Long Term Relocation - Coastal/Lake Suggestions?

[Deleted User]

We are currently based in the Midlands and have fallen into the trap of staying in the area we grew up. We met young and stayed in the area for convenience, jobs, childcare etc.

Our children are now in their teens and we will look to move location probably in the next 5 years ish. I would like to start exploring certain areas now with a view of potential relocation and looking for suggestions.

- We should have a good house budget. Not tied by jobs, these are moveable with us. 

 - We will be early/mid 40s when making this move.

- We love Devon/Cornwall but worry about the seasonality / tourist side of things

- Would love somewhere either near beach coastal or lakes / water

- Love outdoors elements and generally prefer quiet but would like to be driveable enough for some more civilisation / nice restaurants etc as we'll still be pretty young!

- Ideally roads that aren't too horrific and fairly driveable (for me!)

- Happy to consider up North as well as South (I went to University in York and loved York / Yorkshire area, would consider Scotland etc)

We haven't done enough UK exploring to really know where to start!

Thanks in advance.

lookstraightahead

I started in the midlands and have lived all over the country, now back near the midlands.

personally I didn't really like the "countryside" of the south. Really love Wales and Pembrokeshire coast.  Shropshire is nice.

Do you need to be 'close enough' for ageing parents etc? 

[Deleted User]

lookstraightahead said:

I started in the midlands and have lived all over the country, now back near the midlands.

personally I didn't really like the "countryside" of the south. Really love Wales and Pembrokeshire coast.  Shropshire is nice.

Do you need to be 'close enough' for ageing parents etc? 

We are quite rural Midlands currently.

Parents are a consideration, yes. It’s something we may need to balance. I know we would make those visits work regardless and I have 3 other siblings in the area so ideally within a 2/3 hour visit time would be good.

Thrugelmir

Deleted_User said:

We haven't done enough UK exploring to really know where to start!

I recommend you start having short staycations and get exploring.  Outside the tourist hotspots there's many quiet backwaters. 

[Deleted User]

Thrugelmir said:

Deleted_User said:

We haven't done enough UK exploring to really know where to start!

I recommend you start having short staycations and get exploring.  Outside the tourist hotspots there's many quiet backwaters. 

Absolutely, that’s the plan. Just looking for some ideas to start planning those trips in!

FreeBear

Thrugelmir said:

Deleted_User said:

We haven't done enough UK exploring to really know where to start!

I recommend you start having short staycations and get exploring.  Outside the tourist hotspots there's many quiet backwaters. 

Go to the areas out of season too. The Lake District on a warm summer day is nice (if you can avoid the tourists), but during the winter, cold, wet, and depressing.

andy444

I know it's not too far from you already but I've heard around Rudyard lake is quite nice and you'll be just outside the Peak District.

pinkteapot

FreeBear said:

Thrugelmir said:

Deleted_User said:

We haven't done enough UK exploring to really know where to start!

I recommend you start having short staycations and get exploring.  Outside the tourist hotspots there's many quiet backwaters. 

Go to the areas out of season too. The Lake District on a warm summer day is nice (if you can avoid the tourists), but during the winter, cold, wet, and depressing.

Whereas I live here and much prefer winter to summer. Lovely and quiet (in July and August we spend days in the Pennines and North Yorkshire hills instead to get away from the hordes). Weather adds more atmosphere to the hills (apart from the days the murk is well down). Not too hot for walking. 

We relocated a few years ago, OP. My biggest piece of advice if you’ve never lived in the area is to sell up and rent first, before deciding exactly where to live. We quickly ruled out an area we thought we’d be interested in due to its main road being really slow all the time (would have driven us nuts). 

Also, in some touristy/popular relocation areas - you hear it more about Cornwall and Scotland but Cumbria has pockets of it - people aren’t keen on offcomers (people who have relocated to the area). With good reason, to be fair (locals priced out of houses near their families). As we joined social groups, made friends etc, we heard tell of some towns/villages where this sentiment is strong. It’s not that people would be rude to us, but others couldn’t make friends in those places and are now very happily living in other spots in the area. We’re in a lovely friendly village.  

[Deleted User]

pinkteapot said:

FreeBear said:

Thrugelmir said:

Deleted_User said:

We haven't done enough UK exploring to really know where to start!

I recommend you start having short staycations and get exploring.  Outside the tourist hotspots there's many quiet backwaters. 

Go to the areas out of season too. The Lake District on a warm summer day is nice (if you can avoid the tourists), but during the winter, cold, wet, and depressing.

Whereas I live here and much prefer winter to summer. Lovely and quiet (in July and August we spend days in the Pennines and North Yorkshire hills instead to get away from the hordes). Weather adds more atmosphere to the hills (apart from the days the murk is well down). Not too hot for walking. 

We relocated a few years ago, OP. My biggest piece of advice if you’ve never lived in the area is to sell up and rent first, before deciding exactly where to live. We quickly ruled out an area we thought we’d be interested in due to its main road being really slow all the time (would have driven us nuts). 

Also, in some touristy/popular relocation areas - you hear it more about Cornwall and Scotland but Cumbria has pockets of it - people aren’t keen on offcomers (people who have relocated to the area). With good reason, to be fair (locals priced out of houses near their families). As we joined social groups, made friends etc, we heard tell of some towns/villages where this sentiment is strong. It’s not that people would be rude to us, but others couldn’t make friends in those places and are now very happily living in other spots in the area. We’re in a lovely friendly village.  

Yes I completely agree @pinkteapot we do feel it would be necessary to rent first. Although we have animals which doesn’t make the rental side easy.
Also completely get everyone’s points about experiencing the out of season weather as well.
It has worried me that I don’t want to be somewhere we are completely considered to be ‘outsiders’ but as you say, they have very valid reasons to feel like that.

daveyjp

If you like Cornwall try the Welsh version, Pembrokeshire.

If that is too remote North Wales and Anglesey has plenty to offer.  Rural, but great quick access by road and rail for the north west cities.

The North Yorkshire Coast can be a very harsh and miserable place in winter and you need to spend a winter in Scotland to see if it is for you.

Gers

I'd suggest getting a map (virtual or real) and draw an area on it round your parents place, or with it at one edge of your circle  - consider your maximum travelling time, not so much distance as the type of road is key.   I live approx 100 miles from my late mother's home but it took me upwards of 2.5 hours of driving time due to the winding single carriageway roads, made worse in summer from the tourists who (mostly) were unused to driving on this type of road. If I were using a motorway the time would have been much less. 

Of course, there are other modes of transport - if you go to Cornwall or Devon are there good train links or flights?

Good luck in your change of pace and place.