Hi,
I want to move to a new place for about 6-12 months before I return to London/South-East England.
I am into cross-country and mountain biking as well as running and trail-running.
I would prefer a smaller city/town from which I can quickly get out and not waste time on traffic. However, big enough that it will have supermarkets/stores, some bike shop, and houses/flats that are furnished (very small towns don't usually have those). I mostly care about being close to a beautiful nature and I do not care about the city/town much.
I do not have a car and I would mostly go to local trails for biking/running.
I read some other threads with suggestions but most of them were for people who also have cars which makes a lot more trails accessible. I will rely most on the trails that are nearby.
Italy.
Other than Aviemore you mean? Dunno.
Sheffield has some local trails I believe. Calderdale area has lots. Or Stirling... Staveley?
The standard answer is Sheffield or Scotland on this perennial question
Calderdale - Sowerby Bridge to be precise.
Norwich.
Meanwhile, in the real world, I'd say Keswick.
Those in Sheffield will always say Sheffield. Even has city centre mtb trails while being on the edge of the Peak District.
Calderdale
Had to look that up on the map, there doesn't appear to be any mountains around there!
Edinburgh is not bad. the pentland hills on the southern edge of the city are rather nice with decent MTBing and I guess running. the hills are a couple of thousand feet high and start right on the southern edge of the city. there is also Holyrood park with the mini mountain that is Arthurs seat
So the southside of Edinburgh would suit
Stroud, Gloucestershire
We live in near the middle of Macclesfield partly for the reasons you describe. I grew up in Leeds without a car and living a big city relying on Public Transport can be crap. All the shops are in walking distance, trail running is within a mile, there's a very large running club with group runs every week night if you need company and mountain biking in the western peak district is from the door. Manchester is 20 mins on the train if you need to go to a gig or show when those start again.
Cannock......
Calderdale – Sowerby Bridge to be precise.
Difficult to argue with the area- theres a few modern apartment developments if that is what you want.
Youv'e got the canal and train network, and you're right on the edge of the pennines for riding/running.
Hayfield - might struggle on the rented fully furnished house though
macclesfield
glossop
stockport
Tayside or Deeside.
Angus trails and climate are probably the best overall compromise in the whole country. Lots of small towns close to the hills and trails; big towns nearby in Dundee & Perth. Doorstep trails pretty much everywhere and easy access to the Cairngorms via Braemar & Blair Atholl. I'd suggest seriously looking at Dunkeld, Blairgowrie, Alyth & Kirriemuir, all gathered along the Highland line.
Rainfall is less and sunshine more, the further east you travel. If steep MTB is your thing, you'll find several focal points and local trail fairy gangs hard at work.
Those living on Deeside will be able to build a very convincing argument for the likes of Aboyne & Ballater. Both regions have access to endless running trails at every distance, technical nature and altitude. Did an 11 mile circular loop, dawn trail run this morning in the woods around Glamis. With a maximum tarmac time of about 1.5 minutes.
How about Ludlow, lots of riding from the door but big enough to have the infrastructure you want. Also Church Stretton and the Long Mynd are 2 stops away on the train in one direction and, if you want, you can get to BPW via Cardiff.
Surprised Keswick hasn't made the list. There's a lot of places you can walk or bike to from there, and it's an outdoor playground around there
If you didn't have a car you could get everything you need in town and then have the bike for everything else
Keswick
Cockermouth
Surprised Keswick hasn’t made the list
Ahem....
Keswick would be a good shout definitely.
Had to look that up on the map, there doesn’t appear to be any mountains around there!
It's surprisingly pretty damn good for biking around there - quite an amazing amount of scope in a very small area, though it's wet and dark most of the time.
I live in Keswick, meets all your criteria and is a lovely place to live.
Sheffield is great if you want to live in / near a city. If you only need a bike shop and a Tesco I'd go somewhere smaller / more remote. Aviemore sounds like a great idea!
Dorking...no need to leave the south-east 😉
Abergavenny. GAteway to Wales yet motorway all the way to London in about 2 hours. Train to Manchester or London. 4 major tail centres within 30 minutes. Real riding and trail running from your doorstep regardless of where you are in the town. Small enough to be freindly and local, large enough to have all facilities you would need. I've travelled this land of ours a lot and there are places which are nicer but hard to reach and places with better facilities but nowhere to ride/run nearby. As the best compromise it is very hard to beat.
The standard answer is Sheffield or Scotland on this perennial question
The standard answer used to be Bristol, on the basis that you could drive to some places nearish-by, and it has some mediocre riding within the city. I always thought it was a bit like asking for the best place to live for almost anything in the UK, and being told to live in some services on the M4, for easy transport. (The Alan Partridge answer!)
Given the current circumstances, theres a few to spring to mind. The smaller towns and villages around Sheffield where you can be out the door into the peak would be high on the list! Equally around County Durham - Durham, Stanhope, Consett, ahem, Barnard Castle has some good riding and running on the Moors.
Scotland can be good too, i’m in the NE & places like Aboyne, Ballater, Dufftown etc are surrounded by good stuff, but never more than an hour from an airport/mainline station.
Downside of Scotland is it’s currently under an inch of sheet ice, so can’t really do much!
Thirsk (or that area) might be worth a look.
Brechfa (may not be an actual city).
Exeter?
Plenty of lovely Devon countryside and beaches nearby.
Pretty good rail links down past Dartmoor and up to North Devon.
You can cycle and run via the Estuary trail down to Exmouth beach and beyond.
Plenty of rental property in and around town, and it's not that expensive either.
Don't send the poor lad to Calderdale, FFS.
Scotland FTW, or maybe Lakes at a push.
I'd consider the Tweed Valley, Dunkeld, Aviemore or maybe Fort William.
Calderdale
Had to look that up on the map, there doesn’t appear to be any mountains around there!
Try riding up to stoodly pike from the canal in hebden bridge without getting off and walking. 😀
My first thought was similar to welshfarmer, anywhere with a medium town next to a National Park. Brecon would be my choice over Abergavenny but either would be good. Brecon is more rural and a bit further away from everywhere so it would depend on how much you value getting away when you don't have a car.
New Mills (High Peak):
2 train stations, 30 mins to Manchester, 40 mins to Sheffield... will also take you to Buxton and Edale is on the line to Sheffield.
Good bus service, 199 goes straight to Manchester Airport.
Sett Valley Trail will take you straight to Hayfield and Kinder.
There's the canal (one way towards Whaley Bridge, the other Marple and beyond), a large co-op, small Sainsbury's, good take aways.
Also a good bike shop - Sett Valley Cycles.
Try riding up to stoodly pike from the canal in hebden bridge without getting off and walking.
Granted, I'm sure it's steep, but that's only 1000' going by OS maps...
The OP has got a year to live anywhere he fancies in the UK.
No offence, but the Peak District would not even make my long list.
Snowdonia would be another option though.
Lived in Calderdale (Heptonstall) for a bit.
Plus: fantastic trails right from the door, everything you could possibly want from 60km moorland epics to super steep tech nightmares that will have you scratching your head trying to clean them. Loads of running walking as well. Great community spirit and strong local feel to the place. Good rail link to Manchester and Leeds. Great bike shops
Minus: Flooding and climate, it rains a lot and the steep valley sides make for some pretty short winter days. Roads and congestion are pretty bad. Can feel like the end of the line.
Stirling, Dunkeld, Fort William or Aviemore.
I live in Stirling and have both great running and mtb from my doorstep but if I had the option (and could cope with tourists) Aviemore would beat it.
Try riding up to stoodly pike from the canal in hebden bridge without getting off and walking. 😀
I’m feeling suddenly better about my fitness...
Brechfa (may not be an actual city).
Where is it? It's behind that tree over there.
I’m with Chakaping on this. And having lived in Sheffield there’s no way I’d recommend it if you have a choice of anywhere in the U.K.
Lakes or Highlands for me but not Angus or Deeside, somewhere that makes the west more accessible.
I’m feeling suddenly better about my fitness…
I can also do that and I'm a fat nodder. Not straight up the front mind.
Peebles
Melrose
Selkirk
St. Boswells
Agree about Dorking area - Shere is a nice village.
Swindon?
