Where to live/avoid in Cambridge

[soprano]

Hi guys

Will be moving to Cambridge for work later this year and don't really know the area at all well. Am starting to consider where to live. I will be working about 5/10 minutes walk west of the city centre (towards the M11 if I have my compass a little mixed!) and ideally would like to be within walking distance (even 25/30 mins) of the city centre and work. Looking for a 1/2 bedroom flat/apartment. It seems rent will be between £600 and £900 pcm depending on size and location - is this a fair assessment of the local rental market?

Be great to hear your thoughts on where to live and where to avoid.

Cheers

[markCSC]

Avoid

Arbury
Milton
Mill Road (unless you like keebabs and students)

Most other places are OK but the west side is more expensive. If you are driving into the city it can be a total nighmare in the morning so live close or buy a moped!

If you want a view on any particular area/road PM me and I'll try and help.

Mark

[glamdring]

Trumpington is on the west side, 20 mins brisk walk to the centre. Great Shelford - not too much further. You could bike from there into the city within about 20 mins. If you're on that side then you're on the hospital side and driving there is a total no-no in the mornings unless you like sitting in traffic. Seriously - spend a few quid on a pushbike and a decent lock for it.

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/Great-...

Edited by glamdring on Tuesday 9th March 09:10

Edited by glamdring on Tuesday 9th March 09:11

[ukmastiff]

I dont know where you are used to living or how well you know Cambridge but how you find it will depend on where you are from of course. I hate cities and am a confirmed 'Hamlet Dweller' currently in N/E Herts. BUT I pesonally think that Cambridge has to be one of the nicest cities in the U.K. and if I quite like it then it must be good :P
In my opinion you are very lucky to be moving there.

Regards Mas

[BC007]

What's wrong with Milton? I'm Cambridge born and bred so have a good knowledge of the area. Milton is in a great location for all the amenities Cambridge has to offer. There's old and new housing. It has three pubs, shops, Tesco, community centre, country park, golf course with a thai restaurant, GP practice and a post office. There's also an indian, chinese and fish & chip take-aways. The river is a short walk away. Where else in Cambridge can boast all these within walking distance?. There's good access to the A14 and M11 too. I lived here since 1989 and have not been the victim of any crime. Yes, there's a sewage farm nearby and you can hear the A14 occasionally but neither have affected me. It's not perfect but weighing up facilities with location it's pretty hard to beat

BC

[v4nnm]

BC007 said:

What's wrong with Milton?

Oooh, I don't know ... what about the sewage plant that regularly stinks Milton out?

[Anatol]

Somewhere in the Barton Road region might suit, from your description.

[FunkyGibbon]

Anatol said:

Somewhere in the Barton Road region might suit, from your description.

Agreed.

This flat

for example fits your location and budget.

(I have nothing to do with the house or rightmove - just did a quick google to help0.

[Chris71]

ukmastiff said:

I pesonally think that Cambridge has to be one of the nicest cities in the U.K. and if I quite like it then it must be good :P

I've only been there once, but I was very impressed with the bits I saw. Seems like a really nice place.

[Blackpig2]

I Police mostly the outskirts and Barton area is nice, if you are biking then it opens it right up to the surrounding villages with half decent cycle paths. Plenty of rental opportunities allover as far as I know. Arbury is a lot nicer than it used to be a few years ago, and Milton road into the city is good. Nearer the A14 is a bit noisy and can smell a bit when the winds in the wrong direction....

[soprano]

Cheers for all of the advice guys - I am still here and trying to take it all in. Think its going to be a case of having a recce up there having looked at all of your suggestions, having a walk around and getting a feel for the place.

Keep them coming!

[GTIR]

Even Cambridge "rough" bits are ore that rough!

Arbury stil has a bad rap but its actually ok, compared to the rough bits in Hemel Hempstead its nice. for example.
Avoid Cherry Hinton, and anyway its east of the town so no good for you.

(I live in Newmarket by the way)

[PhatBob]

I was in a similar situation to yourself about 10years ago, and tried to find a room to rent before moving into the city.
Total failure!
I ended up staying in B&Bs, which I found to be well priced, and they give you the opportunity to see what's available for rent.

It is a bugger to get around in a car unless you don't mind arriving at work at 7:30

I ended up living outside Newmarket.

[soprano]

PhatBob said:

I was in a similar situation to yourself about 10years ago, and tried to find a room to rent before moving into the city.
Total failure!
I ended up staying in B&Bs, which I found to be well priced, and they give you the opportunity to see what's available for rent.

It is a bugger to get around in a car unless you don't mind arriving at work at 7:30

I ended up living outside Newmarket.

59 months and 1 post and its on my thread! I am quite honoured!

[soprano]

Back on topic anyway - can anyone tell me a bit more about Trumpington? Have been looking there as a possible area to live. What are local amenities like, closest supermarket etc, and time to walk/drive into Cambridge.

Any other useful information welcome.

Thanks

[8400rpm]

Trumpington is nice, fantastic Chinese restaurant there (Wok 'n' Grill).

[FunkyGibbon]

soprano said:

Back on topic anyway - can anyone tell me a bit more about Trumpington? Have been looking there as a possible area to live. What are local amenities like, closest supermarket etc, and time to walk/drive into Cambridge.

Any other useful information welcome.

Thanks

A few pubs, a little parade of shops, Waitrose is the closet supermarket, Noel Young fantastic wine shop.

Chinese restaurant at the Wok & Grill. Indian at the Volunteer.

On the Citi 7 bus route in to town, and also out of town to The Shelfords (more pubs, chinese and Indian, rugby club, train to London) on to Sawston (more pubs, cracking Chinese, couple of Indians, Budgens), all the way to Saffron Walden which is a nice little town.

Walking into town is 45 mins - depending where in Trumpington and where you want to end up (2.5 miles from Trumpinton to center of Cambridge. Driving is 5-10 mins to over an hour depending on traffic. Cycling would be your best bet - good cycle lanes.

HTH

[soprano]

FunkyGibbon said:

soprano said:

Back on topic anyway - can anyone tell me a bit more about Trumpington? Have been looking there as a possible area to live. What are local amenities like, closest supermarket etc, and time to walk/drive into Cambridge.

Any other useful information welcome.

Thanks

A few pubs, a little parade of shops, Waitrose is the closet supermarket, Noel Young fantastic wine shop.

Chinese restaurant at the Wok & Grill. Indian at the Volunteer.

On the Citi 7 bus route in to town, and also out of town to The Shelfords (more pubs, chinese and Indian, rugby club, train to London) on to Sawston (more pubs, cracking Chinese, couple of Indians, Budgens), all the way to Saffron Walden which is a nice little town.



Walking into town is 45 mins - depending where in Trumpington and where you want to end up (2.5 miles from Trumpinton to center of Cambridge. Driving is 5-10 mins to over an hour depending on traffic. Cycling would be your best bet - good cycle lanes.

HTH

Excellent - just the sort of information I was after, thanks very much! I've heard horror stories of traffic into Cambridge, is it really that bad? Does sound like it

Edited by soprano on Sunday 4th July 12:29

Edited by soprano on Sunday 4th July 12:30

[FunkyGibbon]

Traffic at times can be a nightmare. All the roads in meet at the ring road and there are a few key bottleneck areas. Mainly due to crossing the railway line or the river. It is quite easy for gridlock to occur - especially if there has been an accident on the A14, A428 or the M11. Which do occur far too frequently.

That said, Cambridge is a great place to live and easy to walk/cycle round.

[soprano]

Hi guys thanks for all your help so far

I am going to look at a property in Harston tomorrow, just south west of Cambridge. Can anyone tell me a bit about it? Nice place to live? Commute into Cambridge going to take me 2 hours a day?!

Thanks in advance