Just over one hour from London is the riverside village of Mistley (Picture: Getty Images) 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. As per new data, 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, as per statistics from 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, as per data from Rightmove. 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, as per Zoopla’s research. The average house in Mistley costs £338,305 (Picture: Alamy Stock Photo) 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 18th 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. Mistley was once destined to be a spa town (Picture: Getty Images) 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. Locals say Mistley has a ‘proper community feel’ (Picture: Shutterstock/Steve Nimmons) 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, 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.’ Colchester is a mere 9 miles away (Picture: Getty Images) ‘The wider area is just smashing. Dedham, East Bergholt and Hadleigh are all within east 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, while @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 to drive his dog there ‘just so I can walk him there rather than where I live.’ The 10 worst performing train stations in the UK Ince and Elton (Cheshire): 22.8% (percentage of cancelled trains) Gathurst (Greater Manchester): 16.2% Earlswood (Surrey): 11.7% Birchgrove (Cardiff): 11.7% Rhiwbina (Cardiff): 11.7% Whitchurch (Cardiff): 11.7% Salfords (Surrey): 11.7% Arram (East Yorkshire): 10.7% Hartlepool (County Durham): 9.9% Ellesmere Port (Cheshire): 9.7%. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.