Basingstoke - surrounding villages

[Miguel Alvarez]

Puggit said:

Not compared to getting on the M4 from Caversham

Short of living in a tent in the Sainsbury's car park on Jct 12 getting to the M4 from anywhere in Reading is a nightmare.

[spikeyhead]

I spent 18 months living in Old Basing. I'm not saying it's dead but it's the only place I've ever known a 7-11 store close at 8pm every evening.

[ParanoidAndroid]

I live in Bramley and like it. Couple of good pubs near by although the one in Bramley itself isn't great, great access to M4/M3 and a train station so 10 mins into Basingstoke or 15 in to Reading then on to London. It's quiet but I quite like it that way.

[Happy82]

poru376289 said:

Places to avoid

South Ham - most of it
Popley - Popley 1,2,3 and 4
Brighton Hill - all of it
Buckskin - all of it and I'll add 'avoid like the plague'
Also avoid the yellow block of flats next to the railway station, and the development on the hill in close proximity to the railway station. Have heard that prostitution and drug dealing are rife in flats, and property is regularly vandalised.
Generally much nicer areas are
Chineham
Old Basing
Hatch Warren and the smaller villages around the outskirts such as Sherborne St John etc

Good luck!

This is pretty accurate IMO, we are in Beggarwood and find it quite pleasant although you will have to learn to love Chinooks the main downside is that the broadband is awful, 1MB is a rare sight, however BT will be providing Infinity from this month and are gradually upgrading the cabinets a plus point is that houses sell very quickly here, and they're not too expensive considering the location which is ideal for the M3

With regards to Brighton Hill, we were going to view a house there that looked perfect but after passing the telltale signs of a sthole( e.g vandalised name signs, obese mums in ill fitting benefits-grey track suits waddling with their filthy looking offspring, Asda etc) we decided to cancel, it is like a Jeremy Kyle Safari.

[okgo]

Got to agree with that first list.

And to the bloke who said about Winklebury...Have you ever been to that bit where the bike shop is? Its like something out of The Bill, its fking horrible.

The closest I'd live to Basingstoke would be down the Candover Valley road, but I suspect this may be more money than OP is looking to spend.

[schmalex]

Zelda Pinwheel said:

....getting onto the ring road/A33/M3 at J6 in the mornings is complete murder.

What poppycock.

I come through there from Kingsclere most mornings at rush hour and rarely does it take more than 5 minutes to queue from the A33 junction to the Black Dam roundabout (if, indeed, the traffic is backed up that far). Even if I have to run my lad into school at Sherfield on Loddon, it doesn't take that long, although there is often a big queue up that part of the 33 due to parents turning into the school.

If I were working in Southampton, I agree with other posters that he really wants to be aiming to be on the south side of Basingrad. Sadly, though, there are not that many nice areas in the town itself.

[GuyWMD]

That time in the morning getting onto the M3/going along the A33 isn't an issue. It's only really from 8/8.30 onwards that you'll start queueing. Even then from joining the A33 to getting onto the M3 it's only about 15 minutes at worst.

I'm in Bramley, and would certainly recommend it. Plus it's under a 10 min walk to the train station with access to Basingstoke or Reading which then opens up connections to either Waterloo or Paddington. Not tried any of the pubs in Bramley, but a few nice ones in the area or just go into Reading and you've got the train to bring you back.

[Nimby]

Kempshott (where I am) is OK, as is Oakley. South of the M3 gets very pricey as development is restricted.

[Russ T Bolt]

okgo said:

Got to agree with that first list.

And to the bloke who said about Winklebury...Have you ever been to that bit where the bike shop is? Its like something out of The Bill, its fking horrible.

The closest I'd live to Basingstoke would be down the Candover Valley road, but I suspect this may be more money than OP is looking to spend.

You need to read what I said. Yes I have been there, I grew up in the area.

[dotty]

Puggit said:

Sherfield is nice, really quite sleepy - same can be said for Mortimer and Bramley. Tadley is much bigger, and offers a few amenities as a result. Mortimer and Bramley benefit from stations, however.

There was quite a long thread recently...

The bakery next to Bramley station does epic breakfast rolls.