Bucks &amp; Oxon


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why">WHY?</h2>



<p>Well it&#8217;s on the Thames, encased by both the Chilterns and North Wessex Downs for a start, so it has all the lazy-English-summer-loveliness that you&#8217;d expect from such a scenic setting. Goring bridges Oxfordshire and Berkshire &#8211; literally with its bridge connecting across to Streatley in Berks (on the right bank of the river). The two settlements share most of their facilities including the train station which is served by the Great Western Mainline, snapping you into the capital in double-quick time.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">EAT</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/DonGiovanni.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-166665" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/DonGiovanni.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/DonGiovanni-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/DonGiovanni-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/DonGiovanni-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p> <a href="https://www.tcwgoring.co.uk/index">The Catherine Wheel</a> pub is an 18th century local with a large beer garden, and its own annual music festival and <a href="https://leathernebottel.co.uk/">The Leatherne Bottel</a> has an enviable riverside position for its Don Giovanni Italian fine dining (ask for the table right on the waterside and you could be in Venice). There&#8217;s also a chippy if you want to keep it more lo-fi and superb takeaway salads and sarnies at the grocer, more on which below. Just on the Goring side of the bridge is the fab brunch/afternoon tea spot, <a href="https://pierreponts.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pierreponts</a> (its French toast or Turkish eggs are stuff of legend). </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shop">SHOP</h2>



<p>Artisan foodies, listen up.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.goringgrocer.co.uk/">The Goring Grocer</a> is where you need to be as it&#8217;s a shop laden with fresh vegetables, condiments, wines, pasta, nuts and pulses and all the things that will allow you to make an Ottolenghi recipe without crying.  Reading and Henley are both within 20 minutes for bigger shops. For the practical things in life, Goring Hardware (on Red Cross Road) is the kind of DIY Aladdin&#8217;s Cave we all want just down the road, plus there&#8217;s a cute little card/balloon and gift shop, Inspiration, and nearby Goring Village Butchers and Reeds for picture framing.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Untitled-design-12-1000x667.png" alt="" class="wp-image-171457" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Untitled-design-12-1000x667.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Untitled-design-12-800x533.png 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Untitled-design-12-400x267.png 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Untitled-design-12.png 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-amp-wellbeing">HEALTH &amp; WELLBEING</h2>



<p><a aria-label="Virgo Beauty (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.virgobeauty.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Virgo Beauty</a> is your go-to for body primping, and <a aria-label="Albert Fields (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.albertfields.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Albert Fields</a> for your barnet. meanwhile to get the full body glow-up, look no further than <a aria-label="The Swan at Streatley (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.theswanatstreatley.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Swan at Streatley</a>, a gorgeous riverside country house hotel run by the Coppa Club a five minute meander over the bridge. It&#8217;s got rooms, restaurant, café and also a gorgeous gym plus classes and an innovative programme of events from SUP Yoga to wild swimming, mindfulness and outdoor fitness classes. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-community">COMMUNITY</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Untitled-design-11-1000x667.png" alt="" class="wp-image-171455" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Untitled-design-11-1000x667.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Untitled-design-11-800x533.png 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Untitled-design-11-400x267.png 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Untitled-design-11.png 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Goring&#8217;s events calendar is busting with community get-togethers be it music, food, wellness or bridge! The annual <a href="https://www.thegapfestival.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Goring Gap</a> festival in June is one of the biggies and then there&#8217;s the local football, tennis and golf clubs, all with their own social whirl. If you like your germaniums just so, then get on board with the many village of the year type events that Goring frequently enters &#8211; and wins &#8211; for its pretty front gardens and community sustainability projects.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nearby-attractions">NEARBY ATTRACTIONS</h2>



<p>There&#8217;s the river, of course, and the picturesque weir, and glorious walks on the nearby hills including <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/oxfordshire-buckinghamshire-berkshire/basildon-park/the-meadows-and-woodlands-of-streatley" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">this scenic 3km circular</a> through woodland and with great views from the top of the steep climb. It is a region ripe with nature reserves (<a href="http://www.withymead.co.uk/">Withymead</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbowt.org.uk/nature-reserves/hartslock">Hartslock</a>) so you probably need to dig out your walking boots.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/basildon-park">Basildon Park</a> is the National Trust&#8217;s nearest outpost just two miles from Goring.  </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-average-house-prices-nbsp">AVERAGE HOUSE PRICES&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Properties in Goring have had an average price of £1,040,288 over the last year. For detached properties you can expect to pay £1,220,000, with semi-detached properties £815,000, and terraced properties £503,750. Prices have bucked the trend here, with house prices up 23% on the previous year.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hot-property">HOT PROPERTY</h2>



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<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="640" height="426" data-id="167320" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/goringonthames.png" alt="" class="wp-image-167320" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/goringonthames.png 640w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/goringonthames-400x266.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /></figure>
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<p><a href="https://www.warmingham.com/#/properties/S5203">4 bed, 2 bath detached property in Goring</a>, just a few minutes’ walk to the River Thames, shops, school, restaurants, and mainline railway. £1.2m</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-schools">SCHOOLS</h2>



<p>The best independent options nearby are the idyllically-situated (and now co-ed) prep <a aria-label="Moulsford (opens in a new tab)" href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/moulsford-prep/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Moulsford</a>, the nurturing <a aria-label="Manor Prep (opens in a new tab)" href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/manor-prep/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Manor Prep</a> in Abingdon, the Catholic mixed day and boarding <a aria-label="Oratory Prep (opens in a new tab)" href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/oratory-prep-reading/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oratory Prep</a>, <a href="https://www.cranfordhouse.net/">Cranford House School</a> (co-ed, with Sixth Form), and over the border in Berkshire, Pangbourne College, <a aria-label="Queen Anne’s (opens in a new tab)" href="https://berkshire.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/queen-annes-caversham/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Queen Anne’s</a> and all girls&#8217; <a aria-label="The Abbey (opens in a new tab)" href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/abbey-school-reading/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Abbey</a>. In terms of state schools, both <a href="http://www.goring.oxon.sch.uk/">Goring</a> and <a href="http://www.streatleyprimary.co.uk/">Streatley</a> have C of E primary schools rated ‘Good’. <a href="https://www.langtreeschool.com/">Langtree School</a> is the nearest secondary, also with a ‘Good’ from Ofsted. Meanwhile, the Streatley side of the river is in catchment for the sought-after <a href="https://www.thedownsschool.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Downs School</a>, while Goring is just outside. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-best-kept-secret">BEST KEPT SECRET</h2>



<p>George Michael isn&#8217;t the only music icon with links to Goring &#8211; The Who&#8217;s Pete Townshend was born here.  </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-commute">COMMUTE</h2>



<p>It&#8217;s just under 90 mins in the car but you&#8217;ll have to haggle with both the M4&nbsp;<em>and</em> M25. Far more sensible to catch the rush hour train and it&#8217;ll whip you into Paddington in under an hour. Season tickets from £5,340.</p>



<p>View the full <a href="https://muddystilettos.co.uk/best-places-to-live">Top 260 Best Places to Live</a>.</p>


Best Places to Live: Goring

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