If you could live anywhere in Cumbria….

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.

This is basically Barrow

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.