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

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.