MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
Where?
I have kinda fallen out of love with Cumbria over the last 6 years and long to be back in Stirling or further north/north-west/islands. This isn't an option so I am casting the net over the county and immediate surroundings one last time before taking an extreme option.
Throw me some suggestions - where is worth going for community, schools, riding and general lifestyle.
i would live in threlkeld/keswick/braithwaite.
easy in and out of the lake there, ideal for motorway.
Grew up in Ulverston although I haven't lived in Cumbria since the 90s. If I were to move back, I'd think about Kendal or Stavely as Oostun seems to be getting progressively ****ier.
Oh you poor thing!
Do a swapsies with me...I get Cumbria, you get..........................Leicestershire 😉
lol - no chance, I moved far enough south by accident last time!
Bob, I agree entirely - the town is going downhill, it seems that there is a core population trying to turn it into Grange-Over-Sands mk II at the moment, but with a hint of Workington and Barrow to add a little spice!
Stavely is the dream... suspect that the finances are going to put the brakes on that one though! I am currently gazing at maps, and looking at where there are trails to give a starting point!
OP
Your photos make me want to head down there most weekends. 🙂
What would Penrith be like as a place ?
I only know it as a tourist,but it seems to be good location.
Keswick, very frequent visitor not sure of schools children grown up.Riding great all around area.The town, people , businesses very amiable and accommodating . Would really be happy living there. Landscape surroundings are stunning its a great location for outdoor activities sports etc. Can't comment on employment available someone else may have a comment.
Oostun seems to be getting progressively ****ier.
Where is Oostun?
Capt. - are you sure you can't be tempted?
Leicestershire is very under-rated donchya know 😉
The dream is that one day we'll live in the Lake District though I doubt it will be for a good while yet.
Staveley is a nice place...a bike shop/a place that sells amazing pies...and some tidy trails not too far away too...what's not too like? 😀
I was looking around Penrith - well, more out towards Appleby/Kirkby Stephen direction as there is a lot more for the cash out that way. I am not sure I would convince the other half that it was a good way to go though. Not sure on the trails situation, but other areas of life are pretty decent.
It has a pretty good leisure center too.
Ullverston is great because its not as chocolate box perfect as a lot of Cumbria - great beer too.
Staveley has really good community thing going but living near Wheelbase, Brewery and the Eagle could the ruination of you!
Or leftfield suggestion Cleator Moor or Frizington because cycling up through Ennerdale to Black Sail is stunning. You could never get bored there.
Ooston, or Ulverston as it is also known, it in the South West of the county... almost in Barrow-in-Furness infact, which is probably a large part of the problem!
Employment is not an issue as such, I am a mobile engineer so am all over the place, but it would be nice to be close to main routes, which is keeping me from getting too excited about places in the Duddon/Eskdale/Wasdale!
Oh in that case how about Shap?
PS Tebay is all sorts of weirdness!
Where are you now?
I really like Kendal.
Tomaso - I was finding that the pubs are getting worse to be honest. Good beer still I grant you, but The Swan is not what it was (saying that The Old Friends seems to be picking up, not that I have ventured the vast distance there in a while due to young children and no drinking buddies to drag me out!)
Found that the community side is a bit lacking unless you grew up here or are enough of a hippy to fit in with the lot down The Gill.
I think Ulverston has a split personality going on - a bit downbeat and Barrow-like on the one hand, and incredibly elitist on the other!
Alston is home for me
lol Tebay... it always rains there doesn't it????
Lythe Valley
S of Grizedale
Silloth - golf?
Duddon Valley
Keswick area - or move back to Stirling...
Staveley is a good shout not many cheap properties with decent bike storage, trust me I have looked ! they have a good postie though 🙂
Cannot fault Kendal but needs some decent pubs in the town plenty of good ones on the outskirts.You can get to Staveley off road from Kendal most of it cheeky mind!
I always enjoy Keswick but visit fairly infrequently.
I've always thought the traffic/parking in the summer would really piss me off if I lived there though.
Tourists are a very real issue Rascal. It is one of the main reasons I have (more or less) ruled out the central Lakes. Which is a shame, as that would be a handy area for work!
75% of my work is in the National Park, at a guess. The rest is spread between Cheshire, Lancashire, Yorkshire and most of Scotland!
Did you not put up the same post 9 months ago 🙂
Cockermouth, all the plus points of Keswick but without all the stupid tourists. Easy access to good riding, good beer and the rest. It's where I'd move back to.
The Old Friends seems to be picking up
Well it's had long enough! I cut my drinking teeth there, clubbing together to buy a couple of pints of fosters (topped up from the drip tray), then refilling them from cans of special brew under the table. Grim...
I dunno, I lived down the 'pot and you could more or less ignore the NIMBYs up town, and could do so again quite happily (if I could afford to shop at Booths) as the town/location is perfect in many other ways.
Money no object, then Staveley or one of the villages around the edge of the Lakes, Penny Bridge, Bouth kinda places.
Yeah - was all set to go for a place in Catmel, but it was a bit dark, needed a "good" £50k spent on rennovation and just seemed too expensive in the end.
Since then we have been toying with jumping over the border again, but only just. Had a look a few weeks back and didn't fall in love. To get to the good bits it is too far to commute. So kinda going back to it all again and having some hard conversations with ourselves about what it is we want!
The problem is everyone wants to live in Cumbria, so finding somewhere suitable that is also just about achievable financially is proving rather tricky.
Bouth... hmmm - that is a good call!
This property looks good live in half of it rent the other half out start a BnB or sell the other part!
I,m sort of tempted but would need to throw some cash at it!
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-29956440.html?premiumA=true
Yeah, I was looking at that the other day, I really must stop by and have a poke about to see if it would work on the outside space side of things. I need storage for work gear as well as mountain bikes/motorbikes!
I really like Staveley as a place, always seems to be stuff going on there, and I am not sure I could do Kendal now (other than the very fringe up around Serpentine Woods perhaps)
Have friends that live in Milburn which is between Penrith and Appleby.
It's a village virtually on the slopes of Cross Fell. Had probably my most miserable ever bike ride up there a few years back...saw 2 people all day - it was the coldest and wettest I've ever been, it was blowing a gale, thick mist and slushy snow lying around. On the decent my front wheel kept going axle deep in hidden bogs - truly hideous 'character-building' experience.
Very pretty but sod all there though - no shop...not even a pub - outrageous!
Their parents live in Penrith - I've always quite liked Penrith....stayed/eaten and drunk there loads of times in years gone by. One or two of the boozers are apparently a bit tasty though - not in a good way either.
They have a Booths which is as good a reason to move there as I can think of 😉
I think Ulverston has a split personality going on - a bit downbeat and Barrow-like on the one hand, and incredibly elitist on the other!
In classic STW style - are you sure the problem isn't you? 😉
Probably is 😉
I do work in sewage, people tend to keep away from the smell as much as anything!
You definitely need to be near the motorway with your work area. I live in Cockermouth and get sick of having to drive to Carlisle or Penrith to get on it, especially during work hours when you usually get stuck behind something. Tomaso's leftfield suggestions made me laugh - unless you worked at Sellafield, I don't think many would chose either of those unless you were from those parts (especially Frizington).
hmm just read Tomaso's alternative guide, Cleator probably on some up and coming list....
Never found the Cockermouth to Penrith drive too bad but I was normally doing it at 7am or 7pm (and getting paid for it), up to Carlisle is a ball ache though thoug I assume they have finished the bypass now.
Nearer the motorway is a plus, even the A590 from Ulverston out gets old (about half an hour, usually twice a day).
That isn't to say we won't go further - Broughton-in-Furness is on the radar, just.
I can't see me living in Frizzy or out the Wild West anyway! I work up that way enough 😉
Kendal or environs
I do the dreaded 590 every day - it's a ball bag. But can't convince the frau, that and it's dearer.
I'd imagine Penrith is like Ulverston and then some, work there the odd day and it seems a bit errrr Ulverston-ey.
Things would be better if they would build that tunnel under the bay!
I suspect it will never happen though.
The Kendal area does make most sense in terms of work, and still fits in quite well with a few other factors, and if I happened to find £500k+ in a black bag it would be reasonably easy to find somewhere over that way 😉
assume they have finished the bypass now
Yes, they put the finishing touches to the 163rd roundabout recently I believe.
Dizzying........
If you want fairly normal community, pubs, shops etc with fewer tourists - Cockermouth (Dearham/Broughton/Brigham sort of places are cheaper), Penrith (though not as much MTBing), Milnthorpe? or Brampton (if the geordie side of Carlisle is acceptable).
A left-field suggestion would be Lancaster (not Cumbria obviously) but Lakes/Dales access and cheaper.
Made the move to Cumbria almost 5 years ago. Best move ever! Did what we could to move into Windermere, before you all shout tourists, bloody tourists, we're not too bothered by them due to living up on a hill! No getting away from it though, it's way expensive. I've just valued a small one bedroom holiday cottage (600 sqft) in one of the other honey pot towns - £450,000 amd 3 people falling over themselves to buy it!
I'd happily live in Staveley - great village with a good scene going on. I'm also liking Ulverston too. Expecting values to start increasing soon due to impact of expansion programme at GSK. Investors are already moving in, buying the smaller rentals and HMO type properties.
What about Broughton?
Saw a property in Barrow the other day - £90,000, £5,000 to spend and would generate £35,000pa gross income.. No wonder these are being snapped up!
£90,000, £5,000 to spend and would generate £35,000pa gross income.. No wonder these are being snapped up!
Eh?? - How many bedrooms? Is it some sort of 16 room multi occupancy arrangement??
Yeah, the market in Ulverston is picking up fast now. My next door but one neighbour sold in 2 weeks of going on market and the agent really wants to sell mine!
I love Broughton, couple of options out that way just now, and a couple Haverthwaite direction too. I am planning on staying put this time though, at least for a good few years, so need to stack the odds of making the right choice in my favour, hence the asking on here again! The plan is to try and get it done before my wee lad starts school in September.
No problem with the Geordie side, there is a spot near Haltwhistle that I am scratching my head over!
How about between Grange and Kendal? Levens is a nice quiet little village close to M6 and Kendal if you need a night out?
Milnthorpe?
Lyth Valley area?
What is it you're looking for, the communication links, good local riding,affordable housing?
As Keith Bontrager said, pick two?
Penrith isn't as bad as the west coast towns, or Ulverston, it has a bit more going on.
As ever, I grew up there and didn't appreciate the place until I left.
If I could live anywhere in Cumbria......I would.
In a heart beat.
😥
I live in Portinscale, a mile from Keswick. I don't really notice the tourists, it's easy to get out to m6, kids are in good schools and keswick school, the secondary, was rated outstanding recently. Great rides from door, never drive to ride. Property is expensive, but I absolutely love living here.
What about out towards Sedbergh?
Great transport links and pretty quiet area
If I could live anywhere in Cumbria......I would. In a heart beat.
So would I, if I still lived in Reading. Might take a few more heart beats before I plumped for Egremont or Barrow, though. 🙂
I'd be favouring one of the Kirkby's - probably Kirkby Stephen, lovely little town, access to North Dales close by, Lakes riding next door, North Pennines and gorgeous Teesdale the other way, half an hour or so to Kendal via the 684, rail links (sort of) towards Leeds even, plus reasonableish prices compared with much of the S Lakes. Plus no tourist blight six months of the year.
Morning!
Sedbergh way - there isn't much at the moment, but we are actively considering it. The landscape can get a bit bleak in winter mind! It is pretty handy though, so we are keeping an eye!
Grange - Kendal is nice though, and very handy for transport. Not so touristy either which helps! Milnthorpe I am just now so sure about... and local knowledge would be good to sway that one!
I lived the first 27 years of my life in Keswick. It is great in many respects such as different walks and rides everyday for a month if you wish. As a place to live day in day out I could not return it has an odd mix of insular characters and the bind of tourists getting in the way of normal life.
The fringes of the lakes are nicer and you are less affected by the tourist set up. My inlaws are from Loweswater which is lovely but quiet. We used to live in Askham nearer Penrith and that is great. Lovely walks and road or mountain biking whilst being handy for a town. Penrith is very clicky and old fashioned(I work there) but it has improved an awful lot with the arrival of Booths & Sainsburys.
Askham would be my village recommendation.
I currently live in Maulds Meaburn which is really lovely but you have to commit to country life as everything is a good drive. Road cycling is great the lanes are empty.
If you want a town I have discounted Keswick & penrith. I would also rule out Cockermouth, my wife went to school there and always says it would be great without the people 🙂
My choice for town in a heartbeat would be Kendal it has a great combination of open friendly people, brilliant shopping mix and good countryside to hand.
So where are is everyone going to commute to from Cumbria then?
Milnthorpe I am just now so sure about... and local knowledge would be good to sway that one!
If you think Ulverston is rough round the edges you don't want to be thinking Milnthorpe, the smaller villages round there are OK though, Holme and Burton, still only 10 mins from M6.
Gotta be Wigton, right?
😉
It is worth visiting Kendal while on holiday in the Lakes? Never been to Kendal (been to Lakes lots of times). We are staying near Keswick and like to drive into Ambleside etc. We like a mix of biking, walking, shopping and relaxing to keep us both happy!
Money no object? Hartsop for me.
Moved up to W of Penrith earlier this year. No way I could afford to be in the Park.
For it's me, spot on. Easy onto A66 > to the A1 or M6 just a couple of minutes away.
Penrith's not a bad wee town, if you need out more Carlisle, or even Newcastle is easy to get to.
I've found that the N and E fells are quieter than elsewhere and still lots of good walks and rides.
Millom 🙂
My mother-in-law's family are from Caldbeck, so I go there lots. Really nice village, not too touristy and on the edge of the empty side of the Lakes. Chris Bonnington lives there too. 15-20 min drive to Carlisle/M6
Cockermouth, my wife went to school there and always says it would be great without the people
Changed a bit since she was at school I'd say. Looks much better since the 'Great Flood' too.
Clobber - Member
So where are is everyone going to commute to from Cumbria then?
Sellafield
It is worth visiting Kendal while on holiday in the Lakes?
Yes and No
Its the best town in the Lakes but it is still a town and on the edge of the Lakes proper. Not sure i would bother [ and I part live there]
Brewery arts may be worth a visit depending on what is on.
Got to be Barrow - no tourist issues there...
Thanks Junkyard, from what you say, and other accounts, I'm not sure it's worth the effort?
Dont get me wrong it is a lovely place to live but not what you come to the lakes for.
IF someone suggests K village shoot them
IF someone suggests K village shoot them
Looking at the footfall numbers that is exactly what is happening. 😆
Barrow in Furness has got it going on, or did have, many many years ago. Now there's only shops and shoplifters who live there Oh and some people still employed by bae (vickers). Barrow in the future will just be a load of scum all nicking off each other and getting into fights on Cornwallis St.
(can you tell me and barrow have some history?)
I live in Brampton. I wish I still lived in Pendle. There, I said it.
It is worth visiting Kendal while on holiday in the Lakes?
Not really no. Kendal is nice enough but there's nothing special about it really.
Talking of Leicestershire being underrated (which it undoubtedly is), when will you be joining us for an evening of sustainable bike riding Rascal?
Brigham
Loweswater for me. Just so I could have the Kirkstile as my local. 🙂
Kendal for getting out of the county quickly.
Penrith = Royston Vasey.
I live in Sedbergh, the Howgills are great. Plus it is actually in the Yorkshire Dales too.
Very nice quiet town. Any questions just shout
Just an absolute shame I am moving away soon 🙁
... I wouldn't.
The reason no-one from Barrow has sprung to its defence yet will be because they'll have all been fighting amongst themselves about who should reply, and by the time they've decided that, they'll find the computer has been robbed and sold for smack.
[url= http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/barrow-mum-and-dad-punched-own-daughter-1.1171334 ]This is basically Barrow[/url]
I live in a village just outside Barrow. My commute to work is about 5.5 miles on fairly quiet roads or shared path. We have 1 1/2 pubs, its lovely and quiet and the best bit is a lot of Barrovians dont even know where the village is!
To be fair, I do know some of folks from Barrow and they are grand... but they are dirty bikers whom I drink with at rallies a few times a year 😉 I wouldn't, however, want to live there... even if Dave Myers neighbours house is on the market at a reasonable price and there would be the possibility of some ace BBQs in the summer as a result!
Askham I love, I do some work there and keep looking for a house. Be very handy for Kendal Calling!
My feelings towards Milnthorpe probably stem from when I was at primary school nearby. I always preferred Arnside, but the riding around there is rubbish!
There is a lot of Kendal Love going on here, although I can't find what we need in the town itself there are options once you get out a bit - mainly to the East and South to keep the costs down!
I have one to go and look at next week booked in Backbarrow as a starter and we will see what else crops up, I am probably going to be stuck until after Christmas as there isn't much new coming up at the moment. Chances are it is going to be outside the NP though whichever way - I can't compete with retirees from London on funds!
Makes for interesting reading this though, it is helping to nudge some places that were on the fence one way or the other for consideration!
There's a good reason why Keswick is packed with tourists and that is the fact that it is simply the best place to be if you want to walk/run/cycle and just about swim right from your door.
Houses are dearer in Keswick but you save a fortune in petrol as you don't have to drive there anymore.
Found that the community side is a bit lacking unless you grew up here or are enough of a hippy to fit in with the lot down The Gill.
😆 brilliant; who're the lot down the gill?
If you want to live in a town then Ulverston is alright; fair mix of characters, stuff going on, not to far out in the sticks.
Spark Bridge, Greenodd, Lowick, Nibthwaite, Coniston, Broughton are all nice areas and alot quieter than other areas of the Lakes.
Matt - how's tricks with the NWLRC?
I'm doing a few tentative rides.
Did the-woods-that-shall-not-be-named on Sun.
Really enjoyed it - leg's getting stronger but recovery hurts for a few days after - realistically it'll be next year before I'm out properly again with you guys. Got more ultrasound starting next week.
Getting there!
Sorry for the deviation folks 😳
We looked hard at Cumbria, especially close to M6 but ended up settling for the dales instead, partly coz we found the perfect house but partly for the range of slightly less epic riding and other facilities without quite the same weight of tourists. Among other things. We have everything from a fairly easy 1h15 off road loop up to epic rides from the doorstep. Plus I can walk to booths and a train station. And proper broadband. I could go on.
Which bit of the Dales. I keep toying with that idea, although it would be a little less convenient.