in Compton (for immature gangsta-rap based reasons only)
    <a>road</a>
  • rowing_sculling
    rowing_sculling Posts: 41
    Given th choice I would go for Wallingford, slightly biased as live there at the moment. Relatively small town with a supermarket, few decent pubs and a couple of restaurants as well as curry houses. Fairly easy to get to Harwell and the roads are fairly OK to cycle along, I know a few guys who cycle to Wantage from Wallingford every day without too many problems. There are quite a few lovely villages around the place, but the housing prices reflect the loveliness!

    Schools are reasonably good, and if you are prepared to pay there are some decent private ones.
  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    el_presidente wrote:
    Always Tyred wrote:

    Oh and if it is anywhere near the Thames (which is the only georgraphical feature of note) then it will be vastly more expensive.
    AHEM the berkshire downs are beautiful and a geogaphical feature of note especially if you are riding up them.

    I always wanted to live in Compton (for immature gangsta-rap based reasons only)
    Harwell is almost commutable from places like Newbury, and those on the other side of the hills (if you can find a way across the A34). I wouldn't call them "beautiful" because if you resort to superlatives for areas like that, you are a bit stuffed when if comes to geographical features above about 500 feet. Its all quite pretty in that part of the world, but I found it quite claustrophobic and a very long way from coastline, water, and mountains.

    I actually quite liked anything from the ridgeway south, but I worked in the opposite direction across the awful featureless flat lands of the Vale of the White Horse.

    Its called a vale as opposed to a valley, I think, because it appears only to have one side.
  • el_presidente
    el_presidente Posts: 1,963
    Always Tyred wrote:
    el_presidente wrote:
    Always Tyred wrote:

    Oh and if it is anywhere near the Thames (which is the only georgraphical feature of note) then it will be vastly more expensive.
    AHEM the berkshire downs are beautiful and a geogaphical feature of note especially if you are riding up them.

    I always wanted to live in Compton (for immature gangsta-rap based reasons only)
    Harwell is almost commutable from places like Newbury, and those on the other side of the hills (if you can find a way across the A34). I wouldn't call them "beautiful" because if you resort to superlatives for areas like that, you are a bit stuffed when if comes to geographical features above about 500 feet. Its all quite pretty in that part of the world, but I found it quite claustrophobic and a very long way from coastline, water, and mountains.

    I actually quite liked anything from the ridgeway south, but I worked in the opposite direction across the awful featureless flat lands of the Vale of the White Horse.

    Its called a vale as opposed to a valley, I think, because it appears only to have one side.


    good God man where is your soul? to watch from the Ridgeway the last rays of the setting sun softly illuminating the cooling towers of Didcot Power Station is one of the finest views on the planet ;)
    <a>road</a>
  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    el_presidente wrote:
    good God man where is your soul? to watch from the Ridgeway the last rays of the setting sun softly illuminating the cooling towers of Didcot Power Station is one of the finest views on the planet ;)
    You nearly had me there!!!

    And not to mention the beautiful algael blooms where the cooling water meets the Thames....

    Oddly enough, Didcot power station is really quite spectacular when you get much closer. I used to find myself imagining Michael Palin torturing someone with a rat in the bottom of one of the cooling towers.....
  • schweiz
    schweiz Posts: 1,644
    Wherever you live don't think about using the A420 as a commuting route. I lived/studied in Watchfield/Shrivenham for 4 years and for a few months I lived in Stratton St Margaret on the outskirts of Swindon. My motorbike died for a few weeks with a cracked piston so I was on the bike. I only had to ride between Highwoth and Shrivenham but it was by far and away the scariest biking experience I've had....on road or off.

    From memory, the villages east of Swindon are all quite nice, lots of country pubs, thatched houses, little cottages etc. etc. with Farringdon being the biggest town between Swindon and Oxford but also having 'problems' with the fact it was the meeting point for all the local yoof from the surrounding villages. However, a few drunken teenagers making a racket at closing time waking up retirees who like their peace and quiet is nothing compared with what goes on in a big town or city.

    If you can put up with the helicopters then Benson and Wallingford always seemed nice and the Prince of India in Wallingford always did a good curry!

    Also property is very. very, very expensive down there.
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  • rowing_sculling
    rowing_sculling Posts: 41
    The Price of India is no more, there is now a Waitrose instead.
  • schweiz
    schweiz Posts: 1,644
    rowing_sculling wrote:
    The Price of India is no more, there is now a Waitrose instead.

    noooooooooooooooo!
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    http://app.strava.com/athletes/30000
  • marcusjb
    marcusjb Posts: 2,412
    rowing_sculling wrote:
    The Price of India is no more, there is now a Waitrose instead.

    Possibly the nicest Waitrose store in the entire world? Very fancy.
    Stuff about riding a bike a long way
  • schweiz
    schweiz Posts: 1,644
    marcusjb wrote:
    rowing_sculling wrote:
    The Price of India is no more, there is now a Waitrose instead.

    Possibly the nicest Waitrose store in the entire world? Very fancy.

    but can you get a Chicken Jalfrezi, Pilau Rice, Garlic Naan and copious amounts of Kingfisher at 10pm and not have the staff worrying (too much) when the drinking games get out of hand?

    What has middle England come to?

    I'm going to write to wiggle and complain!
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  • rowing_sculling
    rowing_sculling Posts: 41
    Not sure it is the best Waitrose, it is pretty good.

    There are still 3 other curry houses you can to, I have never been turned away or invited to leave regardless of the state things get into.
  • FeynmanC
    FeynmanC Posts: 649
    Didcot. Ewww, *Shivers*. Worst 6 months of my life living there. No soul, no air, nothing of any worth at all.

    I had a 2 day residential course at Milton a few weeks back so dropped in on Didcot to see if i'd misjudged it.

    I had not.

    Avoid like the plague, unless you decide you want to be driven to suicide within a few short months.

    Other than that i'm sure it's a lovely place.
    us0.png
  • Pep
    Pep Posts: 501
    FeynmanC wrote:
    Didcot. Ewww, *Shivers*. Worst 6 months of my life living there. No soul, no air, nothing of any worth at all.

    I had a 2 day residential course at Milton a few weeks back so dropped in on Didcot to see if i'd misjudged it.

    I had not.

    Avoid like the plague, unless you decide you want to be driven to suicide within a few short months.

    Other than that i'm sure it's a lovely place.

    Wow! Well, thanks. A friend who lives there says " ... it's nice. Well, a bit of a shit hole, but other than that nice."
  • el_presidente
    el_presidente Posts: 1,963
    Pep wrote:
    FeynmanC wrote:
    Didcot. Ewww, *Shivers*. Worst 6 months of my life living there. No soul, no air, nothing of any worth at all.

    I had a 2 day residential course at Milton a few weeks back so dropped in on Didcot to see if i'd misjudged it.

    I had not.

    Avoid like the plague, unless you decide you want to be driven to suicide within a few short months.

    Other than that i'm sure it's a lovely place.

    Wow! Well, thanks. A friend who lives there says " ... it's nice. Well, a bit of a shoot hole, but other than that nice."

    the steam centre is pretty cool
    <a>road</a>
  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    Yes, the steam obscures the view of the rest of Didcot.
  • rowing_sculling
    rowing_sculling Posts: 41
    Didcot is not the greatest place, but I'm sure there are fair worse places you could end up. I haven't yet had stuff thrown at my or had people try to push me off my bike when I cycle through on the way to the train station. It could be that at that time of day most people are still in bed.
  • vitesse169
    vitesse169 Posts: 422
    rowing_sculling wrote:
    Given th choice I would go for Wallingford, slightly biased as live there at the moment. Relatively small town with a supermarket, few decent pubs and a couple of restaurants as well as curry houses. Fairly easy to get to Harwell and the roads are fairly OK to cycle along, I know a few guys who cycle to Wantage from Wallingford every day without too many problems. There are quite a few lovely villages around the place, but the housing prices reflect the loveliness!

    Schools are reasonably good, and if you are prepared to pay there are some decent private ones.


    How about Cholsey...I lived there for 9 yrs,went to primary school there and then to secondary school in Wallingford. Granted that was 35+ yrs ago.... still I thought it was a nice place...
  • rowing_sculling
    rowing_sculling Posts: 41
    Cholsey is OK, but it does have the high speed train line, west coast mainline, running through it. People who live there swear they can't hear it...
  • Fireblade96
    Fireblade96 Posts: 1,123
    I live in the northern outskirts of Caversham, so on the North side of the Thames from Reading. It's close enough to a town to make town things accessible, but virtually on the edge of the countryside. Nice, but not cheap, and there's nothing within easy walking distance. But that's fine by me, that's what bikes are for !

    If I were working in Harwell I'd be looking at Abingdon, Wallingford, Benson and that sort of area. I think Wantage looks quite nice too, buit haven't spent any time there.

    Good luck !
    Misguided Idealist
  • Pep
    Pep Posts: 501
    Fireblade96 wrote:
    Good luck !

    Thanks! I need it. I think the job I'm taking is good, right now not satisfied with the present one.
    But my family and I love where we live right now, not sure down there will be as good (for what we can afford). So, I have a little concern and we are just doing research...

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