Anyone live in Buckinghamshire? Whats the horse scene like?

Natch

Natch

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As title really. Am considering moving, but don't know the first thing about the county. Is it expensive to live there? What's the hacking like? Any suggestions for nice places to live?

Thanks :)
 
There are some lovely rural parts of bucks, and some less rural parts. It really does matter where abouts in bucks you are looking to move to.
 
I had the good fortune to work in rural Bucks, near Stokenchurch, in the Chilterns. I absolutely loved it, but it was fairly expensive even though I had no rent/mortgage, but someone else will know that better. Lots of famous neighbours. I am a bit of a foodie and the produce available down there is very different to the stuff in your average Cheshire grocer. The Chilterns are fabulous for riding, no roadwork to speak of, masses of bridleways. I took my horse and worked with hunters in winter and sheep in (a very hot) Summer which helped me get over a marriage split. The wildlife is much better than Cheshire too....but watch out for deer jumping through the undergrowth suddenly.:eek:

Personally, though, if I won the lottery, I would rather buy a place in Cheshire!:D
 
Naturally said:
Oh yeah, the location would help!

High Wycombe/Aylesbury sort of way.
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I live near high Wycombe and there are parts that are very rural, with great hacking and sponsored rides nearby. There are lots of yards to choose from but the good ones tends to be full so good idea to come down, check them out and put your name down if you find something you like :)
 
Thanks for all the replies, keep them coming if there are any more!

Equinus said:
I had the good fortune to work in rural Bucks, near Stokenchurch, in the Chilterns. I absolutely loved it, but it was fairly expensive even though I had no rent/mortgage, but someone else will know that better. Lots of famous neighbours. I am a bit of a foodie and the produce available down there is very different to the stuff in your average Cheshire grocer. The Chilterns are fabulous for riding, no roadwork to speak of, masses of bridleways. I took my horse and worked with hunters in winter and sheep in (a very hot) Summer which helped me get over a marriage split. The wildlife is much better than Cheshire too....but watch out for deer jumping through the undergrowth suddenly.:eek:

Personally, though, if I won the lottery, I would rather buy a place in Cheshire!:D
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Some questions for you then. 1) what counts as the chilterns, and what do you mean about the food?! :D

Footlights said:
I live near high Wycombe and there are parts that are very rural, with great hacking and sponsored rides nearby. There are lots of yards to choose from but the good ones tends to be full so good idea to come down, check them out and put your name down if you find something you like :)
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Thanks :) I probably wouldn't be bringing a horse (but there is a possibility) but sooner or later I will want to buy again, hence asking.

What are people like in that part of the world? I currently live in a large village and everybody knows you, everybody will chat to you, etc - although everybody thinks they know your business too, as you can imagine :rolleyes: Still, I've also lived in cities which were nice like that, and I'd like to stay in the same sort of environment I guess.
 
It's hard to say, there are a lot of towns and villages between high Wycombe and aylesbury - it is about an hours drive between the two! There are some villages though where I am sure everyone knows each other and it's very friendly. Probably best to have a look around and see what takes your fancy!
 
Naturally said:
Oh yeah, the location would help!

High Wycombe/Aylesbury sort of way.
Click to expand...


It's a long time ago

BUT I spent a year in High Wycombe at college

and I wouldn't go back if you paid me (sorry if that offends any-one). There is some beautiful countryside.

ETA I used to catch the same bus at the same time every day. There were about 8 people who caught the same bus, only 2 of us ever spoke to each other - the other lady was Scottish!
 
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High Wycombe centre is horrible, but the surrounding towns and villages are lovely, especially going out towards princes risborough and speen
 
Literally step over the border in to South Northamptonshire and you will get more house for your money or a lower rent

When my employers relocated me to work in Bedfordshire I took the option of moving a little further northwards to get a better house and bigger garden for my money, I did an awful lot of driving around the neighbouring counties shortlisting villages and houses before settling on a village not far from Towcester.
 
Aylesbury itself is not a very happy place. My sister went to school there and always called it the town that never smiles.

On the up side RAF Halton sponsored ride and Ashridge forest (get a permit and there is lovely riding) are near by. TC Feeds/Tack Haven in Kensworth is better than the Wynnstays I now shop in.

If possible, try to sneak over into Hertfordshire to a village called Aldbury, the Dancer's End area of Tring or Wiggington.
 
This might be of help.
http://www.chilternsaonb.org/

The food thing....it's just that being close to London you have a wide mix of cultures so shops stock more exotic foods, great if that is an interest.

Used to use High Wycombe for supermarket shopping, either Sainsbury's in town, or the out of town retail park. Have to admit I never went into big towns as I hate them, enjoyed small towns like Wallingford and Thame over the border in Oxfordshire.

Friendliness of villages. Hmm, found them a bit stand-offish, but the residents were made up of a lot of professional commuters, retired MPs, authors and private millionaires. The ones I met through the people I worked for were not too bad, and a lot of them were very well known. But generally, with a couple of exceptions (horse lovers) it was quite lonely.
 
I live in a little village called Ashley Green on the Herts/Bucks border between Chesham (Bucks) and Berkhamsted (Herts), it is quite expensive, but in return it's beautiful, very green, lots of trees and bridle paths as well as decent feed merchants etc.... I moved here from East Kent a few months ago and definitely prefer it horsey wise, much more space between the towns and much greener with more good off road hacking.
 
High Wycombe is very much a commuter town. Traffic is heaviest out of town in the morning, and into town at night. Many people commute to London, and others to other parts of the southeast. Helps that it's right on the M40 - jct 3 at one end and jct 4 at the other. It's cheaper than the actual outskirts of London, and not that far travel-wise. To live in, it's very commuter-ish. Like any other town there are parts you'd never live in, and parts that are quite nice. We have our horses out towards one of the nearby smaller towns, and there we know all our neighbours, who are lovely people. Where we actually live, everyone is nice when you see them, but you can go weeks without seeing anyone else to talk to. Amenities are good - reasonable shopping centre in town, choice of supermarkets, cinema in and out of town, lots of restaurants of all types etc.

Aylesbury isn't that nice - I prefer Wycombe (but then I'm used to the southeast so this feels fairly rural lol). My grandfather lived in one of the villages on the outskirts and it wasn't too bad out there, so with both towns you want to tend towards the edge. There are lots of villages between the two, but most of these will be largeish and mostly made up of commuters who travel elsewhere to work. Not many places left in this part of the country where everyone in a village knows every detail about everyone else's lives!
 
I live in one of the small villages between Wycombe and Princes Risborough - high up in the Chilterns. Have been here for six years now and have found it to be very friendly. Once people found out I was 'horsey' I got offered lots of riding and have made some lovely friends.

There are also some super yards round here - with almost limitless off-road hacking. I really wish I had moved here in my youth because the riding is sooo much better.

Obvious downside though is that house prices are above average - especially for something with enough land for horses.
 
I live in between aldbury and Wiggington which already been mentioned, they are in Herts tho, of the two I would recommend Aldbury due to the fact it's not quite as spread out as Wiggington, and still has a village shop and two pubs! I would say that some Of the villages are lovely and friendly, but others not quite as much, have a good luck around, the traveling is quite easy, especially once you learn some of the back ways, I could recommend some very nice villages Inbetween HW and Aylesbury as hunt around there and travel round there a far bit, personally I wouldn't love in either of the towns, but then I hate towns anyway. :)
 
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