fatcat65

Hi all, as some of you know I got back in the UK around 10 days ago and went back to Lancaster/Morecambe area. I have to say that I'm not too impressed by the way Lancaster has changed and Morecambe needs a real cash injection and dragging out of the squaller its in, I have therefore, decided to look for somewhere else to live. I have to say though the bay looked beautiful today with the sunshine and mist in the distance!
Anyway I guess I'm asking BE members if you have any suggestions that would meet our needs. Here's my wish list:
A must by the sea.
Near enough to a city for theatre and concerts (1 hours drive or train links)
Good decent shops, not pound shops!!
Picturesque town or village
Friendly, positive people.
Don't want too much do I!!
Any suggestions cause I'm going on a reccy next week around the UK so if anyone can suggestion a place to visit for us to check out that would be very useful.
thanks guys

steviedeluxe

You could try places close to Largs and Greenock near Glasgow. You have to be careful as some of the places around there are former dockyards and have unemployed chavs (called Neds up there) but otherwise it ticks most of your boxes. The scenery there is great, and you're close to Glasgow which has a lot of arts and museums. The major downside is the climate - very wet most of the year.

Mummy in the foothills

Somewhere in Cheshire I love that area, nice countryside, close enough to Chester and Manchester and not far from the beach depending where you are.

dunroving

... and colder than most of England, and shorter winter days and longer summer days (i.e., waking up at 3 a.m. because the sun is blasting through the curtains, and going to bed in daylight!)

johnh009

Although I am from Yorkshire, we are living in Malvern, Worcestershire. Weather is good, sometimes 6C warmer than Leeds (check the comparisions with other UK cities). Worcester and Birmingham are easily acessible by train for work, etc. and the area is well served with motorways. Despite all of the jokes about Birmingham, it is Britain's second city, they are investing money into the place and cleaning it up. For recreation, Wales and the Cotswolds are on your doorstep and Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, and the south coast in general are an easy drive away. Otherwise, Malvern is a picturesque spa town with low crime, reasonable facilities, and a decent class of people. If you want more action, you could move closer or into Worcester. Malvern has two railway stations. No ocean I am afraid. Otherwise, I would look at somewhere in Somerset, closer to Bristol. There seems to be more work in the south and the weather is better.

dreadsoc

Hi Fatcat

It depends on a lot of things, budget being the main one.

The Devon and Dorset areas are beautiful, with a generally nice climate, and lots of places near the sea. Property prices differ depending on where you go.
Hampshire also has a long coastline as does Sussex, so lots of places near the sea. However the closer you get to London in Sussex, the more expensive house prices tend to get as it becomes commuter belt.There are some very nice areas to live in the southern areas of Hampshire, where you can have rural, semi rural, or urban and all close to or in one of three cities.
Wiltshire is also a nice county.
Kent is also pretty - great weather in Summer, but some areas get snowed in with blizzards in winter. Bear in mind this is commuter area so prices of property may be quite high in parts.

Good lcuk wherever you end up - you deserve it

Dread - x

Victor Meldrew

Fatcat, what kind of budget are you working on, ie what price house are you looking at (or are you lookikng at renting) and, of all the criteria you mentioned, which one or two are the most important?

fatcat65

thanks all for your suggestions
Victor....i think all are important the priority though is by the sea.
We are not looking to buy a house and want to rent something cheap or buy a cheap caravan as we are keeping monthly outgoing costs down due to going traveling for a year in two years time, so don't want to set down any roots, we are just going to work our asses off and save save save for our trip.

dreadsoc

Hi Fatcaat

Sounds like great plan to me...

There are quite a few Mobile home sites in and around Hampshire and Dorset areas, which are kind off like static caravans, and cheap. Most are also very near the coast line.
One very nice place for finding good sites is a place called Hayling Island - so close it's almost in the sea!! Area is good too. May be worth a web search to see for yourself.

Dread - x

quoll

One of our returnees a couple of years ago (Fleaflyfloflum) spent quite a long time in a caravan down in Maldon in Essex and seemed to think that was pretty nice.

Victor Meldrew

How many belongings are you bringing back? would they fit into a caravan and what would you do with the items of they didn't?

Somebody I worked with lived in a narrowboat (60ft, so a 'big' one). She said you have to be very very tidy and very very efficient in how you use the space and even move around in it.

I would imagine it might be a difficult lifestyle long term, particularly in the winter.

Because most areas near the sea tend to be more expensive you might want to look somewhere on the North East coast like Whitley Bay, or perhaps the North Wales coast near Conway.

fatcat65

thanks Victor...i'm already in a friends caravan so getting a taste of how small it is and know how organized you have to be.
As for the North East coast its too cold...after being in Canada for nearly three years I want some where a bit warmer!!
Yes it may be a difficult lifestyle but the outcome will be worth it afterall its only two years!

fatcat65

well we have visited Saudersfoot and Tenby yesterday. I love Saudersfoot its a very pretty village with a lovely beach and having been in the summer a few years ago i know it doesn't get too busy.
Today we drove down to Ilfracombe, which i'm not too keen on...the coast line is spectacular and Woolacombe has a gorgeous beach but i don't think this area is for me.
Tomorrow we head over to Teignmouth/Dawlish area for a couple of days and see how we like that. I hope the weather is better tomorrow its been crap today!!

fulwood

carbis bay is nice. outside of St. Ives, friends used to live there and lovely to visit. can walk along cliffs from Carbis Bay to St. Ives, some lovely scenery..

mikelincs

Look at areas round Bournemouth, there is everything you are asking for here..