Britain’s 20 WFH hotspots: Too far to commute every day, these beautiful villages boast super-fast connections, great pubs and a country lifestyle… all for MUCH less than the big city
The days when people moving from the city bought up isolated small holdings to live the ‘good life’ disappeared with Covid. Today’s relocators have different criteria.
They are quite likely to be working from home, and a gastro pub, attractive scenery, friendly community, fast wi-fi and reasonable proximity to a town or city are on their wish lists.
We’ve consulted property experts and estate agents across the country, and analysed house prices, connectivity, and access to the beautiful countryside, to bring you the best locations in the UK to relocate and work from home.
Each location offers a different type of living, whether you’re after a rural village on the coast or a glamorous celebrity hangout. Here’s our ultimate guide to Britain’s top 20 WFH hotspots.
Ogmore-by-sea, Vale of Glamorgan
The tufty, sheep-bitten grass and pretty pub The Watermill, below, make this a scenic destination
A walk along the tufty, sheep-bitten grass overlooking this stretch of Glamorgan’s Heritage Coast is sure to blow away the city cobwebs. Yet Ogmore is more than a weekend resort, it’s a real year-round community. There is a pretty pub, The Watermill, a very jolly general store, selling most daily necessities and, for more specialised items Cowbridge, with its boutiques and excellent bookshop is only 9 miles away.
Average house price: £468,500
Connectivity: Ultrafast available. Four miles to Bridgend for trains to London and the M4, from where it’s 24 miles to Cardiff.
Food and drink: Try The Watermill for traditional English pub food and Surf Shack Bay for their pizzas.
What makes it special: The late poet, Dannie Abse waxed lyrical over Ogmore’s ‘chemical sunsets’. He was not wrong.
Laugharne, Carmarthen
Dylan Thomas’s grave and his famous Boat House, below, overlooking the estuary of Carmarthen Bay
Everywhere in Laugharne there are reminders of the poet, Dylan Thomas, from his local boozer, Browns Hotel to his famous Boat House overlooking the estuary of Carmarthen Bay. Although today’s Laugharne is gentrified, the main housing stock still comprises cottages and imposing Georgian houses. As in Thomas’s day, the coastal town retains its cast of delightful eccentrics too, as anyone visiting their Laugharne Weekend festival will testify.
Average house price: £380,000.
Connectivity: Superfast available but not ultrafast. It’s 15-minutes to Carmarthen where there are trains to Swansea and a direct service to London Paddington.
Food and drink: Classic fish and chips at Castleview. Dexters offers a blast of bistro sophistication.
What makes it special: History on the coast
Llangynidr, Breconshire
At the side of the stone road bridge, you will find Llangynidr, a haven for walkers
In the heart of the Brecon Beacons, between Brecon and Crickhowell, at the side of the stone road bridge, you will find Llangynidr. It is only a small village, yet as well as the Usk, the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal flows through it, making it a haven for walkers. You’ll receive a warm welcome from the locals in The Red Lion pub, the hub of the village. If Wales rugby matches are being televised you may even get to share their bacon rolls.
Average house price: £459,000
Connectivity: Superfast available but not ultrafast. It is 28 miles to Newport, from where trains get into London Paddington in 1 hour 34 minutes.
Food and drink: The Red Lion’s new chef cooks good, old school pub food. The Coach and Horses ring the changes with tapas nights and The Walnut Tree café is an unpretentious little gem.
What makes it special: The friendly welcome in the hill-side.
Grosmont, Monmouthshire
The traditional village centre of cottages and Georgian and Victorian town houses is itself a conservation area. Yet Grosmont is no living museum
The travel writer Jan Morris described Grosmont as ‘the most beautiful village in Britain’ and you can see why. The traditional village centre of cottages and Georgian and Victorian town houses is itself a conservation area. Yet this is no living museum. The Angel is the hub of the community, putting on events ranging from quiz nights to chess tournaments and music gigs.
Average house price: £382,500
Connectivity: Superfast available but not ultrafast. Cheltenham is 50 miles to the east and Cardiff is the same distance west.
Food and drink: This area is awash with foodies. The Angel Inn in the centre of the village is widely renowned; the chef, Joseph Colman, at The Bell at Skenfrith, five miles away, has been selected for the Michelin Guide. The Walnut Tree twelve miles away is legendary.
What makes it special: Gourmet paradise among the mountains.
Tisbury, Wiltshire
Where else has a main street with a Beckford Bottle Shop (the poshest offie in the world), below
Popular with senior army officers based on Salisbury Plain, Tisbury oozes exclusivity. Where else has a main street with a Beckford Bottle Shop (the poshest offie in the world) and an independent delicatessen, fishmonger and tea room? It is strong on culture too, with a thriving arts centre about to put on Shakespeare in the summer evenings.
Average house price: £441,000
Connectivity: Superfast available but not ultrafast. The A3030 and the A30 are 10minutes away and there is a direct train service to Waterloo taking 1hr 50 minutes.
Food and drink: Try The Beckford Arms for the sea bass, brought up daily from Cornwall. The Pythouse Kitchen Garden is an 18th Century walled garden restaurant serving meals one writer described as ‘indescribably beautiful’. And he’s usually quite snarky.
What makes it special: A village that has everything.
Great Tew, North Oxfordshire
Great Tew boasts thatched cottages and Cornbury Music Festival (below) is regularly attended by David and Samantha Cameron
Thanks to the unspeakably hip private members’ club Soho Farmhouse this is the place for the great and the good to be seen. Handily located for Banbury and London, with proper countryside nearby, Cornbury Music Festival is regularly attended by David and Samantha Cameron. Prince Harry was frequently seen here before he went into exile.
Average house price: £791,000
Connectivity: Ultrafast available. A 15-minute drive to Banbury station, which has trains into London Marylebone in 55 minutes, and Junction 10 of the M40.
Food and drink: Quince and Clover claims to be the best café in the Cotswolds and they may be right. Serving their own in-house ice cream, a greasy spoon it is not. The Falkland Arms is every American tourist’s idea of what an English pub should be.
What makes it special: Famous faces in public places
Kingham, Oxfordshire
The annual Big Festival, is held at the farm of Blur bass player and cheese maker Alex James. The Wild Rabbit (below) has a Michelin star
This is the stomping ground of the smart Cotswold set who meet up in the Michelin-starred pubs, Daylesford farm-shop or the annual Big Festival, held at the farm of Blur bass player and cheese maker Alex James. Set in the Evenlode Valley this is great walking territory: an ideal way to de-stress before catching the train back to Kensington.
Average house price: £1,127,000
Connectivity: Ultrafast available. Four miles southwest of Chipping Norton, the train service from Kingham into London Paddington takes 1hr 17 minutes.
Food and drink: Where to start? The Kingham Plough has 3 AA rosettes and The Wild Rabbit has a Michelin star (justified by your scallop being ‘hand-dived’ and garnished with nasturtium?). Keep an eye out for the Beckhams in Daylesford Organic.
What makes it special: Superstar central.
Overton, Hampshire
Young incomers are attracted by the good communications and the proximity of great walks on White Hill
With its broad high street and good selection of shops, Overton has the feel of a town in miniature. There has been an influx of young incomers recently, attracted by the good communications and the proximity of great walks on White Hill, the model for Watership Down. Don’t mention neighbouring Whitchurch to old-timers – the villages have been bickering for centuries.
Average house price: £477,000
Connectivity: Superfast available but not ultrafast. It is 4 miles from the M3 at North Waltham and the train service into London Waterloo takes under an hour. You have a good chance of getting a seat before Basingstoke.
Food and drink: Sample the warm welcome in the pretty Red Lion, which also offers good pub food a few times a week. Amore (Italian) and Redfort (Indian) are both worth visiting.
What makes it special: Small town vibe; big village welcome.
Shere, Surrey
With its cafes and historic church, little wonder film producers chose to shoot The Holiday starring Cameron Diaz (below) in Shere
A national survey in 2023 declared Shere ‘one of the coolest places to live’. It has everything for country life – village shop, boutiques, cafes, historic church, good local school and gentle stream with ducks. Little wonder film producers chose to shoot The Holiday starring Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet there.
Average house price: £886,000.
Connectivity: Superfast available but not ultrafast. Shere is 6 miles to Guildford and about 40 miles to the coast at Brighton.
Food and drink: Kinghams has 2 AA rosettes, while The White Horse prides itself on its classic pub food. The Dabbling Duck and Hilly’s Tea shop are great pitstops
What makes it special: Picture perfect village
Finchingfield, Essex
Finchingfield is an hour from London, within easy reach of the A12 and M11 said to be the most photographed village in England
It is said to be the most photographed village in England and it’s easy to see why – whitewashed cottages, an 18th century windmill and a village green with white fences. The Guildhall is the social hub of the village, hosting everything from summer fetes to dance classes. What’s not to like, except the crowds of sightseers on summer weekends?
Average house price: £718,000
Connectivity: Superfast available but not ultrafast. Finchingfield is an hour from London within easy reach of the A12 and M11.
Food and drink: The Fox on the Green, overlooking the duck pond, do good pub grub and the Finchingfield Lion’s pizzas are a speciality.
What makes it special: Classic English village.
Aldborough, North Norfolk
Who needs more? A large village green, a pond and a cricket pitch surrounded by red brick houses
Handily placed for the coast but away from the property hotspots of Burnham Market and Blakeney, Aldborough has a large village green, a pond and a cricket pitch surrounded by red brick houses, with a friendly pub, shop and post office. Who needs more?
Average house price: £587,500
Connectivity: Superfast available but not ultrafast. It’s around a 70 minute drive into London. Norwich is around 35 minutes.
Food and drink: The Cricketers on the Green is known for its good value, home-cooked food.
What makes it special: Village life at a reasonable price.
East Prawle, Devon
Not only does this village have breathtaking views but the Boomtown Rats and Damon Albarn have all played in the local pub
The most southerly point in Devon is a well-kept secret. Not only does this pretty village have breathtaking views and a coastline peppered with coves and tiny beaches, in The Pig’s Nose Inn you may well catch a top band. The Boomtown Rats, Damon Albarn and Atomic Kitten have all played the pub’s venue room.
Average house price: £637,500
Connectivity: Superfast available but not ultrafast. Situated in the South Hams, it is 40 minutes to Totnes, from where trains to Bristol take 1hr 34 minutes.
Food and drink: The Pigs Nose boasts a chef who learned his craft in the Savoy.
What makes it special: Coastal delight
Amberley, West Sussex
Situated at the heart of the South Downs in an area of outstanding natural beauty, Amberley is a collection of flint walled, thatched cottages, alongside a castle, a church and an 800 acre nature reserve. Eerily quiet, it is a haven for wildlife.
Average house price: £560,000
Connectivity: Ultrafast is available. Amberley is 4 miles from Arundel. It has a train service to Portsmouth and London
Food and drink: The Bridge Inn does good food in a lovely setting on the banks of the River Arun.
What makes it special: Wildlife on your doorstep.
Grantchester, Cambridgeshire
Students punt down the Cam while the less academic visitors try to rubber-neck into the grounds of the Old Vicarage
Students punt down the Cam to have afternoon tea at The Orchard where Rupert Brooke had deep discussions with Virginia Woolf and E.M. Forster. The less academic visitors try to rubber-neck into the grounds of the Old Vicarage, where Jeffrey and Mary Archer live. There are lots of good pubs which may explain why the village has the highest concentration of Nobel Prize Winners in the world. Or perhaps not.
Average house price: £950,000
Connectivity: Ultrafast available. Grantchester is 2 miles south of Cambridge.
Food and drink: The Blue Ball is a proper, traditional pub while Vera The Green Man veers towards the ‘cheffy’
What makes it special: Tranquil village on the river
Lavenham, Suffolk
Lavenham is one of the best-preserved Medieval villages in England with its tiny streets and timber framed houses and Tudor halls
Nestled in the heart of Suffolk, surrounded by ancient woodland and rolling countryside, Lavenham is one of the best-preserved Medieval villages in England. With its tiny streets, timber framed houses and Tudor halls, this is where Lord Lloyd Webber came as a young man, planning to commit suicide. He was so taken with Lavenham’s beauty that he changed his mind.
Average house price: £464,000
Connectivity: Superfast available but not ultrafast. It is on the A1141 in Suffolk, 5 miles north-east of Sudbury.
Food and drink: The Coach House offers pub classics. Tatum’s Teahouse is noted for its cakes and scones.
What makes it special: Medieval splendour.
Bishop Wilton, Yorkshire
A shallow beck runs through the centre of Bishop Wilton which the local children love to paddle in
Bishop Wilton is considered one of the prettiest villages in East Yorkshire. A shallow beck runs through the centre which the local children love to paddle in and despite having a population of only 359 it manages to support a pub, primary school and a traditional annual agricultural show. Really though it is hikers who are most attracted to Bishop Wilton, The Wolds Way passing close by.
Average house price: £477,000
Connectivity: Ultrafast available. It is 25 minutes to York.
Food and drink: The Fleece is a no-frills pub with a wide-ranging menu.
What makes it special: One for the walkers.
Alnmouth, Northumberland
There is lots to do in Alnmouth from bird watching in the sand dunes to golf at the 4th oldest golf club in Britain
You know when you are getting into Alnmouth by train when you spot its brightly coloured houses overlooking the River Aln. There is lots to do, from bird watching in the sand dunes to walking the Northumberland Coast Path or golf at the 4th oldest golf club in Britain. Alnworth Bay never loses its blustery charm and Alnworth High Street has a good selection of coffee shops, pubs and gift shops.
Average house price: £404,000
Connectivity: Ultrafast available. It is 4 miles east of Ainwick, about 40 minutes from Newcastle.
Food and drink: The Red Lion’s speciality is wood-fired pizzas. The Whittling House serves more ambitious dishes such as pan-seared monkfish.
What makes it special: History and higgledy-piggledy charm.
Cartmel, Cumbria
A pretty village, steeped in history, Cartmel, just outside the Lake District punches well above its weight
Just outside the Lake District and near the coast at Morecambe Bay, Cartmel is a little village punching well above its weight. Despite having only 300 full-time residents The Cartmel Racecourse has the third highest attendance of any jump track in Britain, attracting crowds of 20,000 some days. It also hosts the prestigious Cartmel Agricultural Show and puts on music concerts headlined by the likes of Simply Red and Jules Holland. A pretty village, steeped in history, the The Priory Hotel is one major attraction. Their renowned Sticky Toffee Pudding is another.
Average house price: £534,000
Connectivity: Superfast available but not ultrafast. It is on the southern edge of the Lake District, 90 minutes from Manchester.
Food and drink: You will need to book early to get a table at Simon Rogan’s L’enclume. The Pug and Whistle would make a good substitute if they are full.
What makes it special: Food glorious food.
Great Budworth, Cheshire
The chocolate box Cheshire village appears frozen in time with buildings that date back to the 17th Century
The chocolate box Cheshire village appears frozen in time, which explains why so many historical dramas are shot there, including War of the Worlds (2019). The locals still talk about the day a camel was seen outside the pub while its rider Ralf Little was having a pint. Lots of the buildings date back to the 17th Century and many of the former pubs have been converted into homes. Despite being swamped with sightseers at weekends there is a strong community with a well-used parish hall and a keen cricket team who play at Arley Hall.
Average house price: £698,000
Connectivity: Superfast broadband available but not ultrafast. It is 4 miles north of Northwich off the A559 and about half an hour from Manchester.
Food and drink: The George and Dragon has an ambitious menu, including oak smoked Scottish salmon and garlic mushrooms.
What makes it special: Olde worlds charm.
St Agnes, Cornwall
This is the centre of Poldark country with access to the county’s beautiful coast path and the village itself has lots of independent shops
This is the centre of Poldark country, which isn’t surprising as its author Winston Graham lived nearby. The wider area takes in the Blue Flag beach of Porthtowan, a favourite with surfers, while heritage lovers have The National Trust owned Wheal Coates mine. There is easy access to the county’s beautiful coast path and the compact little village itself has lots of independent shops and businesses.
Average house price: £562,000
Connectivity: Ultrafast available. Situated on the north coast of Cornwall, it is 9 miles from Truro from where trains to London Paddington take 5hrs 15 minutes.
Food and drink: The Taphouse offers imaginative dishes such as fish tacos.
What makes it special: Surf’s up and closer than you think.
