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Hello,
We've been out of the country for about 14 years, but the state of the USA is making a move back look more likely.
With that in mind, I'm looking into where to move if we return.
Here's my criteria:
- Train line or similar to a metropolitan area with some decent arts and culture (a Mrs. Phinbob requirement).
- Reasonable connections to London (for family visits).
- Some kind of town nearby: Pub, bike shop, bookshop, small supermarket. Somewhere with some community to get involved with.
- Good riding from the doorstep/nearby - I like most things from XC to 'easy' bikepark stuff. I live in the Pacific Northwest at the moment, where most of the local riding is 'winch and plummet'. Not interested in big jumps or huge drops. Happy to travel a few times a year to somewhere with uplift.
- I'll need a job of sorts to keep up my NI contributions, but I don't need a big-paying/corporate job.
- Reasonably sane property prices, I'll have about 500k to buy a house outright, and I'd like something older, detached, and with a decent garden.
I've lived in Leeds, the Lake District, Surrey, and North Yorkshire. All have their good points. The SE is probably out due to cost of living, plus it's just too busy.
Hit me with your suggestions. Thanks!
Macclesfield and environs is one to look at. Nice area with superb connectivity to Manchester and London whilst being right at the foot of the Western Peak.
What reasonable connections to London means for you is an important question, as that's almost everywhere in the UK in US terms if you're not too bothered about it. OTOH if you really do want to be travelling to London without hassle then that's much more focussing.
In the spirit of saying where you live, Scottish Borders.
I live 5 mins from train station then 1 hour into Edinburgh, one of the best cities in the world. Train or fly to London for family stuff. World class riding from doorstep, Inners is 20 min drive. Move small town with busy high street, bigger shops in neighbouring town. House prices are sensible, £500k will get you a lot. And Scotland is just better.
I'll need a job of sorts to keep up my NI contributions
Voluntary contribution aren't expensive if you don't need to work.
I live in france but if I had to live in the UK it would be the South West, say Exeter.
Without a shadow of a doubt, I'd say Wick
Thanks everyone! Some food for thought.
Middlesbrough,TS1 for the win!
Edinburgh
Not Edinburgh 😋
I like edinburgh but its perfectly suited to visiting from somewhere with riding like the scottish borders. And you moneys will go alot further, with garden etc.
Well you’ve ruled out the SE but Folkestone has an interesting art scene is very much changed in the last 10 years, some great restaurants etc.
Great links to London, riding is OK some nice forests about. Has the advantage of being close to the continent and the riding that can offer as well as a days drive from the excellent riding in the further reaches of the uk.
House prices are rising fast though.
oh and the weather is much better in this bit of the uk…..
Somewhere around Abergavenny would seem to fit the bill nicely.
Whenever I think back to the UK and living in Aberystwyth or Birmingham I remember how much influence the weather had on my often outdoors life. Have a play with this if you like being outdoors all year around:
So.......you're thinking the Pacific northwest is getting a bit shit and your solution is to move back here? Why not just hop over the border?
Do you have to come back to the UK? Given your comment about "the state of the USA", and the potential for the UK to mimic, at least to some extent, a similar path, would somewhere in Europe (or Aus / NZ / Canada) not be a more attractive proposition?
Shropshire, we’re not far from Shrewsbury and there is nowhere else I’d like to live, we love everything about it. Awesome town nearby, lovely village life, nice people, loads of incredible biking and a very outdoorsy life. 🙂
A village/town near Bath such as Chippenham.
A few eyes will roll but Chichester (where I currently live). South downs is basically on the doorstep so ace for xc, gravel and road riding. Rogate is close for when you fancy some daftness + Surrey Hills.
Genuinely top notch theatre, good food and good pubs and breweries. Fast enough to London if your have to but good links to Brighton etc. It's SE but property is not totally horrific. Get a solid 3 bed in town for that budget easily.
Yeah, Canada would be the obvious nearer solution for you. Toronto's pretty awful for riding; but Alberta and BC are epic; and Montreal and further East is good.
As for the UK, Macclesfield isn't a bad shout, but it's the wrong side of the country for the weather. I grew up there, and it was invariably raining 5-6 days a week. Instead I'd say Yorkshire - there are so many options, from Leeds, Bradford to York, further north etc
Some good calls, but I'll recommend where I live - near Derby with decent access to Nottingham. I'm outside Ilkeston. Parts are rough - ex mining/iron area - parts are nice. Your budget gives you some nice bits.
Derby and Nottingham big enough for jobs, Nottingham has the better arts scene.
Road and gravel from your door, half an hour to the bottom of the Peak, Sherwood Pines and Cannock Chase for non extreme trail centres.
Edukator makes the best comment. Look at the weather/climate.
I grew up in the north west near Bolton and I only realised how wet it was when I left. For anyone that knows the area I was in Farnworth so not the most glamorous of towns. Variable prices depending on where you live. Nicer areas are likely getting expensive but no where near London prices. I remember riding being ok but it's been a while since I've really explored. I can do a nice ride mtb ride around RIvington from my mum's. Road is also good from memory.
I spent some time living in Somerset. Bridgwater, so again, not glamorous but pleasant. Did feel quite friendly though. Great riding on the road, Quantocks and into Devon. I used to Kayak and surf then so also good options. Weather was generally warmer and more pleasant. Seemed expensive and getting more so when I left.
Moved to Newcastle. Love it. Been here 18 years now. Nice sized city. Has everything I would want in terms of culture and entertainment. Generally friendly vibes. You can escape easily into the country side. It's very nice but not all that dramatic (but I guess that is because I'm used to it). Best beaches in the world if it wasn't for the temperature. It's cold. You get used to it but... It's drier than the NW but the last week has me doubting that. Prices are reasonable. I live in one of the most expensive parts and I have a 4 bedroom house for what my sister paid for a small flat in London. You'll get a nice house for £500k. Good public transport if you pick somewhere sensible. My Wife used to work in London 3 days a week. The train was quick but expensive. Roads aren't crazy busy so driving is ok. Good riding locally (road and gravel). Good quality mountain biking requires a bit more thought and probably a drive.
MiL lives in Surrey. It's lovely. Warm, dry, pleasant country side. Not as friendly in my experience and I think that is because it is so busy. Prices are astronomical although that might be because she lives where all of the Chelsea players are, just outside of Cobham.
Macclesfield and environs is one to look at. Nice area with superb connectivity to Manchester and London whilst being right at the foot of the Western Peak.
Aye, was going to say this (in a "recommend where you live" vein, obviously). I live in Disley and can be walking into our offices in central London at 8:45 without a particularly early start. Manchester on the doorstep, obvs, Peak District on the doorstep, obvs, Lake District not far up the M6 really, easy to get to Wales. Decent 'community spirit', even more so in New Mills which has definitely got an increasing Hebden Bridge-esque vibe about it.
Yeah, the weather can be a bit damp, but it's not dreadful, and if you're coming from the Pacific Northwest it's probably drier than where you are now...
would somewhere in Europe (or Aus / NZ / Canada) not be a more attractive proposition?
I assume the OP has a UK passport and it may as simple to go elsewhere.
In the same vein of where you live(d).
York is awesome but it is a (short, 30 minute) drive to some hills. Excellent road riding (apparently according to deviant mates who partake in that kinda thing). Ticks all your other boxes too.
South Halifax/Calderdale. Lived there for 18/19 years and Halifax itself improved a lot in that time and I think theres quite a little music/arts scene there now. Cheap housing and some really, really nice little villages between Halifax and the M62 - Stainland, Barkisland, Rishworth, Ripponden etc. Riding is top notch as well - proper variation of everything you can think of from road, gravel, long XC epics and off piste death tech. Direct (albeit quite slow) trains from Halifax to London and no distance on the train to Manchester and Leeds.
Think about how cold winters and rain in general will affect how likely you are to enjoy the local outdoors.
Petersfield area great for riding road or MTB, plus not far from London. Generally not many sub zero winter days, has had some prolonged 30C+ heatwaves in last decade.
Llangollen/Shrewsbury area gets damn cold in winter for England.
North Wales near Chester, but it rains a lot.
Thanks for the advice, everyone. To answer the "why not a different country?" question, I'm a dual UK/US citizen, and you can't just up sticks and move somewhere else. There are some other countries, Portugal, Costa Rica, and a few others offer a reasonably easy move, but there are downsides to these too. Canada would be a great option, but I'm getting long in the tooth, and I'd have to get another corporate-style job, which I'd quite like to avoid, plus it's another long road to permanent residency, probably longer than I want to work.
And I know the UK is not perfect, but at the moment, how many of you have friends who are having to carry their 'papers' around with them, simply because of the colour of their skin? The UK feels like it's not too late to save, and at this point, I'm not sure if the USA is.
Bloody Septics, comin over ere, taking are 'ouses, jobs, tryin to integrate 'emselves into are cultur.
I'm back visiting the motherland right now and there's no f-ing way that I would choose to settle anywhere near the south east of the UK.
Three number of people concentrated in such a small area is crazy. The only way to get any feeling of solitude is to go for a two hour walk across mud-laden fields where you'll ultimately end up in a pub full of Botox laden tarts drinking Argentinien white wine alongside their cockapoo dogs and their shiny gelled "geezer" fellas drinking Cruzcampo ****y lager.
Mate.... This country has gone to the dogs.
Full of next Tuesdays.
Reminds me of a recent thread. As per that thread I’d suggest Barnard Castle - reasonably priced, close to Hamsterley and Descend Bike Park, near the Pennines and Yorkshire Dales, and an hour or so from the Lake District. Also not far from Darlington (for trains to London).
Sorry.... That should say this *county* had gone to the dogs.
Essex is a literal walking parody of itself.
That should say this *county* had gone to the dogs.
Not that the bar was ever set very high.
York as was said is great, except for riding from the door.
How about just up the East Coast mainline say near Northallerton?
And the constant aroma of the Swizzels sweet factory
And if you get the train into Manchester you get the aroma of the McVities factory too 🙂
York as was said is great, except for riding from the door.
How about just up the East Coast mainline say near Northallerton?
Yes, I spent a season working at the Youth Hostel in Osmotherley, just up the road. That would be a good option. I cut my MTB'ing teeth in the North York Moors (in 1995, on a rigid Cinder Cone).
I live in Essex 🙂
I would not suggest it
Based solely on the weather, I'd say anywhere between York and Edinburgh. Watching the recent storms on the weather forecasts break up as they hit the Pennines was a joy to behold.
Based solely on the weather, I'd say anywhere between York and Edinburgh.
What happens North of Edinburgh?
… stays north of Edinburgh?
Shhh ... Don't tell anyone, but Dunblane/Stirling/Bridge of Allan ticks all your boxes despite being just North of Edinburgh
Based solely on the weather, I'd say anywhere between York and Edinburgh.
What happens North of Edinburgh?
Not sure, never been there 😁
🤣
Just if anybody who has never been North of Edinburgh is in any doubt; it is indeed an uninhabitable frozen wasteland. Please don't consider moving here.
Ilkley ticks all your boxes except the property prices one so you might need to find a compromise on the house. It's a brilliant place to live for many reasons but also because you can do everything without a car apart from drive into the Dales for more awesome biking