Yeehlow

London is beautiful. At the same time, though, it can get extremely chaotic and the risk of being stuck in a traffic jam or in endless queues at the tube station at rush hours are pretty high. If you prefer quieter places and calmer vibes, consider renting in an area just outside the capital, but which still allows you to commute there in less than an hour!

Yeehlow created a list of spots to take into account when thinking about moving out of town.

Spelthorne, Surrey

Homes and Property states that 67% of Spelthorne’s houses are rented or sold to London commuters, since travelling time to Victoria Station is about 1h15 with public transports. Furthermore, Spelthorne is perfect for people who fly a lot: it’s only 20 minutes far from Heathrow Airport!

Northampton, Northamptonshire

The city of Northampton is perfect for families or workers who enjoy a more friendly vibe but still want to have the possibility of reaching London whenever they need to. Northampton lies on the River Nene, about 60 miles (97 km) north-west of London and 45 miles (72 km) south-east of Birmingham. Commuting time to the capital city is just 1 hour thanks to the West Midland Train service which links Northampton to Euston Station. Birmingham is about 1 hour away as well. Furthermore, the city offers every kind of service, included a well know university.

Broxbourne, Essex

Broxbourne is located in the north-east outskirt of London. It’s the perfect compromise for leaving behind the crowd of the city while, still, being able to get back to it in less than 30 minutes — the Greater Anglia service connects Broxbourne to Liverpool Street Station in 28 minutes!

Broxbourne is located in the beautiful Hertfordshire countryside, and it offers a wide variety of open-air activities for children and adults.

Reading, Berkshire

Reading is an historic university town located 64 km far from London and just 39 km from Oxford. An important ecclesiastical centre in the Middle Age, today the city is a major commercial centre which hosts the University of Reading and the Reading Festival, one of England’s biggest music festivals. The Great Western Railway gets you to London Paddington in less than 30 minutes.

Luton, Bedforshire

Mostly known for its airport, the town of Luton is only 50km away from London city centre. During the last couple of years Luton went through a fixing process which gave new life to the borough, and today it hosts many renowned schools for kids. Both Victoria Station and Liverpool Street Station are reachable in 40 minutes with public transports.

Brighton, Sussex

Brighton needs no introduction. A lovely town on the southern coast, it offers everything you may need and more: fun, shops schools and every kind of facility. It has quickly become one of the most thrilling cities in Britain and it’s definitely the place to be in the summer period. Plus, there is a direct, fast train service to Victoria Station and Gatwick Airport!

Peterborough, Cambridgeshire

Peterborough is a nice cathedral city in Cambridgeshire, about 120km north of London. Nonetheless, it’s well linked to the capital city by the London North Eastern Railway which can take you to King’s Cross – St. Pancras Station in about 50 minutes. To escape from the crowd Peterborough offers the amazing Nene Park, where you’ll be able to relax by the river or to sunbathe in one of its small lakes.

Lindfield, West Sussex

The lovely village of Lindfield is located just in between London and Brighton: what more to ask for? Lindfield offers a quiet and relaxed atmosphere both to its citizens and to visitors and it has been named “the best kept village in Sussex.” WestSussex.info claims that “there are plenty of attractive building still preserved in the village. Old Place is a small Elizabethan gabled house, Thatched Cottage is a very attractive cottage.. and the village pond is just about perfect.”

Rugby, Warwickshire

Close to the River Avon, Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire. It offers plenty of historic buildings and green spaces where to spend lazy after-work afternoons and lovely weekends. Euston Station (London) is about an hour away with the West Midlands Train service.

Bray, Berkshire

Located in the west of London, Bray is a pretty town and civil parish on the Thames. Although fast trains services links it to Paddington Station in 1 hour, Bray maintains that old vibe and quiet feeling we long for after spending too much time in London.

Photo: Countrylife.co.uk