[Closed] Don't you wish you lived up north

molgrips - Member
Bristol's hardly the South West proper tho is it?

Other than the inarguable fact that it is in the South-West, most of the people who live there would culturally identify with the South-West, the Bristolian accent is clearly West Country and the city itself is the largest city in the South-West, you're absolutely right.

Where do you live? I heard some knob on the BBC describing Reading as a West Country city earlier.

What to do for 4 hours in Waterloo.

OK - I'll try

Within a 10 minute walk

The London Eye
The London Aquarium
Borough Market
The Tate Modern
The Old Vic
The New Vic
Cuba Cuban Restaurant superb food the best Mohitos
Culture Grub The best noodles Ive had anywhere
Gabriels Wharf
The IMAX
The Southbank
Hayward Gallery
National Theatre
Konditor and Cook
Covent Garden
Jacks Bar
The Oxo Tower

I reckon there's a few hours there.

I've always thought of Gloucester as being west country too.

The North starts at Barrow in Furness, everywhere south of that is collectively known as "Shandyland" 😛

It's right on the edge of the South-West, its accent is just like most of rural Southern England (Herefordshire anyone?). And it's right on the very edge of what you'd call the South West anyway and closer to Wales and the Midlands than anywhere else.

I said hardly the South West PROPER, meaning that the South West is a place noted for its countryside, moors and coastline, not cities. So someone from Bristol is hardly a Wurzel.

Shandy?

While happy not to be described as a wurzel, bristol is definately south west. Having said that, I'll often refer to it as west country. The accent is more somerset than hereford.

re the premis of the thread though I don't wish I lived up North, having grown up on the cultural desolation of Cumbria I'm a happy southerner now (although to be fair by Southern I mean New Zealand so maybe that colours my opinion somewhat - being all mountainy and singletracky and stuff)

backhander - Member
I've always thought of Gloucester as being west country too.

It is.

The historic counties of Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, and Gloucestershire plus the City of Bristol.

Not to be confused with the ancient kingdom of Wessex which is larger and incorporates the aforementioned plus Hampshire (and I.of.W), Berkshire and Oxfordshire.

So where's Herefordshire come then?

I said hardly the South West PROPER, meaning that the South West is a place noted for its countryside, moors and coastline, not cities. So someone from Bristol is hardly a Wurzel.

Posted 1 minute ago # Report-Post

By that logic Plymouth, Exeter and any other city in a predominatly rural area fail to qualify, but there will always be centres of population even in relatively sparsely inhabited areas.

Bristol definitely feels West Country to me.

Herefordshire is west mids is it not?

molgrips - Member
So where's Herefordshire come then?

The West Midlands.

Got a half day at work tomorrow, can't decide whether to go for a ride in The Dales, on The Moors or go for a spin around Dalby Forest...think I'll have a nice pint and then decide.

Hmmm I'm split between the Quantocks, S Wales, Mendips, Exmoor or even Dartmoor if I fancy a longish drive. 😀

The historic counties of Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, and Gloucestershire plus the City of Bristol.

And as a westcountry born and bred lad.. I grudgingly agree with this too.. regardless of 'official' classifications or historical documentation.. the accents are similar enough up that way to the ones that feature all the way down to Penzance.. and that's good enough for me and I'll bet me cider on it bey..
Accents from certain estates in Brizzle and Plymuff can be quite hard to distinguish between.. Although some people would argue that the Brizzle contingent just fake their accent for kudos and /or a giggle..
I nearly fell off me haystack too when I heard Westcountry accents in Gloucester the first time I was up there..
Oh and FWIW... Anywhere North of the corner of my house is full of Northerners by my measure..

So where's Herefordshire come then?

Same here Pogo (apart from the pint). Going to mtb all around our local trails, which will be 4 minutes from my door, into proper hills and look out for all the wildlife.

In a few years time we're selling up and heading further up North.

5mins, 20mins, 60mins think it'll be the moors, out the door on my bike, ooh country side, aaahhh peace and quiet, fresh air and lovely beer mmmmmmmm.....

Most Londoners i know would love to be up North but cant face taking a pay cut from their over inflated salary nor the prospect of owning a place they live in that has stairs on the right side of the front door!

Can i just say that working in saddleworth looking at the moors all day is rubbish, its such a distraction!

Just to check, when people say the south (as in south of England) I'm assuming they mean like Sheffield maybe? And the midlands would be the bit between Sheffield and Leeds (ie Wakefield / Barnsley) - no?

On that basis I don't know what people are saying about there being no singletrack in the south.

The West Midlands is flippin Brummies.. Which Herefordshire most definitely is not. It's the land that the rest of the country forgot about!

Anyway. Wales FTW. Everything the North has but better, and nearer to the airports.

CFH, don't patronise me, that's just insulting - no offence taken though, i know you can't help it. X

Jools, thanks for trying, but 'walking around, use public transport, look at stuff, buy stuff', is why i'm currently a bit bored with London*.

for example: borough market = walk around + buy stuff.

tate modern = walk around + look at stuff (and i've been there about a dozen times)

london eye = buy stuff + use public transport + look at stuff

etc.

i'm hoping for something like 'frisbee golf! dry-stone-walling! make-a-hat! find-some-shirts-that-fit! something different...

but it looks like i'll settle for the old stand-by of 'finding somewhere quiet to read the guardian'.

London's not bad - in fact it's just the same as everywhere else**. the bricks are a different colour, which really [i]is[/i] interesting, but noone ever talks about that.

(*i know this is wrong, which is why i'm asking for help)

(**galleries: sheffield, pete mckee, a month of sundays, as a suggestion...)

If I wished I lived anywhere, It wouldn't be in this country, that's for sure. I can wish better than that! Everywhere is a compromise, it depends what you want, what you will settle for, where you are in life, loads of things. It's not about some stupid mystery divisive boundary line, that's for sure.

Hell No.

jam bo - Member
As far as I'm concerned the north starts on the eastbound hard shoulder of the m4.

With the Midlands stretching between there and the A303...

yunki - Member

they are Welsh... Same as Bristolians

Oi!! That's fighting talk........ 😉

To the south is the metropolis of Greater London, to the north and west is the 'archipelago of the provinces' - city islands that appear to be slowly sinking demographically, socially and economically.

While in truth and slightly ironically London is slowly sinking into the sea and the northern hills are rising gently (I did geography at school).

If I wished I lived anywhere, It wouldn't be in this country, that's for sure. I can wish better than that!

I live in the best place for me, but were I to move anywhere else for a bit, it would be abroad, quite frankly.

I'd still come back home though.

I tell thee, all this fresh air and countryside is gonna be the death o' me...

I wish I were a perfectly shampooed unicorn floating on a bubble of my own self importance through time and space visiting alien cultures on the edge of the universe and preaching my own version of reality. But at the mo' I live in Deganwy.

I tell thee, all this fresh air and countryside is gonna be the death o' me...

breath deeply now..in..out..in..out..

"Quantocks, S Wales, Mendips, Exmoor or even Dartmoor"

Great to be here init!?

But I would also add in Forest of Dean, Cotswolds, Malvern, Longleat, Salisbury and Test Valley - also all worthwhile riding destinations within 2 hours driving.

Though frankly the riding is sufficiently diverse and challenging here on the Mendip, it's an effort to drive. But I do fancy thrashing my FS down Dunkery and Horner on Exmoor this weekend.

It's rubbish up north. No it's not blue skies again, no the trails aren't bone dry still, no the hills aren't quiet and yes it's grim grey and dull.

I like London and the south too but I love Northumberland it's my home family have farmed around the area for years. I've worked in this area for over 20 years and been at my current station for about 18 years. Would make it hard to live else where but sure I'd settle in.

Mind some of the accents in other areas would drive me mad.

And no Cheshire is not in the the north.

stumpynya12 - Member
I went to Londinium last year the beer in the Lock Tavern was good, the food was excellent and I rode around our capital on my bike. The north is just a better place to live if your a mtb'er.

Better still, Wales or Scotland.

[i]And no Cheshire is not in the the north[/i]

Now, now, don't make me open it...

[img] [/img]

Your just below the border IHN close but still in the midlands.

Better still, Wales or Scotland.

If you like trails centres.

Most Londoners i know would love to be up North

Wheras most Londoners I know (probably a good few more 😉 ) have never even been up North, let alone want to go there. We have 5 airports here, and it's cheaper and easier to fly abroad for a holiday. Who wants to spend a week in a miserable cold damp B+B in Scarborough, when you could have 2 weeks in St Lucia for the same money?

I often read on here of people commuting for an hour, two hours or more to work. A solicitor friend of mine takes a 20 minute stroll to work every morning. Another mate, who does computery stuff, has a 10-15 minute cycle from his front door, along relatively quiet roads if he chooses. They both love living in London. Some people are prepared to spend a significant chunk of their lives sat in traffic, for the pay off of living in a quiet rural area, but others don't really want that. Horses for courses and all that.

Interesting that many on here define themselves as 'MTBer's. To me, it's just one of the activities I enjoy. My life doesn't revolve around mountain biking. I like doing other things as well. Living in London means I can enjoy these things, and don't have to travel far to do so.

I must say, on returning from North Wales on Thursday night, I was lifted by coming back into the Smoke. Rode home through the City. To me, that's just as enjoyable as riding around the Welsh mountains that I'd been doing. Different, but just as good.

I know that seems strange to some folk, but guess what? People are different.

I grew up in Sussex riding the Downs, which I loved and still do love - it just feels like home the shape of them hills - scarp and vale.
Lived in the Midlands for a dozen years riding Cannock Chase, Shropshire and North Wales.
Now living in Lancaster and getting to ride the Lakes and Yorkshire as well as abroad in Scotland and Wales 😉

Which do I prefer?

IMO the North definitely has the best mountain bike riding.

Using pure logic:
The only mountains in England are up north. Therefore mountain biking can only be done in the north of England. Wales and Scotland have the benefit of mountains almost everywhere! There are plenty of trails to ride d'arn sarf but no mountains.

Are you a mountain biker or do you ride on hills?

PS No one has mentioned Norfolk or Suffolk for the best riding in the country? 😉

If you like trails centres.

I do as it happens, I think that judging by the themes of numerous threads on here then so do most STWers. But I also love a bit of natural trail riding and (not sure if you've noticed) Wales is full of mountains & hills that are crisscrossed with miles and miles of natural trails.

Plus its full of sheep, which is a bonus.

Using pure logic:
The only mountains in England are up north. Therefore mountain biking can only be done in the north of England.

what mountains are they then? last time i was in the north of England i could see some hills with smooth tops to them but had to keep going to Scotland to see real mountains.

Sounds like the Northumberland then, except no trail centres, Ok maybe Kielder, and no err we don't have any mountains.

The only mountains in England are up north.

There are no mountains in England , north or otherwise (or south wales).
North wales has a few as does scotland.
So, unless you're riding there; you're a hill rider 😀
(broadly accepted definition of a mountain being 1000m)

'Hill bike riding'.

Hmm, doesn't sound quite as sexy, does it?

There are no mountains in England , north or otherwise (or south wales).

I thought the definition of a mountain in England was 'any free-standing mass over 2000ft'. If that's the case then there are several mountains in Northern England. Certainly bigger than anything in the South anyway.

a natural elevation of the earth surface rising more or less abruptly from the surrounding level and attaining an altitude which, relatively to the adjacent elevation, is impressive or notable.

a natural elevation of the earth surface rising more or less abruptly from the surrounding level and attaining an altitude which, relatively to the adjacent elevation, is impressive or notable.

[b]Oxford English Dictionary[/b]

You Northern/Welsh/Scottish monkeys really would know your arses from your heads without us Southerners to tell you what was what!

Just to make it absolutely clear...

Head - the part of the body on top of the shoulders with a large orifice that said monkeys shovel chips into.

Arse - the part of the body much photographed by simonfbarnes from which said monkeys speak.

Yeti's Oxford English Dictionary

There isn't an actual agreed height limit for a mountain, there's just the dictionary definition. The only rough height guide is about a 1000' but I'd personally say your struggling to call any places in the uk mountains. Ok maybe ben Nevis and snowdon but hardly much of a mountain in relation to the alps.

If the rough definition is 1000ft then there are lots of large masses that can claim to be mountains. Whether or not you agree is simply your personal opinion 🙂
Wales, the Lakes, The Peak area, the Howgills, Northumbria etc can all claim to have mountains based on that. Wales & the Lakes certainly have 'proper' shaped mountains even if you dismiss the rest as merely large, rounded hills.

Definitions of "mountain" include:[2]

* Height over base of at least 2,500 m (8,202 ft).
* Height over base of 1,500 m (4,921 ft).–2,500 m (8,202 ft). with a slope greater than 2 degrees
* Height over base of 1,000 m (3,281 ft).–1,500 m (4,921 ft). with a slope greater than 5 degrees
* Local (radius 7,000 m (22,966 ft). elevation greater than 300 m (984 ft)., or 300 m (984 ft)–1,000 m (3,281 ft). if local (radius 7,000 m (22,966 ft). elevation is greater than 300 m (984 ft).

Of course, the English Dictionary was first compiled by Dr Samuel Johnson, in That London. The Oxford English Dictionary was apparently first compiled by a bunch of London scholars. 😉

There you go.

As for mountains, I think an internationally accepted standard is a peak above 1000m. Of which there aren't any in England. So the only true 'mountain' bikers are those who regularly cycle up Snowdon and a few mountains in Scotland.

The bikers you see in trail centres in Wales etc, on 6" travel 'all mountain' bikes are commonly known as 'Mincers'.

Wales & the Lakes certainly have 'proper' shaped mountains even if you dismiss the rest as merely large, rounded hills.

Yup they do bases on the shape yeah and steepness.

As for mountains, I think an internationally accepted standard is a peak above 1000m.

You think wrong there is no agreed standard, plenty of ideas though.

..And those London-based bikers on expensive full suss bikes riding the oh-so-knarly London parks are colloquially known as 'poseurs' 😆

London Scholar - is that what those wino's drinking crap beer around the streets are called?

[i]Your just below the border IHN close but still in the midlands[/i]

Cheshire's in the Midlands?! Like **** it is.

[url= http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_England ]The north according to Wikipedia[/url] and therefore it's the truth. Cheshire, you will notice, is there:

[img] [/img]

..And those London-based bikers on expensive full suss bikes riding the oh-so-knarly London parks are colloquially known as 'poseurs'

No they're from Surrey. The Poseurs you refer to ride trendy fixies or Dutch bikes. Keep up. 😉

London Scholar - is that what those wino's drinking crap beer around the streets are called?

Erm no. Winos drink wine, surely?

Although the alkies you find around around London's streets speak more sense than some folk on here. 😀

You think wrong there is no agreed standard

Well there should be.

Hmm, I doubt any 'mountaineers' would consider England's hills proper mountains. You get old people walking up them ffs.

Maybe it's something that peaks above the tree line then. I dunno.

Point is, there are mountains in Scotland, and loads in Europe. Not in England.

Only in your opinion my poor cockney-centric, countryside-phobic little urchin (say hallo to Fagin next time you're out doing a song & dance number in the streets with your chimney broom).

If it's above the treeline then there's loads of hills that might qualify - you just can't see 'em from your high rise....

😉 😛

my poor cockney-centric, countryside-phobic little urchin (say hallo to Fagin next time you're out doing a song & dance number in the streets with your chimney broom)

😆

Did you do that map IHN?

Oi Oi Oi...Scarborough is not cold and damp it is however
"cheap,tacky,smelly and it still has donkeys on the beach"

Leave the lad alone Cheshire is the North...every area has to have a place for lad-de-dah posh folk to live... oop North we call that place Cheshire more faux grais* than flat cap.

* of course I cannot spell it I am uneducated and just too far away to do day trips to France which is closer than good riding to you lot?

having annoyed both sides wanders off

whatever happened to that ATB label that was bandied around a few years back...?

'All Terrain Bikes'. Wasn't there a bike company with that name or something?

MTBs are called 'VTT' (Velo Tout Terrain) in France, which means the same thing. More appropriate really.

I've been on a rubbish sandy sunny southern beach all afternoon watching northerners get sunburnt. Enjoy the drive home while i eat my tea will ya. 🙂

You can keep your Southern 'tea' (Northern expression) no-one else will eat those revolting jellied eels! 😛

IHN - Cheshire may be geographically in the North, but judged by all other criteria it's basically Essex with a slightly nicer accent. 😀

Didsbury & Chorlton similarly are in the North only by an accident of geography. Philosophically, they have far more in common with the metro-sexual, namby-pamby manbaggery so beloved of our Southern cousins.

Basically, anywhere south of Deansgate is suspect and Harrogate is definitely inhabited by fifth columnists.

I quite like the South West, but it's too crowded and their pies are the wrong shape.

I do like Wales though - proper rain, real hills and a 'Couldn't give a stuff' attitude about the rest of the UK. It's like being at home but with better scenery.

no...it's cold wid no sunshine,an u dont speak the queens english...

I quite like the South West, but it's too crowded and their pies are the wrong shape.

jeez, is this still going?

CountZero, I've just got back from Northumberland.
Salisbury Plain is about as desolate and sparsely populated as a Chilean coal mine in comparison. 🙂

Cheshire may be geographically in the North

Geographically it ain't.

I often read on here of people commuting for an hour, two hours or more to work. A solicitor friend of mine takes a 20 minute stroll to work every morning. Another mate, who does computery stuff, has a 10-15 minute cycle from his front door, along relatively quiet roads if he chooses. They both love living in London. Some people are prepared to spend a significant chunk of their lives sat in traffic, for the pay off of living in a quiet rural area, but others don't really want that. Horses for courses and all that.

A you seriously suggesting that London is great because people have nice short commutes that are stress free? Ever been on the Northern line in rush hour, or to Waterloo, Liverpool Street etc?

A large percentage of Londoners have long commutes, due to most places people work being miles away from where they live.

Also, back to the pubs thing, you're certainly wrong about at least Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire - way better and cheaper beer, at least from a real ale perspective. Less fancy bars up here selling nice belgian beers though which is a pity. Although perhaps I know bugger all about London pubs, after all I only lived down that way for 28 years and obviously never frequented any pubs in that time.

Its BRILLIANT up north. Out the back door on to singletrack direct to even more moorland singletrack and then home run via Dalby Forest. Lunch and pint on the way back.....Eeee by ek I love North Yorkshire 8)

A you seriously suggesting that London is great because people have nice short commutes that are stress free? Ever been on the Northern line in rush hour, or to Waterloo, Liverpool Street etc?

Yep. And I've seen the trains coming in from places like Birmingham, Nottingham, Southampton, etc, full of people commuting to work in London. People choose to live further afield, that's up to them. Most of the [b]Londoners[/b] I know have a fairly short commute. Certainly under an hour. Remember that London is a massive city. How long do people commute to get to work in places like Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, etc? I's say it's probably pretty similar, if not longer. I'm not going to claim that London life is stress-free, because it's not. But you can live close to work here and have a decent lifestyle.

As for the pubs and beer; I can tell you that there is far more diverse range of drinking establishments than you're going to find up your way. And loooads of places selling real ale, some of it even brewed locally! Come down, I'll show you a few! 😀

Cheaper; yes, I don't doubt that. But that doesn't worry us, as we're so very much richer than you lot anyway! 😉

London has it's own stuff; other places have theirs. I love London, and am happy with what's on offer to me.

How many top class curry houses you got within a 15 minute bike ride of you? I've got a choice of loads. Plus shit loads of other food places from Algeria to Zaire.

after all I only lived down that way for 28 years and obviously never frequented any pubs in that time.

but you moved away so naturally want to reaffirm that choice to yourself by posting your opinions on here. that's not to say your choice was wrong, it obviously isn't. (neither is voicing your opinion)
personally the best thing i ever did was move to London. it's not the greatest place in the world but then neither is the north.

it's not the greatest place in the world

I beg your pardon? 😯

What I notice on here, in these sort of arguments, is that people seem to believe that their choice of location/lifestyle is the correct one, and anyone who thinks differently is wrong. I mean, I imagine I'd get a bit bored quite quickly, living in a rural place/far from London, but I don't go round saying 'oh where you live is crap I can go to experience culture right on my doorstep I can't believe you want to live in a place where there's no London stuff'. I just accept we're all different, and have different wants and needs.

See, I love it here in the same way that someone might love living in the Lakes, or North Wales, or Scotland or wherever. Thursday morning I was looking out toward Conwy Mountain. Friday morning I was by the River looking out towards the City. Both pleasurable experiences, yet one is a place for a holiday, the other is Home.

Thursday morning I was looking out toward Conwy Mountain. Friday morning I was by the River looking out towards the City. Both pleasurable experiences, yet one is a place for a holiday, the other is Home.

The most sensible thing you've ever said: Holidays in London can be fun. 😀
Wouldn't want to live there though, it smells of wee and bankers.

Heh!

The most sensible thing you've ever said: Holidays in London can be fun:)
Wouldn't want to live there though, it smells of wee and bankers.

Very true 😉

I have lived in city's, rural & small towns. each has is plus & minus points but being able to ride out of my door to either quiet roads or trails is important to me.
I think that some people who have only ever lived in a big city would probably struggle to adapt to a quieter environment full time?

smells of wee and bankers.

Spoonerism ?