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1. Mowgli - Member

   I am thinking about moving to York (from Leeds) sometime next year. My gf will be commuting to Northallerton, which is easy from York but less easy from elsewhere. I'll be working near Malton. York is the nearest place of any size - we don't fancy living out in the countryside just yet; Thirsk, Malton and Northallerton are all a bit small.

   Can anyone living there add anything to these pros and cons?

   Pros: Pretty city, appears safe and friendly, closer to the North York Moors and the seaside, has a nice river going through it (I like kayaking). Nice quiet country roads for road biking.

   Cons: Looks expensive, very flat, floods a lot, terrible for tourists and traffic, much further from the Pennines, Peak District and Dales for climbing and biking. No local trails.

   These opinions are based on an hours visit this weekend...

   Cheers!

   Posted 1 year ago #
2. willard - Member

   I didn't think it was that prone to flooding myself. I'll ask my dad about that, but he'll be biased given that he comes from Beverley.

   I've always found York to be quite a nice place. It's got a lot of shops, a nice town center and it is all told a beautiful city. I'm not sure I would move back up north any time soon, but York's always been pretty good to me.

   Posted 1 year ago #
3. Ho hum - Member

   It is a very pretty place, but a bit remote IMO.

   A 1 in 200 year flood will make quite a bit of it wet, but how often is that going to happen?

   Posted 1 year ago #
4. DaveyBoyWonder - Member

   Was brought up there and still have parents/friends etc there. All your pros are correct. As for your cons:
   Looks expensive - it is. But I wouldn't say its massively more expensive than Leeds. Got some nice character houses and some newer cheaper massive sprawling characterless estates.
   very flat - correct. From time to time I think about moving back to York, mainly because of the pros listed above etc but then I look out my window at home in Halifax, see the hills and know I can be on some of the best trails in the UK within a 10 minute ride. That counts for a lot...
   floods a lot - in certain areas, yes. Loads spent on flood defences though and unless you live near the river, you'll be fine. Its not as if the whole city drowns every winter!
   terrible for tourists and traffic - yep. Ring road on an evening past Clifton Moor etc is like a car park, as is the city centre. Worse approaching this time of year. You get used to the tourists...
   much further from the Pennines, Peak District and Dales for climbing and biking. No local trails. - yes. 30 mins from Dalby though ain't too bad and 50 to where I am now in Calderdale. Plus the same to Wharncliffe and to the Dales/Stainburn etc so not too bad. Severe lack of trails from the door though...

   Posted 1 year ago #
5. geoffj - Member

   Another Pro - its not Leeds

   Posted 1 year ago #
6. Teetosugars - Member

   I moved there when we moved to the UK..

   Well, just North of it halfway between York and Thirsk.

   Great place to live IMHO, but it is somewhat remote from a lot of other places..

   Your about spot on with yer pros and cons list.

   Local Trails?

   Not many- Dalby as already pointed out is the closet Trail Centre, but there is lots of good riding to be down out in the Dales/ Hambleton Hills..

   As for road riding- yup, lots.. head to York Cycleworks speak to Fraz or Sam- they'll glady show you around..

   I'd move back tomorrow if I could take my job there.

   Posted 1 year ago #
7. Mowgli - Member

   Thanks for the replys guys.

   If things go to plan we will have to move there, so I'm just looking at the pros! I used to live in Oxford which was very similar. I just ended up driving a fair bit more to get out to the hills.

   Posted 1 year ago #
8. cranberry - Member

   A 1 in 200 year flood will make quite a bit of it wet, but how often is that going to happen?

   It floods every year in the centre ( not sure about how much that affects housing in and around the city, but I wouldn't take a place near the river).

   Posted 1 year ago #
9. Everywhen - Member

   Very nice city, lots of tourists but you soon get used to them.
   Traffic pretty bad at peak times.
   Good schools
   Very good university.
   Floods only really a worry if you live right by by the river.
   Some very expensive areas, some not so expensive areas.
   City centre still has shops.
   City centre full of drunks every weekend.
   We like it.

   Posted 1 year ago #
10. mastiles_fanylion - Member

    It is a very pretty place, but a bit remote IMO.

    
    !!!!!!!
    It is a city and is <20 miles from Leeds, Bradford and Harrogate.

    The flood defences are pretty good and only a few properties are affected in the centre really. Just do your research and make sure you aren't on a flood plain just in case.

    It is a great city with great nightlife.

    Posted 1 year ago #
11. Ho hum - Member

    Is it still very popular with hen and stag parties?

    I remember seeing quite a few of them there on my visits.

    Posted 1 year ago #
12. Everywhen - Member

    Is it still very popular with hen and stag parties?

    Yes.

    Posted 1 year ago #
13. mastiles_fanylion - Member

    But if you know where to go, you can avoid them mostly.

    Posted 1 year ago #
14. stevew - Member

    There are only a handfull of properties that flood 'every year' they all know this and have their own defences etc. The King Arms - the famous pub - has its barrels ont he first story and continues to serve to american tourists wearing wellies even when flooded, they love it. The media are lazy though and only ever report it as a disaster, the people carry on and the city is pretty much unaffected.

    The rest of the city is really well defended but if in doubt check out the Environment Agency website. Happy to say all of this as I used to manage the defences there....

    Tourists are a pain but just avoid town on a saturday / sunday / school hols. Expensive but agree no more so than other 'nice' places. If you want banging / cool nightlife not the place but the train to Leeds is regular. Some great ale pubs though and hen / stags are avoided unless you really do like Yates' Wine Lodge..... I canoe on the river, it's OK but not amazing.

    Trails from the door are poor but I have a few routes that are my straight from the back door staples, they can all be pretty good as high speed hacks or singlespeed etc.

    Dalby in half an hour is optermistic but it is fairly equi-distant to dales and NY moors which is good.

    Its a good place to live IMO.

    Enjoy.

    Posted 1 year ago #
15. mrsflash - Member

    We loved it when we lived in York, I'd be happy to move back (in Leeds now).

    Re the flooding, it's only a worry in terms of housing if you live really near the river (which we did), and even then, we were in an old terrace with the long front and rear gardens which were intended to soak up flood water and did. In the year after we moved out, Look NOrth did a peice on the floods from our old front garden, which was completely underwater, not a drop in the house.

    Cons for me; no real local mtb, but otoh great for road riding! also v touristy and stag dos, but like steve says, you can avoid those. I don't think housing is that much dearer than in a lot of parts of Leeds.

    Posted 1 year ago #
16. Mowgli - Member

    Cheers. I'm not too worried about flooding really, we'll be renting rather than buying. If/when we move I'll be after some local trail tips! Are there any particular areas to look for or avoid?

    Posted 1 year ago #
17. Chew - Member

    I've lived in both Leeds and York over the years, and it depends upon what you want most.

    Yorks a very pretty place, and you do get used to the tourists, as you learn how to avoid them. Flooding is never really a problem, but that depends on there you live in relation to the river.

    Traffic is always a nightmare anywhere around town and on the ring road, so it may be no quicker to get to Northallerton from Leeds as it is York.

    I live in Leeds, as there are more facilities, riding on my doorstep, closer to the Peak, Lakes, Dales for climbing and riding, 30 min closer to most places from the M1 and M62.

    Both Leeds and York are as expensive if you live in the right places.

    I'd like to know if theres any good riding in York, theres no hills 20 miles of the place....

    Posted 1 year ago #
18. cranberry - Member

    For info - I've commuted Stokesley -> Leeds ( Kirkstall Road )and Stokesley -> York ( centre ). Leeds was about 70 mins each way, York about 50 - 60 mins.

    Posted 1 year ago #
19. Mowgli - Member

    I was thinking York would be good for Northallerton by train - about 20-30mins by the looks of things. Season tickets are a bit £££ though

    Posted 1 year ago #
20. CaptJon - Member

    Worried about flooding? Put your postcode in here.

    Posted 1 year ago #
21. mastiles_fanylion - Member

    Yeah - it's on the main line to ScottishLand so I guess that bumps prices up.

    Posted 1 year ago #
22. jim - Member

    Grand Central would be worth looking at for trains to Northallerton if they happen to run at a useful time?

    Posted 1 year ago #
23. fish wife - Member

    i live in york - 7 yrs now - and its great - wouldnt live anywhere else

    email me if you want any local info - flooding thing is overplayed - more central areas are prone - 2ish times a year but simply live further out

    theres a very active canoeing club, it is flat but theres forest and hills within 30 mins drive plus some ok bridleways to link up from the city centre out. Good places to eat and lots of stuff to do on a night - comedy club, music, theatre.

    plus amazing architecture

    house prices are more than leeds but some good stuff starts for 140k with gardens and 2-3 bedrooms

    dlightfoot5 at hotmail .com

    Posted 1 year ago #

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