Viewing 18 posts - 41 through 58 (of 58 total)
  • Portsmouth, what's it like? Could potentially move there from Sheffield…
  • satsoma
    Free Member

    Portsmouth = Horrid horrid horrid town. Full of fat , ugly biffers with 5 chidren attatched at various ages, all with different fathers.

    Sounds more like Leigh Park to me.

    BruceM
    Free Member

    I've lived there for two years as a student. I rather like it as an area. The sea front is really nice and underutilised for 80% of the year. As someone else has said the seafront is glorious in summer, however it will get very busy.

    It has its problems, the biggest in my book is the number of cars, parking can be a real pain in Southsea and Portsmouth. There are some dislikeable locals, saying that I've yet to have a problem with them.

    I wouldn't choose to settle there but as a Uni Town its pretty good.
    Riding is pretty non-existent as far as I have been able to tell. I make do with a ride along the sea front which can be pleasant…

    thomthumb
    Free Member

    it is the uk's only island city.

    that is the best thing about it.

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    Taff
    Free Member

    Nowt wrong with Leigh Park. Well not where I live (East Rowlands Castle!!)

    Taff
    Free Member

    There is good riding around here in all fairness but helps if you have a car. The south downs can make for good riding and there are other spots. Trouble is you need to get in with the locals to show you some trails been here three years now and I've been shown a bit and found some other bits too. I didn't think there were really any hills here in comparison with other places I've lived such as Plymouth and West Wales but I have found some climbs and decents that prove otherwise. Just wish my riding buddy didn't move to Manc today 😥

    singletrackmind
    Full Member

    I am on Haying Taff , and Dezb is in Waterlooville. We ride a little bit, every now and then and you are welcome to join us. Be aware we are both on the wrong side of 40 and err on the side of caution and keep our wheels firmly on the ground.

    wormhole
    Full Member

    its known by those who work there but dont live there as "dog shit city" you will soon see why.

    0303062650
    Free Member

    Well, thank you for an overwhelming response.

    My girlfriend is Canadian, and should things go ahead, will get a job at the uni. I happened to mention that Portsmouth is a bit like Rotherham/Barnsley upon-sea, and potentially we should look at living on the fringe/edges.

    To which she said it looked alright to her.

    So, *should* things happen with the job front (very likely), she doesn't own a car/want one, and I really want to commute by bike/train if needs be, the commuting distance would have to be close to the uni.

    Any suggestions as to which bits of the immediate area are nice and worth considering renting?

    thanks singletrackmind/dezb, very much appreciated! I'm on the right side of 30 and have zero amount of GNARL (truth be told, the roady thing is much easier and as it's not a can-and-will-fail, I actually have a bike to ride)
    jt

    DezB
    Free Member

    Any suggestions as to which bits of the immediate area are nice and worth considering renting?

    Probably easier for you to provide "probables" and we yay or nay them!

    You see there's Cosham – good rail link to Portsmouth town centre, commutable, outside the city, BUT… Cosham centre is grim. I lived there for a while and walking to the shops always brought the Duelling Banjos to mind. Whereas East Cosham is actually quite nice! Farlington, Drayton + the places STM mentioned above.
    Ones to avoid are Wymering, Wecock, Leigh Park, Paulsgrove. (Except they are very cheap!)

    Some parts of Southsea are very nice, right down by the seaside, if you fancy that..

    0303062650
    Free Member

    Thanks dezb: the missis has just sent this: http://www.primelocation.com/uk-property-to-rent/details/id/BESO4649873/

    the property type/style whatever isn't ideal, but it's the area that is of importance…. thanks! (what I mean is the area OK, the property doesn't do anything for me…)

    rkk01
    Free Member

    I rented in Buckland when I was there.

    Cheap, and admittedly some time ago – might even be an "up and coming" area now…?

    .. on the other hand…

    Taff
    Free Member

    Not all of Leigh park or Paulsgroe are bad. I've never had trouble and got friends who live on the port Solent side of pals grove and they have no problems and we both have good neighbours. Every area is going to have it's low points though.

    ratherbeintobago
    Full Member

    To which she said it looked alright to her.

    She hasn't looked hard enough. One of my mates thought that after years of living in Toxteth. She was wrong. The bit by the QA is particularly grim.

    I would suggest that Petersfield is a possible solution, as there's a fast train to Pompey Harbour. The Gosport peninsula is much nicer than Pompey proper, if you can be arsed with the ferry.

    Andy

    corroded
    Free Member

    Is Petersfield too far for you? Because it's about the most green and pleasant place within 30 mins of Portsmouth. Southsea is OK but I can't think of any decent cycling, road or otherwise, around there. It's flat and grey, like the sea.

    convert
    Full Member

    I live in Petersfield (well, Steep just outside of Petersfield) now after 10yrs in Portchester. TBH if the linked house is your budget I wouldn't bother looking up here. I'm fortunate that my house comes with my job (still own in Portchester) but even in Petersfeild town itself £700pm is not going to get you much of a house or even a flat. I doubt I could afford to live here if I wasn't given the house as the prices are inflated due to easy commute to London. The train into Portsmouth is great but going to cost you a bomb long term.

    Portchester was/is all right I guess but nothing to get too excited about. It was a head rather than heart location for us. Our 3 bed bungalow (lots of bungalows there – very old population!) with nice garage and garden in a nice tucked away part of Porchy close to the water is rented for £725pm. Good location for road biking as a 10min leg stretcher and you are up over Portsdown hill and it's proper countryside (everything goes east/west in a band along the coast here so travel north and it gets rural very quickly). The train direct into Portsmouth is good too. I spent many a happy run along the shore around Porchester and paddling a kayak up Fareham creek. If you view the harbour as a bit of human history its quite an interesting thing to be around.

    Failing that I'd look to live in a flat in Southsea and beat the mare that is car travel into Portsmouth by living amongst it. Whilst I loathe most of Portsmouth and avoid it like the plague, I have become increasingly fond of PARTS of Southsea. We spend a lot of time there sea swim training (eastern end near the old marine barracks and pitch and put) and it really is not too bad. A flat near the front and a gentle pedal to work at the uni by bike could be OK. Nightmare to park though – I've spent an hour trying to find a parking spot of an evening when visiting friends – think London.

    The mtb riding – so so. I live in probably one of the best parts of the county for riding and it's just about enough to keep the itch scratched but nothing more. Kingly Vale and Rogate are small pockets of gnar in the area but nothing to write home about. Plenty of perfectly pleasant bridleway bashing in the South Downs if you are happy with that.

    DezB
    Free Member

    not all of Leigh park or Paulsgroe are bad

    I know Taff, I grew up in the Park and only ever had one real bit of trouble (outside the chippy in Stone Square 🙂 )

    However, it's not somewhere I would recommend someone move to if they are looking to live down this way.

    DezB
    Free Member

    Jon, that Napier Road is near to the nice part of Southsea, but the parking is horrendous. You can probably see from the map – it's all a bit sardine-like.

    deep_river
    Free Member

    I have just moved to ludlow, from sheffield, however I work mon – fri in the Petersfield area.

    My take on riding in the portsmouth area, as compared to Sheffield is that there is just not the quanitity of quality riding. From sheffield, you can be in the peaks in 15 mins (riding time). From there the riding is as you know amazing and plentiful. In the area of hampshire near to portsmouth, there is only a small amount of high quality riding. Dont get me wrong, its still ok, theres just not the quantity. But as I said above, what there is, is excellent.

    The other difference is rock. There are no rocks down here! The riding tends to consist of forest singletrack or wide open bridleways.

    Theres enought to keep me happy during the week though 🙂

Viewing 18 posts - 41 through 58 (of 58 total)

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