If I train it into London I get on at Wool or Wareham, direct line to Waterloo, it's not that quick though 2.5 hr's journey. if I drive so long as I am on the road by 0530 hr's I can be in the outskirts of central London by 0730 its approx 110 miles. I have to go to Farnborough (Hampshire) jnc 4 on M3 quite a lot, door to door 90 miles in the morning 90 min's going home though it takes longer and in the summer try not to travel on a Friday, the M27 & A31 gets snarled with holiday makers. I do all the Valley night matches with the occasional night away game but no longer go on a Saturday., too much to do in rural Dorset.
That is a huge commute!!! I take it your work is flexible then!
I stay away quite a bit as role is UK wide + WFH when I can. One of the consequences of living in Dorset, but one I would not not change. Been great for our 2 kids who are now 18 & 21 and my wife now has her own local business. Mind you I did move at the right time before house prices down here exploded and as a result its very difficult for youngsters to get on the housing ladder as local wages are low and far too many 2nd home properties.
Just to give everyone an update. I've been offered a conditional job subject to vetting etc... They have a 5 offices throughout dorset. However it's looking like it will be Poole or Bournemouth I'll be based in.
@BournemouthAddick Is it possible to live in either place and still be close enough to live somewhere rural?
Sorry mate, bit late on picking this up but others have already answered anyway. More than possible to live 15-20 minutes away from Poole in particular and be out in the sticks. Be careful picking your route in though as my 10 mile door to door takes me 45 minutes but I have to get across town. Don't live in Dorchester and work in Southbourne for example. Colleagues live in places like Bere Regis or Wareham way and can cover larger distances in a fraction of the time of my journey...but they do have webbed fingers and a very small family.
Just to give everyone an update. I've been offered a conditional job subject to vetting etc... They have a 5 offices throughout dorset. However it's looking like it will be Poole or Bournemouth I'll be based in.
@BournemouthAddick Is it possible to live in either place and still be close enough to live somewhere rural?
Sorry mate, bit late on picking this up but others have already answered anyway. More than possible to live 15-20 minutes away from Poole in particular and be out in the sticks. Be careful picking your route in though as my 10 mile door to door takes me 45 minutes but I have to get across town. Don't live in Dorchester and work in Southbourne for example. Colleagues live in places like Bere Regis or Wareham way and can cover larger distances in a fraction of the time of my journey...but they do have webbed fingers and a very small family.
Haha cheers for that mate. I will have to focus in on that area, though Wareham looks a little pricey. Going to be a big move for me personally so will have to take a time picking the right place to live.
To give everyone a update that has commented on this thread. I have a start date for the 15th of June. Going to initially rent down there (subject to finding a nice property). I will be working in Poole.
@BournemouthAddick@DorsetAddick@Daarrzettbum can you lads recommend any areas I can start looking which would offer me good rural properties but are not over a hour drive from Poole?
The east side of Poole would be getting near Bournemouth and the airport, built up and expensive, obviously south would be coastal, going easterly there are plenty of places Lychett Matravers, around Wareham, Corfe Mullen Coombe Keynes,Wool plenty of nice villages or maybe out towards Dorchester, Pimperne, Moreton, or even quieter hamlets far too many to mention all a 30 min journey into Poole. If you wanted something near to the coast then places around Swanage, Corfe Castle are ideal. Thing to remember is that during tourist time the roads get busy and there are not many dual carriageways. Personally I would say look around (on line) Wareham and surrounding areas , rural very nice but might be more pricey than you'd imagine. I live outside Winfrith, very rural (2 decent pubs though) and fantastic countryside 20 mins from the Coast and Dorchester and 30 mins from Weymouth and Poole + a direct London train line just down the road in Wool. Good luck with your search, keep us appraised.
@Daarrzettbum Thanks for that. I'm not to worried about the coast to much. Ideally we want somewhere that's quiet rural and quiet. I have looked at area like Blanford Forum, Shaftesbury and I'm not to sure whether to look further towards Devon. We are going to initially rent until we find our feet and then look at buying.
Hi Cray. I was going to suggest try Blandford but sounds like you've had a look already. A good friend of mine lives there and enjoys it.
As above, Wareham and Swanage are two bigger towns to the west of Poole but if you end up anywhere in the Purbecks then you will love it there. Beautiful and still only 30/40 mins to the hub of poole and bournemouth which you'll spend more time in when summer comes.
Personally I wouldn't look east of poole, by that I mean east of bournemouth really as commute would be sticky.
@Daarrzettbum Thanks for that. I'm not to worried about the coast to much. Ideally we want somewhere that's quiet rural and quiet. I have looked at area like Blanford Forum, Shaftesbury and I'm not to sure whether to look further towards Devon. We are going to initially rent until we find our feet and then look at buying.
My uncle lived at Lytchett Matravers Manor about 10m west of Poole next to 1000yo church. Lovely village but commute to London not on.
Whereabouts in Poole will you be working @CrayAddick? That may make a significant difference to travelling time during the morning drive in. Also, I can't remember but have you ever lived anywhere rural because it has a lot of downsides too and isn't for everyone. There are some places like Wareham though which to most of us from London initially seems like a village but counts as a sprawling metropolis down here and actually has a theatre/cinema too!
If you're renting first I would definitely rent somewhere closer to work and use the time to properly explore the area and how far out/remote you really want to be rather than what seems like a great place but isn't workable practically.
@BournemouthAddick Thanks for your input mate. I will be working pretty much near Wimbourne road (Not actually sure where that relates to from the centre of town. I will look into Wareham but ideally I'm happy to do a hour drive if it's the right place.
@DorsetAddick I am looking East of Poole because it seems a lot more rural. Can you recommend any other areas I can look into?
Thanks everyone for there input, greatly appreciated.
Cray, any particular reason for thinking right in the countryside? Wimborne Road (10min walk from where I work) is just outside town centre, but you may get stuck coming into the main road that can get you to it from that area. I sometimes pass the roads you'd come in from and can be a pain. Any accidents can cause carnage!
Theres an area just outside Poole called Westbourne which is really nice. Would be a short commute, in between Bournemouth and Poole and a very short walk to the beach in the right place.
Cray east of Poole is Bournemouth. In between is Westbourne nice but not rural. Also you have to go a way north to get countryside. So west is best bet. Lytchett Swanage and Wareham nice. Plenty of villages that way. Otherwise beyond Bournemouth is New Forest. Ringwood and surrounding villages. Christchurch, Muddeford on coast are expensive. To north around Shaftesbury nice.
If your quite settled on the idea of going west of Poole and would enjoy a more rural setting, which it sounds like you are then you have a wide choice. Harvey's is spot on, those areas he mentions in the west are lovely.
Just ask yourself what is it you want to enjoy outside of work. If you want the luxury of the commercial parks with umpteen restaurants and cinemas, a nightlife on your doorstep then you'll need to consider an outskirt of poole or b'mth.
The Purbecks gives you that rural life but is supported by a nice town in Wareham and Swanage, very popular in the summer, is a nice typically British seaside town but without feeling run down and despondent. Dorchester would be too far west personally, I'd want to be close enough to the sandy beaches of b'mth to enjoy in summer.
@harveysgardener Thanks for your input. I will look into Wareham. Ideally I'm looking to rent for 6 months to find my feet and then look at buying. I don't want to spend more than £850 a month so it gives money to save. I'm not looking at anything west of Poole. The North or East of Poole will be my areas to look at. Do you live in Dorset yourself?
@cafcpolo To be honest with you, I'm sick of the city life, living on top of each other etc etc.. I use to go down to cornwall as a kid and loved the peace and quiet of the country. Is Westbourne quite rural?
@DorsetAddick Ideally it will be North or West of Poole subject to costs. I enjoy walks, going for something to eat now and then. So a town/village near by with amenities would be ideal. Wareham and Swanage come up fairly expensive. Ideally want a old cottage/detached house. Do you know of any good estate agents in the county? The right move app seems to be my sole research tool at the moment.
Cray you appear to contradict yourself (if I'm not mistaken).
You say you are looking North or East of Poole in para 1. Then North or West of Poole in para 3.
I have family in Dorset and have a reasonable knowledge.
I may be wrong, but personally I agree with all the above posters, who are advising West of Poole is your best bet.
I don't really know why you say you prefer East when that is Bournemouth and Boscombe.
Anyway, only trying to help.
@CoveredEnd Excuse my confused state of mind. I became lost and were unable to work out what was East & West. To clarify I'm looking at the East (Not near Bournemouth or Poole) and North (Blanford/Gillingham) hope that makes sense.
Cray I'd highly recommend getting yourself down for a few days and suss out the geography of west dorset. Perhaps test the commute from Wareham/swanage to your new place of work and see how it goes.
Westbourne is a suburb in between b'mth and poole. Nice but if you want to get out into the country I'd forget there.
Register with some agents when your down and gauge the difference in rent between areas.
Go West young man, have to agree with all views re Wareham and Swanage nestled in the Purbecks a great place to settle down and raise a young family, rural but not the back end go nowhere, nice local boozers as well as a decent standard of a rugby club (SWANs). Local football clubs are of a dodgy standard but hey ho we all support our mob don't we!!!! I have been down here 16 years, now accepted by the older folk within the village, have a great bunch of pals many of whom have migrated from the metropolis to Daarrzzet all of whom, including myself, would never, ever, consider going back up the M3 to live. My roots are Sarf London however my ties are now Daarrzzet, why swop a straw roofed house for a reddish tiled house.
Cray I'd highly recommend getting yourself down for a few days and suss out the geography of west dorset. Perhaps test the commute from Wareham/swanage to your new place of work and see how it goes.
Westbourne is a suburb in between b'mth and poole. Nice but if you want to get out into the country I'd forget there.
Register with some agents when your down and gauge the difference in rent between areas.
@DorsetAddick Swanage is looking quite pricey in terms of the properties available. I'm down there this weekend to look at a property to rent. I'm defintley want to be East (The side near Dorchester etc) or North Dorset (Blanford/Gillingham)
Go West young man, have to agree with all views re Wareham and Swanage nestled in the Purbecks a great place to settle down and raise a young family, rural but not the back end go nowhere, nice local boozers as well as a decent standard of a rugby club (SWANs). Local football clubs are of a dodgy standard but hey ho we all support our mob don't we!!!! I have been down here 16 years, now accepted by the older folk within the village, have a great bunch of pals many of whom have migrated from the metropolis to Daarrzzet all of whom, including myself, would never, ever, consider going back up the M3 to live. My roots are Sarf London however my ties are now Daarrzzet, why swop a straw roofed house for a reddish tiled house.
Haha! It sounds as if I'm following footsteps of a man whose been there and done it!! When you bought your property was the market a lot cheaper than it is now? Swanage and Wareham looked quite pricey when I looked into it... I hope the rugby club are looking for a fly half who tends to kick more than he throws! I can't do the whole "London thing" anymore!
Yeah I got lucky moving when I did, house prices down here steadily increased from about 2001. I was able to get an old 4 bed cottage on an acre+ plot for less than £200K. Now into the 15th year of our initial 5 year renovation plan!!!!!
Comments
@BournemouthAddick @DorsetAddick @Daarrzettbum can you lads recommend any areas I can start looking which would offer me good rural properties but are not over a hour drive from Poole?
As above, Wareham and Swanage are two bigger towns to the west of Poole but if you end up anywhere in the Purbecks then you will love it there. Beautiful and still only 30/40 mins to the hub of poole and bournemouth which you'll spend more time in when summer comes.
Personally I wouldn't look east of poole, by that I mean east of bournemouth really as commute would be sticky.
If you're renting first I would definitely rent somewhere closer to work and use the time to properly explore the area and how far out/remote you really want to be rather than what seems like a great place but isn't workable practically.
@DorsetAddick I am looking East of Poole because it seems a lot more rural. Can you recommend any other areas I can look into?
Thanks everyone for there input, greatly appreciated.
Theres an area just outside Poole called Westbourne which is really nice. Would be a short commute, in between Bournemouth and Poole and a very short walk to the beach in the right place.
Just ask yourself what is it you want to enjoy outside of work. If you want the luxury of the commercial parks with umpteen restaurants and cinemas, a nightlife on your doorstep then you'll need to consider an outskirt of poole or b'mth.
The Purbecks gives you that rural life but is supported by a nice town in Wareham and Swanage, very popular in the summer, is a nice typically British seaside town but without feeling run down and despondent. Dorchester would be too far west personally, I'd want to be close enough to the sandy beaches of b'mth to enjoy in summer.
@cafcpolo To be honest with you, I'm sick of the city life, living on top of each other etc etc.. I use to go down to cornwall as a kid and loved the peace and quiet of the country. Is Westbourne quite rural?
@DorsetAddick Ideally it will be North or West of Poole subject to costs. I enjoy walks, going for something to eat now and then. So a town/village near by with amenities would be ideal. Wareham and Swanage come up fairly expensive. Ideally want a old cottage/detached house. Do you know of any good estate agents in the county? The right move app seems to be my sole research tool at the moment.
You say you are looking North or East of Poole in para 1. Then North or West of Poole in para 3.
I have family in Dorset and have a reasonable knowledge.
I may be wrong, but personally I agree with all the above posters, who are advising West of Poole is your best bet.
I don't really know why you say you prefer East when that is Bournemouth and Boscombe.
Anyway, only trying to help.
Westbourne is a suburb in between b'mth and poole. Nice but if you want to get out into the country I'd forget there.
Register with some agents when your down and gauge the difference in rent between areas.
@Daarrzzetbum I really dislike you now. That easily 500k now... It's crazy how much prices have increased
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