Best area in Milton Keynes if you don’t want to rely on a car too much?
Posted by Junior_Beauty78@reddit | miltonkeynes | View on Reddit | 29 comments
I know MK is very car focused but surely some areas are much easier than others for walking, trains, cafes and general day to day stuff. Can you please help me figure that out to smooth my trip?
acEMuzZi@reddit
I live in great linford and it’s not to bad for walking I’m 40 minutes from CMK and 10 minutes from neath hill shops and 30 minutes walk from Aldi and also Lidl
mister_stoosh@reddit
If you're thinking about moving I'd say Loughton, Great Holm and the Shenley's they are all near the CMK and have Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Aldi nearby.
Davychu@reddit
Wolverton I'd say, and by extension Stony Stratford. Newport to a lesser extent since it's much more out of the way when you want to travel elsewhere in MK, and Bletchley in theory but I hated living there as a cyclist since I'd get punctures from broken glass 10 times as often.
Another alternative would be around Kingston, Broughton, Kent's hill area. Has a fair few things at easy access, and it's a short ride or walk to the city.
Electrical-Role4006@reddit
I wouldn't call Kingston and Broughton a short walk
Davychu@reddit
Guess it's a matter of perspective, but yeah I take your point.
Electrical-Role4006@reddit
It’s a 50+ minute walk in one direction
Davychu@reddit
Yeah, bit shorter if you walk quickly. Like I said, matter of perspective I guess. I've been walking and cycling all over the city since I was a kid rather than driving, so I'd consider that to be short, even quicker on the bike and if you factor in not having to wait for buses or deal with parking in the city.
Still take your point, ofc.
Mr_Valmonty@reddit
I would look at Bradwell Common. MK Centre on one side. Retail park and B&Q on the other side. Corner shops and Chinese Supermarket in the estate. Train station a short walk
EUskeptik@reddit
I’m surprised no-one mentioned Bletchley.
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Contact_Patch@reddit
Bit shit really 😬
EUskeptik@reddit
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I think Bletchley is full of character. Obviously, it is much older established than most of Milton Keynes and it lacks the grid roads, but I think those two things make it stand out.
There are seedy bits in various parts of MK, not just Bletchley. Wolverton has received many votes here but I personally find Wolverton at least as seedy as Bletchley.
I’m originally from northern England but have spent most of my life living south of Watford Gap. I would say of both Bletchley and Wolverton that they are more like northern towns than southern. There isn’t much about either of them I would call posh.
So why is it 👍 for Wolverton but 👎 for Bletchley? I would be interested to know.
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Contact_Patch@reddit
Wolverton has a (IMHO) better choice of restaurants, is generally more walkable, and certainly feels nicer to be in than Bletchley, plus Craufurd, Beer Garten, Stony and MK11 nearby.
I've lived in both, and would pick Wolverton all day long.
Fun fact Wolverton is the world's first Railway Town, and there is some stunning original buildings left.
Both need better pedestrian access to their respective stations though.
EUskeptik@reddit
I respect that we have different opinions.
It’s clearly a personal thing. I don’t feel comfortable in Wolverton, I find it quite forbidding to be honest.
I’m a lifelong railway enthusiast but Wolverton’s railway heritage can only be seen from the outside, unlike Crewe or Swindon where it can be visited and enjoyed. I like Stony Stratford very much but it isn’t Wolverton. In the same way, I like Simpson and Newton Longville but they aren’t Bletchley.
Bletchley is also a very long established railway town. Trains were manufactured and overhauled at Wolverton but Bletchley maintained them, cleaned them and coaled them.
I much prefer shopping in Bletchley. It has all the shops I need plus several big supermarkets. Aylesbury Street in Fenny Stratford is a gem, and it is very much part of Bletchley. There are many good restaurants covering a wide range of cuisines.
I agree, access to Bletchley station is poor. East-West Rail promised a new entrance on the town centre side but have only provided an emergency exit, so you have to walk all the way round under the bridge to the original 1959 station, which was cheaply built using a modular system and is looking very dilapidated. Several apartment blocks have been built facing the promised new station entrance but many residents will be disappointed. East-West Rail also promised new services to London Marylebone via Aylesbury and High Wycombe or Amersham but the infrastructure has not been built and will now be very difficult to add.
It’s good to hear a different point of view. The reason for my interest is my wife and I have been searching for a suitable home in Milton Keynes. We currently live in Aylesbury but visit Bletchley at least once a week to shop and eat. We feel very much at home there and it wouldn’t represent a stressful move to an unfamiliar place. However, I was very interested in your comments about Wolverton and will make the effort to visit more often. Thank you. 🙂
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AJ3000AKA@reddit
I live at n Wolverton it's great if you've not got a car. We have three super markets which are all within a 15 minute walk, bus routes are ok, the station is great for trips into London or up the line to Northampton or Birmingham. We've a few cafes and plenty of independent food outlets. Pub wise the ones I frequent are The Craufurd Arms, Beergarten and Blackstar Brewery. There is a great community of artists and musicians here, a real sense of community I've not felt anywhere else in Milton Keynes. Street market every month and little celebrations throughout the year like the fireworks, lantern festival and scarecrow festival.
I've ridden my bike to the city a few times, it's a bit of a faf but I'm sure I'm not going the most optimal route.
A Uber will run between £8-10 to the city center from Wolverton.
Junior_Beauty78@reddit (OP)
That's everything I wanted to know. Thank you😭 Wolverton is my stop then!
jordansrowles@reddit
I live in Fairfields and go Wolverton instead of Stony for nearly all my shopping. Also a train station, to add to its usefulness. Much better than when Bletchley was my local.
Curvybass@reddit
Wolverton, Blue Bridge and Bancroft Park at also an easy walk to Wolverton as is New Bradwell and Bradville.
sound-fx@reddit
Depends if you want to be near the city centre. Most recommendation are 6-9 miles away. Might need a car for that. Might, I've been in MK since 1999. Never used a bus. I lodged in Springfield, bought the house when landlady finished her Degree and have been here ever since, I'm on the slightly south side of Springfield, the houses get nicer towards the canal. They are on the opposite side of the road from me though. Happy here, I just want to refurbish and move back home to family in Manchester. Family is the only reason though. I've always liked MK.
sound-fx@reddit
Ah, your trip, not a move. Ignore me!
BillPayers@reddit
Loughton, CMK, Campbell Park, Wolverton. If you've got a bike and decent clothes, pretty much anywhere reasonably close to CMK
shinniesta1@reddit
BillPayers@reddit
Yes, for when the weather isn't feeling cooperative
Longjumping_Cut_4759@reddit
Campbell Park close to shopping centre, easy bus to Sainsbury’s or walk with m&s in city centre . Train Station walk or bus. And huge Park area close by with theatre and Cinema district close by
waitedforg0d0t@reddit
the city centre is the way to go, you've got good bus and train connections and most of the city is cycleable in 30 minutes or so
if you want quieter immediate surroundings, Loughton is the closest area to the train station and buses that gives you a greener, more residential surrounding
AvadaBalaclava@reddit
Newport pagnell, Stony Stratford, Wolverton
Wolverton has the big Tesco, Lidl and Asda, and a great choice of cafes and places to eat, although has seen a few close down over the last couple of years. Stony and Newport both have great food and stuff but have to drive out to get to a good supermarket.
Noiisy@reddit
Fishermead, conninborough, basically all the estates touching the city centre, everything’s there. Just most of the estates are pretty bad. If you’ve got money you can move to Campbell park or one of the many flats in the centre.
Quickswitch79@reddit
All the buses go into the centre and then onto wherever, so to save yourself getting two buses, somewhere in the centre would be best.
We have got amazing red routes (cycle paths) through pretty much the entire city. I've been hiring Lime bikes lately, and a 45 minute bus journey turns into 25. I'm saving up for my own ebike, then I can travel anywhere quickly.
Suspicious_tuna@reddit
Are you looking to move or visit?
I could imagine that if you lived anywhere near the main train station you could probably avoid a car. Morrisons on your doorstep, Sainsbury's not far away and all the shops & restaurants in that area are walkable, or at least an easy bike ride.
Work might be the issue though.
biggiecheese35@reddit
City centre has all the transport, restaurants and shops you’d need within a 15 minute walking radius