I’m a Scot, currently living in Aberdeen. Moved here for work with partner 18 months ago and we’re not crazy about it – lots of lovely features but doesn’t really feel like ‘us’ – and it can feel a bit isolated and small so we fancy a change. Previously lived in Edinburgh for several years, we really liked it and may go back at some point but want to test out other places first. Between the other half and I we’ve also lived in Stirling, Bristol, Birmingham and Northamptonshire. Need somewhere with a proper city and bit of a cosmopolitan city feel to it – lots of art and culture, but not too far from countryside and good riding. Bristol, Manchester and Glasgow currently being considered… OH not keen on that there London.

Please offer us your expert opinions! 🙂

erm… Leeds. Closer to the Dales, Calderdale and the lakes. Bit like Manchester but smaller. Bit closer to Scotland should you be heading up North a lot (on the Edinburgh train line). Fairly cosmopolitan, but I wouldn’t really know about that.

Bradford

Manchester.

You can walk from one side of the city centre to the other in a short time. There’s a good choice of beer & bars.

If you live on the south side of the city you can be in the Peak District for riding within the hour. There’s some gentle local riding along the Mersey and in various small wooded areas and parks if you just want a bit of urban riding. There’s also easy access from the south to the M56 and Wales.

If you live on the north side of the city you can be in all sorts of Lancashire and Yorkshire riding within the hour (-ish). There’s local riding, depending on how northerly you are, along canals, rivers and in parks & small wooded areas. And easy access to the M6 and The Lakes.

There’s an international airport for those quick jaunts to Switzerland, Germany etc.

Depending on your ‘industry’ there might even be jobs.

Good luck choosing.

Manchester is pretty cool and surprisingly cosmopolitan but too grimy for me.

Bristol or Edinburgh FTW if you must live in a city.

Doesn’t Sheffield come up regularly in these discussions?

Bristol meets your criteria and you know it, so would be an obvious choice. I live here and love it – great riding, both road and MTB, on the doorstep, and more than enough culture for most people.

Another consideration would be Leeds – my home town. Again great riding close to the city or nearby in the Dales. Loads to do on the cultural front as well, both in the city and close by – West Yorkshire Playhouse, York, Salts Mill, Haworth, Hepworth Museum, Yorkshire Sculputre Park, Royal Armouries, and the recently opened Arena to name but a few. Every time I go back it seems to have improved and IMO has a real dynamic feel to it.

Doesn’t Sheffield come up regularly in these discussions?

They asked for cosmopolitan though (this also puts Leeds out of the running). 😉

Cardiff is a great place, small city but everything you would want. Loads of riding close by, good transport links to the wider world

Bath, my home city so a bit biased but it is a fantastic city with lots of history, shopping restauraunts etc..
Within a hour you can be in the Forest of Dean, Cotswolds or over the bridge to Wales with the likes of Bike Park Wales easily accessible.

Reading 😉

Newcastle is a lovely city though.

If Aberdeen is a bit small, then Bath will feel like a village

Bath will feel like a village

Lovely as it is with all those buildings an’ stuff…it’s only a large town really.

Great responses folks – thanks. Hadn’t considered Leeds or Cardiff in any depth so will look into those now. Manchester and Bristol definitely contenders. I’ve been told manchester can feel a bit industrial, perhaps grimy (?) but in a similar way to glasgow… So think I need to visit again (haven’t been to manchester in years) to get a better feel for it. Any views from those in the know about which cities may have a similar feel to Edinburgh?

Newcastle is a lovely city though.

that

..I assume you are talking about Newcastle under lyme.. 🙂

If I was to move again, it would be Bristol or Cardiff, as much for the surrounding area as the cities.

Lichfield. Come to Lichfield.
Then wherever you go will seem ace.

Newcastle and culture? Not quite.

I think the ‘grimy and industrial’ tag for Manchester is probably based on how it was quite some time ago. It certainly doesn’t seem like that to me.

I’m sure if you were to deliberately seek out a grimy and industrial part it wouldn’t take long but you could say that about any city.

Then again I’ve lived here for about 15 years so maybe I’ve just got used to it?!

Newcastle and culture? Not quite.

In what regard? It has at least as much of an arts, theatre and music scene as some of the others mentioned above.

Newcastle and culture? Not quite.

Have you even been there ! ?

EDIT: Beaten to it by Sam.

I’ve lived in London, Cambridge, Bournemouth & Edinburgh. Of those I’d take Edinburgh every time.

Lichfield. Come to Lichfield.
Then wherever you go will seem ace.

Even Tamworth?? <shudder>

Another vote for Leeds, but as a born and bred loiner I am biased.
Choose your location carefully in Leeds as its a diverse old place!

Bristol is grim. Not Northern grim, but still grim.
Another vote for Bath.

I think the ‘grimy and industrial’ tag for Manchester is probably based on how it was quite some time ago. It certainly doesn’t seem like that to me.

TBH for me these days any big city seems a bit grimy and Manchester is quite a big city. I like the place for a visit but I couldn’t live there.

Newcastle (with its ugly sibling Gateshead)is a fantastic city, but I for one am grateful that it is a little under appreciated.
The arts are there is that is your bag (http://www.northernstage.co.uk/,
http://www.sagegateshead.com/,
https://www.balticmill.com/
the hills and riding areas are plentiful and under utilised, transport is great (15min from and international airport)with direct quick trains to London and up to Inverness in the other direction.

I moved here in 95 from the South West and although for periods have worked overseas and elsewhere in the UK it is now home (although I am still not a geordie).

Newcastle.

Really is a cracking city.

I agree that Newcastle is a great city. I used to go there for work quite a bit and always looked forward to it – embarrassed to say I was pleasantly surprised at first, but always bad a cracking time there. If I had to love up north, it would be between there and Manchester – but anywhere is too close to hora really.

If I had to love up north, it would be hora.

FTFY.

embarrassed to say I was pleasantly surprised at first

Seems quite common I’m not sure why people are. I must agree I quite like Manchester on my flying visit years back had a nice vibe.

GeordieLand 😀

Liking this debate on Newcastle! Very interesting indeed 😉 I think I’ll need to do some more fieldwork

Newcastle has a rep for being pretty mental of an evening – Bigg Market etc. Only ever been to Gateshead which seemed quite nice.

Newcastle has a rep for being pretty mental of an evening

It’s undoubtedly an experience but personally I’ve never found it threatening or uncomfortable (not true of some cities I’ve lived in) and for all the shit clubs* there are great bars and restaraunts, gig venues and boozers.

*which exist in every city.

I can’t afford to go out much these days, the “mental” places are there but also supported by a few more cultured evenings; this one has just started up and seems to be gaining some good support http://www.theboilershopsteamer.com/

Is that the same crowd as the Urban Night Feast? That was great!

+1 Bath

great place and right next to Bristol if you get bored

Manchester is great ! That is a fact, if its grimy then grime is also great !