Londoners are flocking to this ‘perfect’ commuter village just an hour away

Perched right on the River Stour in Essex is the unassuming village of Mistley, famed for its warm community feel, unique history, and now, its highly efficient train station.

Mistley has one of the highest performing stations across the UK – and it’s just over one hour by train from London Liverpool Street. Just hop on the service to Manningtree for one stop and change for the direct line. Who needs to live in the Big Smoke anyway?

With services run by Greater Anglia, between January 5 and February 1, every single train that was scheduled to stop in Mistley successfully arrived – and there were zero cancellations, making it an idyllic location for London commuters, who have long been flocking to this Essex bolthole in their droves in search of a quieter life.

Elsewhere, Buckenham in Norfolk was the only UK station boasting a perfect score, according to the Office of Rail and Road, with no cancellations or unscheduled stops.

Every single train arrived on time (or within three minutes), but the catch? A mere 100 trains stopped there during the four-week time period analysed.

By comparison, the worst performing train station was Ince and Elton up in Cheshire, where a whopping 22.8% of all trains were cancelled, followed by Gathurst in Greater Manchester at 16.2%.

House prices in Mistley

House prices don’t come cheap in Mistley, with the average property fetching £338,305 over the last year, Rightmove says.

The majority of these were detached properties, which averaged out at £531,542, while semi-detached homes went for £310,375. Notably, the typical UK house price is currently considerably lower at £267,200, according to Zoopla.

However, if you live and work in London, it could be well worth investing some of your hard-earned cash in Mistley, where you’ll undoubtedly get slightly more for your money.

Read: you won’t have to deal with pesky London landlords, and you might be able to afford more than one bedroom.

Things to do in Mistley

Looking to get away from the hustle and bustle? Mistley could be just the tonic you need.

In terms of its history, during the 18^th century, politician Richard Rigby had ambitious plans for Mistley, envisaging it as a saltwater spa town. At the time, Mistley was relatively small, with only a port, a few warehouses and a small church, constructed in 1735.

Though his spa town vision never came into being, The Mistley Towers of the local church remain to this day, as do many Georgian structures along the high street – which are well worth a nosy, should you be into your local history.

Just down the road in Manningtree, there’s the outdoor market on a Wednesday and Saturday, where you’ll find everything from locally sourced fish to fresh vegetables and a sweet treat or two.

If water sports are your thing, the Manningtree Mermaids Wild Swimming Club offers a safe space for people of all genders to swim together across the Stour Estuary. If you identify as any kind of ‘merfolk,’ you’re welcome. Last year, they were even presented an award after they campaigned to secure designated bathing water status at Manningtree Beach.

Likewise, the Stour Sailing Club describes itself as ‘most friendly.’ It’s been going since 1936, and now has just over three hundred members.

For something a little different, Mistley’s annual pram race was recently revived, a combined effort from Mistley Parish Council and Mistley Rugby club.

Naturally, it’s exactly what it sounds like: a team of two people racing to get to the finish line, with the ‘baby’ in the pram and the ‘parent’ pushing. Last year, the route featured eight pop-up pubs, with teams stopping off at each for a tipple along the way.

If you’re in search of a more permanent drinking hole though, The Red Lion in Manningtree is a favourite among locals, famed for its real ales, craft ciders and comfy sofas. There’s also The Mistley Thorn, The Crown and The Anchor.

What locals love about Mistley

It’s safe to say that locals are completely besotted with Mistley, highlighting its strong sense of community and proximity to nature.

Over on the r/Essex Reddit thread, @Mikeybarnes, whose parents have lived in Mistley for the last 10 years, said it has ‘a proper community feel’ that they don’t ‘think you get [in] many other places.’

@StillJustJones pointed out that while there’s ‘not loads to do culturally,’ that ‘doesn’t really matter as you’re in a bloody fab area.’

‘The wider area is just smashing. Dedham, East Bergholt and Hadleigh are all within easy reach and really nice places. In the other direction Wrabness, Julie’s House, the nature reserves and RSPB site are just lovely,’ they added, while @Dazza477 described it as the ‘perfect place to live.’

And, although @SshhHereHeComes lives just up the road in Colchester, he gets a ‘really good feeling’ whenever he comes out towards Mistley – and even goes as far as driving his dog there ‘just so I can walk him there rather than where I live.’

Do you have a story to share?

Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.