Aye, but you don’t need to spend much time looking at the town.

In fairness, looking at the town doesn’t take long.

And let’s not forget that it’s the 93rd largest town in Scotland!

I’m still a little in shock that there’s 93 towns in Scotland.

😉

Wow, amazed at the replies so far – plenty to get on Googling with.

As much as I love the sound of Scotland, with most of my clients in London, the distance would just make things very difficult work wise. Have never been a fan of the Swansea/Cardiff area although once you’re West of there and into Pembrokeshire it’s lovely.

Guess I’m going to have to compromise a little. N.Wales sounds like a good option as is the South Lakes and I already know both quite well. Bristol also looking good although appreciate I’d still have to drive to get most places.

Does Bristol attract a lot of Outdoors type people rather than just ‘townies’. Are there plenty of outdoor type clubs and events where it would be easy to meet like minded people.

What about Bath? Seems closer to Bristol but a lot smaller with potentially less traffic issues?

+1 Grum. Hebden’s not perfect but it’s getting pretty close. The mere fact that it’s Yorkshire means it trumps almost everywhere else.

So why ask the question? 🙄

Just to let you down Onion. Just to let you down…

What about Bath? Seems closer to Bristol but a lot smaller with potentially less traffic issues?

18th century housing estate. Even Jane Austen hated it.

mrhoppy – Member

I love Swansea but, you’ve never had problem with crime? In 5 years my car was broken into 4 times & stolen once. Amongst my friends we had cars done over every couple of months, I had a female friend locked in a cab & threatened, I was driving the uni minibus and had 2 people threaten me and make me drive round doing drug drop offs and had my wallet stolen twice. Now we were students so not in the most salubrious locations but in 12 years in Shropshire nothing has happened even though I’ve been to some iffy places with work.

Swansea, the Johannesburg of Wales! 🙄

Like any scruffy ex-industrial city Swansea has a rougher side but it also has lovely, safe places to live. And your experience as a student isn’t representative of the rest of the population for all sorts of very obvious reasons.

Dales_rider – Member

toxicsoks – Member

Shortly to be moving to the Keswick area for similar reasons to OP, apart from the surf stuff but the coast is only a short drive away. Failing that it’s Cracoe

At last thats you off my patch

Really? 😉

Ventnor on the Isle of Wight?

Ventnor is lovely, but it’s also a massive climb out of there on a bike…

+1 Grum. Hebden’s not perfect but it’s getting pretty close. The mere fact that it’s Yorkshire means it trumps almost everywhere else.

Shut up, Yorkshires a cesspit. Hebden is ruined by Yorkshire. And the oh so Leftfield Cafes.

Rhosgadfan?! Blimey. I used to live a little down the road from there. Theres a lot of chavs around that generalaarea. I had burgers thrown at my windows, eggs on Halloween, they’d ride the bins down the road, knock down walls, and generally be a PITA.

I did like living there overall, but just found it a bit tatty.

Good location for walking, riding, climbing and not too bad for surfing. But I just got bored, as North Wales is generally a bit small after spending 10 years there. Found I was doing the same walks, going to the same spots to go climbing….etc.

Bath? Less traffic issues? Have you been there at rush hour? Its horrific.

If you’re worried about time to get to London from Scotland… Its about 7 hours from Edinburgh. And its about 5.5 hours from Bangor.

North Wales or Scotland aren’t ideal if youre working in London. South Wales is a better bet 3 hours from london. Or brizzle. Even closer.

Rickon im glad you arent my estate agent!

Yeah but from Edinburgh you’ve got fast trains, and planes. And a sleeper if you prefer.

Well I was gonna say Ft Billyam from the start, even though Ft Bill itself is a right Dump. However I still traipse up there every May for the SSDT & absolutely love the surrounding area.
Midges?…Hmm…get on your wick a bit.
Rain?…Just adds to the charm of the place IMO.

Yep, Fort William wins.
EDIT, no midges in May!

Dunno if it’s the best, but Bangor (Bethesda) suits me. Can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be, at least near to a decent university (work). Threads like this remind me how spoilt I am. London just over 3hrs. Good line too if you get the Virgin direct service. 🙂

North Wales or Scotland aren’t ideal if youre working in London. South Wales is a better bet 3 hours from london. Or brizzle. Even closer.

If you live in the right place in Edinburgh*. You can be in London in fairly quickly. Last year me and the GF seriously considered moving to England as she works for a London based company (generally from home, but with regular visits to London) But the costs, travel implications, housing, and loss of real hills and associated sports led us to stay where we are. We’d have had to live in London for it to be worth it financially. Never going to happen.

Takes 60 to 75min to get to the Airport (from Dundee) 1hr max to get through the airport, 75-90 minute flight time. And then where you’re going from there. Flight costs around £65 plus £11 diesel. Bit of a long day, but she does this occasionally as a return on the same day.

You obviously have travel costs at the other end. But you’d have that anyway, seem to remember hers is about £10-£15. Luckily everything is expensed.

*apparently they might have Trams soon 😀

If I thought flying to London now and then was a good plan I’d be thinking further afield than Edinburgh. Geneva or Toulouse for starters. The time in the air is not that much longer.

Shut up, Yorkshires a cesspit. Hebden is ruined by Yorkshire. And the oh so Leftfield Cafes.

Where is it you live – Dundee? 😆

If I thought flying to London now and then was a good plan I’d be thinking further afield than Edinburgh. Geneva or Toulouse for starters. The time in the air is not that much longer.

*realises ive not read the OP 😀

If I thought flying to London now and then was a good plan I’d be thinking further afield than Edinburgh. Geneva or Toulouse for starters. The time in the air is not that much longer.

I know it’s near some nice mountains, but Geneva is really not an appealing place.

Edinburgh for balance of access to outdoor stuff, plus work and culture etc. Just for access to outdoor type stuff then Aviemore, Fort William or Inverness surely.

I’m splitting my time between Edinburgh and London these days – London is great for work and for culture etc., but as a place to live generally Edinburgh takes a lot of beating.

Where is it you live – Dundee?

😆

Say what you like about Dundee. But I can pass a Cairngorms NPA sign in under an hour. And ski in around the same time. About an hour for Loch Lomond and the Trossachs NPA. Well connected international airport in around the same time. Aviemore and Fort Bill can be reached by day trips.

The city itself is no great wonder of the north. But there is a lot of great stuff not too far away. I like it.

*reads OP

*notes surfing

I’d like to be near the highlands – but the Cairngorms just don’t cut it for me. They might have good skiing etc but I find them pretty unattractive compared to the west coast. For me the west has a real magic that just isn’t there in the Cairngorms.

And while being near stuff is nice it’s better to be right there in amongst it. I was near the Lakes when I lived in Lancaster which was cool but it’s much better to have decent stuff from the door.

So ner!

Very true

But al that needs balancing with employment availability.

And as much as I agree with you about te west coast. It’s just so damned wet.

The problem with the West Coast is that there just isn’t the same variety of riding. There are fewer routes, they tend to be much longer, there is less opportunity for variation and even the roads are more limited.

Tis a shame, to be sure. We seriously looked at the West Coast as an option but all of the above, plus additional distance from services and poorer transport links, eventually put us off.

but the Cairngorms just don’t cut it for me. They might have good skiing etc but I find them pretty unattractive compared to the west coast. For me the west has a real magic that just isn’t there in the Cairngorms.

I used to feel like that but I’ve got to know the Gorms a bit better over the last few years and they’ve got a charm of their own which is different to but the equal of the west.

Ventnor is lovely, but it’s also a massive climb out of there on a bike…

Which means it’s downhills back home for tea and medals. 🙂

Has the OP been back to respond to any of the haranguing salient points made in this thread?

Where do you want to live? It shoudl have been called STW a place in the hills.

FWIW – Stirling is good for most stuff, main railway, motorway, nr airport and trails from your front door, nae surfin but.

South Wales is a better bet 3 hours from london.

2 hours from Cardiff. There are some nice parts within a 20-30 min walk of town and the station, which is really convenient. And you’re still only half an hour by bike from the trails. Only disadvantage of taking the train to London from Cardiff is arriving at Paddington!

And while being near stuff is nice it’s better to be right there in amongst it. I was near the Lakes when I lived in Lancaster which was cool but it’s much better to have decent stuff from the door.

In that case the answer surely is to live in Balerno. All the advantages of Edinburgh plus riding in the Pentlands straight out of the door.

Balerno

True, it’s a nice place. I won’t say where I’m moving too, but it’s close’ish 😉

If you’re used to craggy, rugged mountains, then the cairngorms do look a bit boring, but after spending almost 2 years up here – they’re great, and do have a real charm. Big walk ins though, for many walks.

There is a compromise involved depending on which sports you really favour. I cant think of many really decent surf breaks with good riding on tap too. Personally i prefer living very near the beach for surfing (I live in S. Pembrokeshire near Tenby) so have some good surfing on my door step but the mtbing aint brilliant.

Just to pick up Bath, very nice place to live, lots of stuff in town a cracking country outside. Very sporty town but still a few hours from surf. Decent riding within site of the city centre.

Bloody awful traffic, live on the side you need to get too!

Can’t believe Fort William is mentioned by so many people. Yep, location is incredible but really, the town is utterly dismal. It just sucks the life out of you.

the town is utterly dismal

It has pubs that serve half-decent ale. It has chip shops. It even has one or two – OK maybe only one – half-decent restaurant. It’s got more going for it than some.

it just sucks the life out of you

Despite my positive comments above, there is an element of this I admit

Wow thanks for all the responses. As much as Scotland appeals, it’s just too far from family, and current work commitments, plus I’d have a real job in convincing the other half that the climate would be bearable (she really feels the cold). So will have to be just holidays up there I guess. Thought Edinburgh and Glasgow had a really nice vibe to them though when I’ve visited.

Similarly looking more at the N.East, it seems pretty remote from the rest of the UK, but then I’ve never been there so I’m just making assumptions really by looking at the map and could be totally wrong. South Wales doesn’t appeal to be honest as a place to live, Pembrokeshire is stunning but I’ve been tarnished by a couple of friends stag nights out in Cardiff/Swansea that I’d rather forget to be honest.

So that leaves North Wales, Bristol Area, The Lakes (Kendal/Keswick) or somewhere like Exeter or Barnstaple/Braunton as strong contenders. Appreciate that everywhere is a compromise to some degree so it’s just weighing up the plus and minus points of each now I guess?