Whenever you pick up a newspaper these days you are bound to find an article about people fleeing London in search of the rural idyll.

Whether this proves to be a long-term shift, or just a few urban dwellers leaving the city remains to be seen. However, there is no doubt that the last year has given us all an opportunity to review our circumstances and ask; have we got the right balance in our lives, do we want to return to the office when they reopen or would we prefer to continue working remotely, do we want more outdoor space, would it be nice to have a dedicated study rather than working off the kitchen table and would our children benefit from a more rural upbringing?

Well, there is no doubt that the country property market is busy right now, so there are clearly a lot of people considering a move to the countryside – and so for those who are contemplating this lifestyle change we thought you might find it useful to explain why we think Chipping Campden should be top of your list of places to consider.

So here are our 5 Best Reasons to Live in Chipping Campden.

Reason Number 1; Rural note remote

If you have lived in London or Birmingham or any other major city, you’ll have to make some sizeable adjustments when you move to the country.  And do not kid yourself that you will have no problem making the adjustment – there will be adjustment pains.  But they will be worth it.

If you want to make the transition as painless as possible, find somewhere that provides enough of the things that make living in a city enjoyable, but also provides the benefits of the new rural life you seek.

So, for most people that means not doing the whole ‘off the grid’ thing.

Be sensible and choose somewhere that offers a good range of restaurants, some home delivery options, a late-night shop or two for essentials, a reasonably close supermarket for the weekly shop, a good school that isn’t an hour’s drive away and a good city within striking distance so you can get the urban fix when you need it.

Somewhere that is RURAL, BUT NOT REMOTE. And that’s why Chipping Campden is an ideal choice. Not only is Chipping Campden located in the beautiful Cotswolds and surrounded by charming chocolate box villages, cosy pubs, undulating hills, independent farms, and limestone wall-enclosed fields….and enough sheep to send even the most ardent insomniac to sleep!

But the town also has a wide range of restaurants, many of which have introduced home delivery or click and collect over the last year – and plan to keep it going when things return to normal. There are several local schools which are highly regarded, late night stores for the emergency pint of milk and a short drive away are Stratford upon Avon, Cheltenham, and Oxford for when you need a shot of city life.

So, Chipping Campden gives you the best of both worlds – it is rural, but not at all remote.

Reason Number 2; Not all work from home

The future of office–working is bound to be different post pandemic. It seems clear that many companies will offer staff more opportunity to working from home, but in most cases, it seems likely that there will still be a need to go into the office a day or two a week.

So, what does this mean for your choice of rural location? Basically, it boils down to two things – reliable and fast broadband and easy access to your office.

Chipping Campden ticks both these boxes. Whereas many rural areas still struggle with broadband, Chipping Campden has a reliable service with fibre broadband now available.

And just 5 miles away in Moreton-in-Marsh is a train station where an inter-city train service runs to London every hour. The journey time to London is 1 hour and 30 minutes, and Birmingham by train is a similar journey-time. If you prefer to drive, London is two hours down the M40 and Birmingham about an hour north on the M40. Both cities are easily commutable on the days that a trip to the office just cannot be avoided!

Reason Number 3; A dose of culture

When living in a big city you’re never far from some entertainment, and whilst we might not go to the theatre several times a week, it’s nice to know that it’s there when we want it.

It is often thought that one of the consequences of moving to the country is having to sacrifice your cultural intake. But that’s just not true – if you live in Chipping Campden.

Let’s consider just three ways you can get your dose of culture.

Firstly, there is the Chipping Campden Music Festival.  First held in 2002 it has become recognised as one of the UK’s leading festivals with a programme of classical music running for two weeks every May.

Secondly, Stratford upon Avon, home to the Royal Shakespeare Company is 12 miles away. Need we say more?

Thirdly, every June and July the Longborough Festival Opera  runs a programme of four different operas with 20 – 25 performances across the summer season – think Glyndebourne in the Cotswolds.

Reason Number 4; Integrating and making contact

So how easy is it to integrate into the local community in the country. Cynics will tell you it is extremely easy; just stick around for 25 years and you’ll start to be accepted!

Not true.

In many ways it is easier to build friendships in the country than in the city. Take Chipping Campden for instance. There are so many groups, clubs, and societies to join, it is hard to choose. Here are just a few of the clubs; badminton, bridge, photography, hiking, tennis, books, chess, lunch, hockey, history, and cricket.

Getting to be part of the local community is not difficult – it really doesn’t take long for Chipping Campden to feel like home.

Reason Number 5; The views! who does want to look out the window and see this?

We’ve saved the best to last. We think the images below speak for themselves!