Possibly moving to Bedfordshire or Hertfordshire. Area advice/info please!

I'm currently living in London but there is a high possibility that I will be moving a bit north soon since the BF seems likely to get a job in Dunstable. I'm just wondering a bit about the area. I'll need to be able to commute to London, so we want to live near the thameslink line, but we're not too thrilled about Luton. We're currently considering St Albans and Harpenden but are open to other suggestions.

My main questions are:

• Is there much to do in the area? We're both in our early twenties and aren't in need of a crazy night life, but we don't want to be bored.
• Are these places easy to live in without a car?
• Are there many shops/restaurants/bars?
• Is it feasible to get a flat within a week of beginning a search?

Any info or advice you have on the areas would be great. Our lease at our current flat is up only a few days after his second interview, and we have temporary accommodation lined up for only two weeks afterwards. So we're a bit concerned about not having much time to really look around the area before needing to move!

I've never been to either, but my brother-in-law and his fiance just moved to St Albans and had pretty much all of the requirements you listed and both really love it.  They both commute into London and and find it much easier than their previous commute (Cambridge to London). 

I've never been to either, but my brother-in-law and his fiance just moved to St Albans and had pretty much all of the requirements you listed and both really love it.  They both commute into London and and find it much easier than their previous commute (Cambridge to London). 

That's a good sign. Thanks! 

Hi Elle,
I live in Welwyn Garden City which is about 10 minutes away from St. Albans. I love St. Albans!! It is beautiful! There are tons of restaurants and the shopping is good. Also, there is the "oldest church and pub" in England. There is also a really lovely park with a stream and it is very safe. I've commuted to London from there before and it is soooo easy and quick. I also like WGC, it is lovely. I haven't been to Harpenden but I hear it's a nice area. There are a few other UKY-ers that live in the area as well. Good luck on the move/decision and let us know if you do move so we can meet up!

Hi Elle,
I live in Welwyn Garden City which is about 10 minutes away from St. Albans. I love St. Albans!! It is beautiful! There are tons of restaurants and the shopping is good. Also, there is the "oldest church and pub" in England. There is also a really lovely park with a stream and it is very safe. I've commuted to London from there before and it is soooo easy and quick. I also like WGC, it is lovely. I haven't been to Harpenden but I hear it's a nice area. There are a few other UKY-ers that live in the area as well. Good luck on the move/decision and let us know if you do move so we can meet up!

Oooh, thanks! I'm beginning to look forward to moving there, which isn't exactly a good thing since it's still not certain. 

While I love London, sometimes I just need to get away from the city for a bit. And the crazy thing is that the commute from my current place in London compared to a commute from St Albans really isn't a significant time difference. It's frustrating how being only a few miles away somehow results in taking almost an hour to get somewhere!

I'll definitely be in touch if I move to the area. Always nice to meet a few more americans! 

Hiya

St Albans is generally considered to be very nice indeed, quite alot like many towns just on the outskirts of outer London - very close to pop into the business of the city and far enough to go just 5 mins out and you're in countryside, a very nice balance and pretty much the same all the way aound all of London.

The smaller towns and villages around Dunstable are also very nice indeed, very easy to get to although perhaps the need for a car is slightly greater than perhaps St Albans, not necessarily a bad thing - I do know small places like Tring are small and cosy for weekday hangouts to be local and London is just 30-45 mins or so away (depends on how fast you drive!)

As you say mid 20's then I'd suggest St Albans, but also check out just outside of Hatfield, Potters bar etc

Cheers, DtM! West London & Slough UK!

Thanks, Dennis! 

It's sounding like St Albans will be a good place for us. I'm heading up next week to have a look around! 

We lived in Leighton Buzzard for a while. Nice market town but not much shops-wise.  Easy to get bus or train from the high street to Milton Keynes for shopping.  Trains to London Euston maybe a 45-50 min journey.  Fab Thai restauraunt and the library has a theater that shows films a few months after release.