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As you said, you don't need bars/clubs so Thirsk would be a good call. Must be about 15 mins on the train to York, It's on the edge of the NYM & a stones throw from the Dales. The A19 goes right past & the A1M is only a few miles away. Plenty of good riding close by, what's not to like?
It's probably got everything you need & not madly priced either.
Bristol parkway station is on the main Cardiff-London line with trains every 30 minutes or so. With Crossrail it makes central London b accessible
York's a great city in many ways, although quite conventional and a bit snobby. Like a bit of the south in the north. No decent hills for 20 miles in every direction either. I lived there for around 15 years then moved to Calderdale because I got fed up starting every ride with a 40-minute drive.
Edit: just re-read your post. Unsurprisingly, villages around York tend to be even more conventional and snobby than the city itself.
Thirsk is hard to beat on the mainline to York 10 mins.
Stunning walks and mtb up Sutton bank and along to Boltby
Also right on the A19 good Wetherspoons best fish and chip shop ever, getting a bit more gentrified and house prices sensible. Has a cycle shop and Sutton bank has an mtb shop Dalby is close and the North York moors has some amazing trails and never busy. Downside is it is a bit short of decent restaurants and pubs - got a cinema Tesco lidl
York all the way. Lived in Strensall so the moors was about a 30 minute cycle. Buses into town. Trains everywhere. Great fish and chips, pubs, bars, music, street life etc...
[url= https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/club/profile/549/clifton-cc ]Clifton Cycling Club[/url]
I wouldn't really consider ashton court etc in the calculation too much. The trails are broadly crap. Plenty of very good stuff reasonably close in south wales though, which is a big plus.
I commute from the north of the city into the centre, it's actually OK.
Which shows, one can even commute from (South) Gloucestershire into Brizzle. 😀
Which shows, one can even commute from (South) Gloucestershire into Brizzle.
Quite! Looking forward to the next round of county shifting too. I wonder where I will live next? Gloucestershire? North Wiltshire?
I stayed in a really old place with a regional map up recently, even Bristol was in Gloucestershire.
I hope for your sake you'll be in Norf Brizzle matey. 😉
It's exciting not knowing!
It's like the TDF, you never really know who's won!
I live on the western outskirts of York.
Don't commute to the centre by car. Bike, train or if you have to park and ride. That said learning the back routes will shorten driving commutes vastly.
North side ring road is rubbish. South side is excellent.
Off street commuting is possible on the bike, but there are so many bikes around traffic is used to them.
Small flat city so get a pub bike. Ancient £50 leave it anywhere job.
Several bike clubs of which I think Clifton is the biggest. Velodrome and closed road circuit at York Sport.
I love it. Smallish, friendly, bike friendly, decent pubs and restaurants (the restaurants weren't 10 years ago).
That said we have friends in Bristol and they're happy there.
Grew up outside York, about 10miles North, in a small village near Easingwold.
It's got a couple of great pubs, a decent bus service and a great shop.
If I could move back, I would.
Great countrysidd to be found on the doorstep, or a short drive away. Great for road riding, and some cracking MTB up on the moors etc..
Only draw back out there is the mobile coverage is shite.
And broadband, well, isn't that broad..
Hope you just mean the traffic 👿North side ring road is rubbish.
But traffic is not as big a problem going in and out of the centre, especially on the bike because there is a cycle lane all the way most of which is car free to and past the chocolate factory. From Haxby it is 4.5 miles to centre and busses every 15 mins. Plenty of back lanes up to the Howardian hills 10 miles north east. Just look at the Sustrans map.
I would choose Malton over Thirsk but prefer being closer to York. A lot of people like and commute from Northallerton which is on the main (fast) line to York and London. As mentioned York doesn't have a big city feel like Bristol or Leeds, but there is always something going on, looks good and has a great vibe.
I grew up in Bristol but moved to Chepstow 35 years ago and have since moved further into Monmouthshire. Its a great county for mountain biking with access to some of the best- FOD, Cwmcarn, Afan, Black mountains. Brecon beacons . Also great scenery for walking and road biking. I don't know about climbing over here .The commute to north of Bristol is relatively easy. I still visit Bristol to visit my daughter who lives in Totterdown(south part of the city but can walk into centre) It is a great city for city life.
I think it depends if you want city or town or country life, and how much you can spend on property. If I couldn't live IN Bristol then Monmouthshire is a better bet.
Thanks all - really useful input. Still considering both options, but York is looking more likely, partly as I've always been "oop north" (Leeds, Calderdale, Scotland, Snowdonia). Looking at the north of York - anything from closer in areas like Huntington, to Strensall, Easingwold, or Thirsk. Will have a look at Malton too.
Thanks folks 🙂
tinribz - Member
North side ring road is rubbish.
Hope you just mean the traffic
I do. Sorry. Traffic is worse on the north side.
Cycling is the answer. But it's nicer cycling from the southside. 😉
PS Tell Richard at Fulford Cycles I sent you.
I know it's not real climbing but Bristol does have a plethora of very good indoor options if that's your thing.
https://www.redpointbristol.co.uk
https://www.undercover-rock.com
http://blocclimbing.co.uk
https://www.theclimbingacademy.com/our-walls/bristol/
I imagine the there are loads of clubs/outings.