The 10 best far-flung villages worth a lengthy commute — what the list means for would-be country commuters

The useful part

Price desc Price asc Most recent first Harrietsham is 'one of the most desirable villages in Kent'. When the London property market gets too hot, homeowners sell up, cash in and take advantage of the huge value gap between the capital and the countryside. Most recently the expansion of the commuter zone was due to a unforeseen disruption.

How it works

• During the pandemic and in the aftermath, commuters pushed the boundaries of travel time and distance to live in the most idyllic parts of the British coastline and countryside thinking that remote working...
• As working life reverted to more normal pre-covid patterns for many quick access to the office became a priority once again.
• This is the second in our ' best villages' series, based on research by Savills and Country Life.
• However, Andy Burnham has pledged to complete this section, guaranteeing better connections for the villagers living on the Nottinghamshire-Leicestershire-Derbyshire border.
• and indeed the village on this list with the shortest commute is also the furthest away.

What to take from it

Long Buckby, in the north of Northamptonshire, is on a fast line into the capital taking only 68 minutes. These villages have their own railway station, or one close by, with a direct service into London that goes during normal commuter hours. Many headed in this direction get distracted by the Notswolds (the villages on the Northamptonshire side of the Oxfordshire border) won over by an address close to the chi-chi Cotswolds AONB.

Example or evidence

• The Beckhams will not be your neighbours, and you won't have Soho Farmhouse on your doorstep.
• and you'll enjoy living in a beautiful part of England that doesn't get hit by the tour buses you'll find at some of the more famous villages.
• On top of that it's cheaper and more convenient, just four miles outside of Cirencester and with a direct train service into London.
• 'It offers buyers the best of both worlds,' says Sebastian Hipwood of Blue Book Agency.

Details worth keeping

and it's worth an 83-minute train ride for commuters. Traditionally this has been linked to the property cycle. Interestingly, speed and distance aren't directly linked here.

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