Wahay - Moving to Brissle...

[GMS 500]

Greetings Brissle Contingent,

I'm coming up to Bristol in early December for a 6 month secondment from work. Looking forwards to getting involved in some of those meets & curry nights!


Could actually do with a bit of help with an introduction to the city. If anyone can get in touch and suggest decent areas for renting in a flat/house share etc, it would be much appreciated...

I'll be working in Abbey Wood and so will probably be looking to stay that side of the city. I don't want to pay through the roof but areas where I don't have to worry about the motor would definately be a bonus!

Lodging could be another option (even with a PH'er) - stranger coincidences have happened!

All advice you can offer is a bonus, I'll be coming up to start my research this weekend! Cheers in advance.

See you soon

Graham

[ewenm]

Got a contract with the MoD? I contract at MoD in Bath.

The Clifton/Downs area is nice in Bristol and at least you'll be heading out of the city in the morning for a commute.

[bobthemonkey]

Clifton would be my suggestion as well - Pembroke road seems to have a good selection of decent flats up for lease at any one time.
Castle Combe is just up the road for racing. Bath is nice to take the girlfriend, although I'd guess Ensliegh and Foxhill(DLO) will become more familar than the nicer parts of Bath. Excellent cider in the Corrie Tap in Clifton - ask for 'Exhibition' it comes by the half-pint only to give you an idea of how strong it is.

Edited by bobthemonkey on Tuesday 24th October 22:57

[A4-S-Line]

Stoke Park is a nice place, its right a few hundred metres from Abbey wood and the crime rate is low

Another good area near to Abbey Wood is Emersons Green, take a look at Rightmove.co.uk, there are plenty of houses/flats in those areas on there

[splodge s4]

bobthemonkey said:

Clifton would be my suggestion as well - Pembroke road

Edited by bobthemonkey on Tuesday 24th October 22:57

But safe parking? snapped wing mirrors by bored students.

[neil_cardiff]

splodge s4 said:

bobthemonkey said:

Clifton would be my suggestion as well - Pembroke road

Edited by bobthemonkey on Tuesday 24th October 22:57

But safe parking? snapped wing mirrors by bored students.

Ere Gary, when can we meet for a pint now I'm an easterner...?

[pdV6]

Plenty of rental opportunities that side of Bristol due to the large numbers of relatively new properties.

Really depends on what you want from your out-of-hours life; if you're intending to do as lot of pubbing / clubbing / socialising then Clifton, Redland, Cotham etc might be a better bet (and as been suggested, you'll be going against the traffic to get to AW for the most part).

[splodge s4]

neil_cardiff said:

splodge s4 said:

bobthemonkey said:

Clifton would be my suggestion as well - Pembroke road

Edited by bobthemonkey on Tuesday 24th October 22:57

But safe parking? snapped wing mirrors by bored students.

Ere Gary, when can we meet for a pint now I'm an easterner...?

Ah you've finally moved then, we need to take the bikes to hanham woods, I've not ridden for ages, we need to sort something out definately

[neil_cardiff]

splodge s4 said:

neil_cardiff said:

splodge s4 said:

bobthemonkey said:

Clifton would be my suggestion as well - Pembroke road

Edited by bobthemonkey on Tuesday 24th October 22:57

But safe parking? snapped wing mirrors by bored students.

Ere Gary, when can we meet for a pint now I'm an easterner...?

Ah you've finally moved then, we need to take the bikes to hanham woods, I've not ridden for ages, we need to sort something out definately

Pete and I were chatting bout this last night on our usual ride, and yes, we should give Hanham a go.

Trouble is, I've not moved in yet, but over the next few weeks will be doing so. Currently painting the house at the mo before we move in

[splodge s4]

I was reading on the Bristol Freeride forum the other day & apparantly part of the woods in Hanham where the best down hill tracks are is a nature reserve & some locals arnt happy with the bike trails & jumps, not sure if its as built up & slick as it once was, I've not been there for about 4 months. we need to have a look, with the Lock n weir 10 mins through the woods away we could also have a few jars... shouldn't we have been doing this in the summer!?

[TimmyArt]

I live on Pembroke Road and park the Chim outside..Parking in Clifon in generally not great but its free..

[GMS 500]

Cheers for the pointers guys.

Didn't make it up at the weekend afterall but will be doing so early next week. (Works paying for it this time!)

Short commute, good access to the bars/clubs/shops/motorway, safe parking, cheap - It's fair to say I'd like all of the above so will no doubt have to compromise.

I'll probably just bring the van up initially till I either gain confidence in the new found area or I find a garage etc.

Whats the commute like from Clifton to Abbey Wood?

[pdV6]

GMS 500 said:

Whats the commute like from Clifton to Abbey Wood?

Not brilliant but not too bad.

Basically you either need to get across the centre and then up the M32 or alternatively head through Horfield or Southmead. Horfield/Filton's probably the best bet, as otherwise you may get caught in the RollsRoyce/BAe traffic.

The other possibility is the train - does anyone know if the line through Clifton / Redland hits the Abbey Wood station?

[mg511]

pdV6 said:

GMS 500 said:

Whats the commute like from Clifton to Abbey Wood?

Not brilliant but not too bad.

Basically you either need to get across the centre and then up the M32 or alternatively head through Horfield or Southmead. Horfield/Filton's probably the best bet, as otherwise you may get caught in the RollsRoyce/BAe traffic.

The other possibility is the train - does anyone know if the line through Clifton / Redland hits the Abbey Wood station?

It doesn't, you'd need to change at Temple Meads. Trains from Clifton/Redland are very infrequent so it could be a long journey, waiting for a connection. Keynsham trains stop at Abbey Wood, but Keynsham may be too far out of Bristol for your socialising as we don't have any clubs here and it is more of a 'families' area. I lived in Clifton and Redland before moving out to Keynsham, either area would meet most of your criteria though you'd most likely have to park on the street and car crime is a problem, saw plenty of VW/Audi/BMW/Merc up on bricks with missing wheels when I lived there a couple of years ago. If you want any info on Keynsham (midway between Bristol and Bath) let me know.

[pdV6]

mg511 said:

It doesn't, you'd need to change at Temple Meads. Trains from Clifton/Redland are very infrequent so it could be a long journey, waiting for a connection.

Somehow I didn't think it would be that easy. BCC seem to delight in blaming cars for everything but reluctant to offer alternatives.

[yertis]

pdV6 said:

GMS 500 said:

Whats the commute like from Clifton to Abbey Wood?

Not brilliant but not too bad.

Basically you either need to get across the centre and then up the M32 or alternatively head through Horfield or Southmead. Horfield/Filton's probably the best bet, as otherwise you may get caught in the RollsRoyce/BAe traffic.

The other possibility is the train - does anyone know if the line through Clifton / Redland hits the Abbey Wood station?

Filton Avenue in the morning and at going-home time is a total nightmare, one of the many reasons I left Horfield and I didn't even work at Abbey Wood. The only guaranteed quick way to get to/from Abbey Wood is by bicycle.

[gms 500]

I'm making progress...

A friend of a mate has offered me a lodging in Kingswood. The price is good and there's a space in his double garage next to his Ducati !

(Asking questions for the last I promise!)
How painful is the journey to work/town from kingswood. Nice area etc?

Cheers

[Piglet]

Nasty commute unless you can start work very early (7.30am) and finish before 4pm....

I used to do Warmley to HP (next door to MoD) 7 0r 8 years ago before most of Emerson's green etc was built and it was a nightmare then, it's only got worse since then!

I wouldn't have thought Kingswood ticked many of your boxes? You'd be better off in Clifton/Redland or even Henleaze/Westbury-on-Trym I'd have thought?

[mg511]

Kingswood is just off the ringroad so it's a straightforward journey to Abbey Wood, but I expect it'll be slow progress. One of the problems will be the stupid 'multi-occupancy' lane on the ring road, which is always empty while the other lane is nose to tail. You'd be travelling the same way as traffic heading for the M4 and M5 so mornings will be busy (going home should be better). As for Kingswood as an area, I've only been there twice, it's okay, quite a few pubs and shops to keep you busy. Ask as many questions as you like, I'm sure we're all happy to help as much as we can.

[splodge s4]

Kingswood is fine, its just a normal Bristol suburb... certainally a little cheaper than redland/clifton. Neil Cardiff has just moved down the road from there.