Caversham has given us space, countryside and community

Beth and Andy moved to Caversham from London recently. Here they explain why Caversham was a good fit for what they were looking for.

When we reached the point of wanting to buy a property, we came to the decision that leaving London was the only option if we wanted to afford something bigger than a shoe box. For us, choosing where to move was challenging as we had a relatively extensive list of non-negotiables, this included:

• Keeping our jobs in London and maintaining a reasonable commute time.
• Taking the opportunity of leaving the city to have better access to the countryside as we both love cycling, walking, and running.
• Retaining the ease and social aspects of city living - being walking distance to pubs, restaurants, shops, and good transport links.

After spending time in Caversham, we realised that it could well be possible to meet all our criteria.

What is important to us is that Caversham has independents (not just chains) and unlike London - people speak to one another here! It has great restaurants, special mention to Clays which we love, good pubs – The Fox and Hound which we enjoy for its choice of independent beers that frequently rotate. As well as bars, gyms, gift shops and coffee shops all being available on the high street. A short dash up the road and you are in the rolling countryside, or twenty-three minutes on the train and you are back in Paddington. It is a bonus that the commute to Reading Station is a lovely walk through the park alongside the river.

By moving to Caversham, we don’t feel like we’ve had to sacrifice the things that we loved about living in London, but instead we have gained space, access to countryside and a feeling of community.

More about Caversham

Caversham is a northern area of Reading on the north bank of the River Thames at the beginning of the Chilterns. Across the river from Reading town centre, Caversham has its own identity and a real local community feel.