Thinking of moving to Preston/Lancaster area... Riding from my door?

Are you asking specifically mountain biking? I ask because both cities are very good for riding, particularly Lancaster, but for actual mountain biking then you are going to be doing a certain amount of riding on the road to get to somewhere decent to ride, unless you want to jump in the car. To relate it to your current situation, a 40 minute drive from Lancaster will get you well into the Lake District or the Dales, and Preston is just a little bit further (but closer to the Peak district). 

I know Preston riding the best because I'm in Chorley. I can ride from my doorstep off road to Rivington and beyond, where as if I was in Preston then I'd have to ride quite a distance to get there (although it's generally quiet roads and cycle ways). Lancaster is also quite a big day to get to the Lakes and back, but can be done on quiet roads, canals and cycle ways. Bowland is lovely but there isn't a huge amount of mountain biking. You can get to Gisburn forest but it's a biggie from Lancaster (I've done it from where I live but I was so tired I struggled to get home again).

But I like both cities, they're both good places to live. Lancaster is quieter than Preston. Both cities are on the train line to the Lake District, so living without a car is possible in both.

As above, neither will be great for off-road riding from the door - but both will be closer to much better stuff than Lincoln.

Is there a job involved and where is that?

You might want to think about living closer to the Lakes or West Pennine Moors if MTB is a priority.

Do you have to live in either? Or can you live about outside and commute in? Not a lot of MTB from the door for either option. If Preston, then the best riding spot nearby is Rivington so try and move a bit further south (Chorley) and you can ride it. My pref would be to live around Lancaster as it's a bit nicer than Preston and drive to the Lakes to ride. Plus buy a gravel or road bike for country road rides on the opposite side of the M6 (Bowland area)

To answer all the above...

Assuming the move happens, it would be to work at Warton.... Commuting there obviously has lots of options, but I don't want to be battling too much traffic (M60 etc) if I don't have to. Kids are close to Uni age so there's a good time to move coming up....

At the moment I literally have no riding on my doorstep. So even a 10-20 minute drive would be an exceptional improvement. Although I road ride a bit, MTB is what I'm after.

Iij terms of cities, both are at least as big as Lincoln, so the only thing I'd really need to consider is commuting and MTB (as well as a nice area).

Thanks for the replies!

Longridge would give you trails on doorstep and easy access to M55 for getting to Warton. Also easy access to M6 for 1 hour to South Lakes. Pendle and Gisburn Forest close by. In the Dales within an hour too.

Which Warton? There are two!

I live north of Lancaster so good for lakes.  I ve met warton employees at the gym so must be a good choice, maybe some car sharing opportunities.

Best thing for me is you get good access to lakes but also mainline station so London and Edinburgh are 2.5 hours away.

Message me if you want to know more, happy to help.

Yep Longridge is the right side of the Ribble and a good balance for working at Warton (presumably Warton in Fylde not Warton near Carnforth?) and living where the hills begin.

Broughton or Goosnargh if you want to be a bit nearer work. Other small villages if you want the opposite and deeper in the countryside. There is a moderate amount of MTB (bridleways, forest tracks and trail building) on the far end of Longridge fell. Some quiet and scenic but old school (bogs, mud, pushing and cow poo) in Bowland, then Gisburn, South Lakes, Dales, Darwen and Rivington all under 1 hour drive.

Thanks again all, didn't know there was another Warton.... I'm speaking of the one next to Preston.... And will now investigate the places mentioned!

I would prioritise the shorter commute tbh, you're not going to get decent riding from the doorstep round this neck of the woods so you might as well drive slightly further when you ride, rather than every day to work. Look at Lytham. Or warton itself! The link road to the m55 isn't too bad I don't think. But the end of the m55 and the M6 around  j31 are jammed or shut literally every other day. 

I'm Blackpool for reference. 40 mins to rivi, 1hr to lakes, 1hr dales, 50 mins to gisburn, 2hr n.wales, 2hr Ae forest, 3hr glentress/Golfie for an overnight trip! 

There's miles and miles of road riding on the fylde coast, arnside and over into bowland.

If you like trail centres then Gisburn and Whinlatter aren't too far from Lancaster, Gisburn especially via the back roads to Bentham. Natural stuff is the same from my experience, you're on the doorstep of the South Lakes and best of the Dales. Even Penrith is straight up the motorway.

If you're up for some road riding then Lancaster is a good choice, you're straight into the Forest of Bowland. Decent mtb was always a bit of a trek IIRC.

As a former Fen slogger now living in Derbyshire, anything is better, though at least near Lincoln you have the Wolds in reach on a road bike.

Daughter has just started at Lancaster Uni. Looks a decent enough city, nice location for riding road and gravel, and easy drive to the Lakes and Dales for mountain biking. It is located on the wet side of the country though

I am guessing it's BAE systems because there isn't a lot else around there :-). My friend lives here (Chorley) and works in Warton. He can cycle commute on mainly quiet cycle routes and has mountain biking from his doorstep.

I've always prioritised good riding from my door, because if I want to go to the city I can just get the train. I don't want to be wasting my riding time by driving a car (which is something I really hate doing). I'm also in easy reach of Manchester, which is a city close to my heart. Everyone has a different set of priorities though.

I also personally hate the Fylde. But it is considered a lovely and desirable place to live (Lytham particularly so).

I should add the road riding is good around here, there are lots of quiet lanes and both Preston and Lancaster have good cycle access around the city once you know it.

I suspect the rain will be worse in this part of the world than where you are now.

As mentioned Lytham is pleasant enough, but it's a bit blue rinse set IYKWIM.

Lancaster is way too far from that Warton IMO. 

If you're WFH some days, then a spot like Chorley or Horwich might work fine. If you're on site every day, then maybe one of the nice bits of Preston (there are some, yes).

Come and have a look around, see what you think.